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Blackcurrant jelly

• Message 1. 

  Posted by Inkadog (U14278499) on Wednesday, 20th July 2011

  Had some blackcurrants left after making a batch of jam--not enough for a full batch, so made jelly from currants, apple juice, and about 1/4 c, of red wine {merlot]. Sweetened with splenda, and used low-sugar pectin. Beautiful to look at, and also delicious!!! I want to get some of my own bushes for next year, as the berries were expensive to buy. Are they difficult to grow?

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  Posted by northwards (U14324094) on Wednesday, 20th July 2011

  Dead easy, in my opinion. You really have to wait until their second year before you get much fruit, but after that you'll be giving them away
  
  You have to prune them properly but that's not difficult. If you have the room for them I'd go buy one or two pot-grown ones now. Don't get a lot of bushes - I went overboard and got 4 and then couldn't figure out what to do with all the fruit

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  Posted by As_Iff (U13951957) on Wednesday, 20th July 2011

  Blackcurrants are very easy to grow. Our bush grows in ordinary garden soil, in a position of dappled shade and sun. Put a handful of bonemeal in the bottom of the hole at planting time and water the bush well to get it established.
  
  A handful of Blackcurrants simmered in a little water, sugar added, and a drop of brandy, serve warm poured over icecream. Yum!!
  You can do the same with red currants, and RC bushes are easy to grow too.
  Happy growing! And happy eating!

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  Posted by Inkadog (U14278499) on Thursday, 21st July 2011

  Thanks for the replies--I think I will get 2 bushes the next time I go to the GC. Might be awhile, as I live on an island!

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  Posted by Hyperangelic (U14876738) on Friday, 22nd July 2011

  Go for it! Blackcurrants are as easy to grow as weeds!! When you prune them, just stick some of the pruned stems into the ground and in 2 to 3 years, you'll have a new bush to get fruit from! Just be careful when the fruit is close to ripe, as once the birds discover them, they can denude a bush astonishingly quickly! A bit of fine net to throw across them once the fruit start to colour is all you need to keep the birdies off for the vital week...

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  Posted by koala_girl (U12702629) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  I have seen several people talking about birds eating their blackcurrants and find it very strange. My father has had a blackcurrant patch at the end of his garden since 1966 and the birds have never touched them. I asked him again today and he confirmed that he has never done anything to protect them, although he has to net the nearby strawberry patch.
  
  This year we have picked loads of berries. I made six pounds of blackcurrant jam this week.

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  Posted by Barney_pl (U13897738) on Sunday, 24th July 2011

  Koala Girl, I agree. Although the birds stole strawberries, redcurrants and the Pax gooseberries (though the only thing in any quantity was the Pax), the blackcurrants were left alone.
  
  There was enough of everything apart from the last of the redcurrant harvest to share with the birds, so I didn't mind, but I will need to protect the strawberries' first proper crop next year. They were newly planted this spring so I didn't allowed them to fruit properly as they took a long time to establish because of our weird weather.
  
  

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