Not much fruit on my bushes yet....

[Herbsandveg]

I planted what I think to be second year Blackcurrant and Gooseberry bushes this year (they were purchased from Suttons) and despite looking very happy and creating lots of foliage they've not yet shown any signs of producing much fruit. Is there anything I could do that might encourage them to produce more fruit, and should I be watering them a lot more than I am ie more than the 'very infrequent' regime being employed just now?...

[rustylady]

Are they in pots or in the ground?

Both blackcurrants and gooseberries flower in Spring, so there is no way they will produce more flowers or fruit this year. However next year you should get flowers and fruit on the new stems that are growing now.

[Herbsandveg]

Are they in pots or in the ground?

Both blackcurrants and gooseberries flower in Spring, so there is no way they will produce more flowers or fruit this year. However next year you should get flowers and fruit on the new stems that are growing now.

Thank you for that, RustyLady. It's a bit disappointing to read that none of the fruit will produce very much this year, but it's all part of the learning process, and we'll hopefully a bountiful crop next year...

[kentishgal]

Well good luck with them. I planted my black/redcurrants and gooseberries last year and had a small amount of fruit on them however this year not a single one has flowered! So no fruit for me this year!
(so I wouldnt pin all your hopes on next year either!!).

[Herbsandveg]

Well good luck with them. I planted my black/redcurrants and gooseberries last year and had a small amount of fruit on them however this year not a single one has flowered! So no fruit for me this year!
(so I wouldnt pin all your hopes on next year either!!).

Do you have any sort of idea why that might be? Just wondered if there was any known reason why this happens...

[Paulieb]

I planted what I think to be second year Blackcurrant and Gooseberry bushes this year (they were purchased from Suttons) and despite looking very happy and creating lots of foliage they've not yet shown any signs of producing much fruit. Is there anything I could do that might encourage them to produce more fruit, and should I be watering them a lot more than I am ie more than the 'very infrequent' regime being employed just now?...

As rustylady alluded.....blackcurrants flower (and fruit) on 1 year old wood. So the new wood growing this year will provide the basis for next years flowers which you should see in spring.

They shouldn't need watering if they're in the ground as their roots should do enough searching for that.

Blackcurrants will flower and fruit on older wood (2/3 years), but after a while they start to get a bit tired so its normal practice to remove one third of the branches every year once they're established, to keep them vigorous.

[Herbsandveg]

Thank you, Paulieb. An investment for the future rather than this year, but something to look forward to next year...