currents as windbreak?

[janzbro]

I have got 8 blackcurrents, a pair of red currents and couple of goosegogs which I have been growing on from early last year.
I am thinking rather than waste space planting a hedge as a windbreak that I would use these instead up against my soon to be constructed rabbit wire fence. Would these be ok planted about 1 metre apart.

blackcurrents are ben nevis
red currents are jonkheer van tets
red and green gooseberrys Hinnonmaki

cheers

John

[mothhawk]

Depends how much wind you have or want to prevent. Fruit bushes are generally pruned to keep them open centred and with well spaced branches for ease of picking and to prevent diseases. Not really going to stop a lot of wind over winter when they are leafless.

I'd go for fruiting hedging, like hazel, cherry plum, that will make a proper hedge and reduce wind.

[janzbro]

thought the ones you listed also lose their leaves over winter ?

I dont need it very high, 4 to 5 foot would be ideal, that would throw wind up or at least slow it down/diffuse it enough to help as plot only 11m wide

In fact I dont want it high at all as it will shadow my plot for a good part of the day

[Alison]

Do you want them to produce fruit too? If so their ability to do so will be compromised by growing them so close together.

[janzbro]

that was the intention, get fruit and have a windbreak

[sparrow100]

Yes they will be good as a windbreak/hedging. My family do it in Norway along their drives to harvest for jelly/juice and to help with micro-climate encouragements in the front gardens.

You'll still need to prune carefully so as not to reduce fruit yields, but to be honest those are really vigorous varieties and I wouldn't worry too much about it for the first few years. Feeding well and mulching with stable manure helps minimise reduced yields too. Though with that many bushes you might not be too bothered! And you can always make more from cuttings.

My 4 year old Jonkheer is now 4ft high, but not bushy enough yet. My Hinnimakis are 3ft high and the same age.

Good luck!

[janzbro]

yields are not that important as you say with that many fruit bushes I should have plenty regardless = yum