STILL SEEKING INFO ON BLACK CURRANTS. TO STACEY, HAVE YOU TRIED A REGULAR BLENDER? IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE NUTRITIOUS WITH THE "PULP" IN. HI IN VITAMIN C. YOU CAN ALSO DRY THEM LIKE RAISINS, MAYBE IN THE SUN OR MICROWAVE? I JUST FROZE MINE TO SAVE FOR USE IN BELGIAN WAFFLES. WE NEED A CURRANT PROMOTION BOARD, MAYBE. I LOVE GROWING ALL KINDS OF CURRANTS. LAST YEAR WE HAD RED ONES TOO, BUT I PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE AND THEY GOT MOLDY! MAYBE JUST EATING THEM OFF THE STEM IS A GOOD IDEA TOO. HOPE WE GET MORE RESPONSES. AND KEEP THE CURRANT PLANTS AWAY FROM PINE TREES, I HAVE HEARD. THIS YEAR I ALSO PLANTED A CRANDALL OR BUFFALO CURRANT BUSH. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SWEETER FRUIT. GOOD LUCK!

-- Brent Bielema (airgun177@hotmail.com), June 26, 2001

Answers

I have both red and black currants and this year put in Crandall and they had a few berries on and I tasted them and they were sweeter. However, the bushes don't look as green, healthy and thriving as the the other type bushes. Any ideas what they need? Also put in gooseberries. Can't wait for them all to get big enough to get a good quantity to try out jams, drying etc.

-- Rita in Tn (felfoot @twlakes.net), June 27, 2001.

ACCORDING TO SUNSET NATIONAL GARDEN BOOK, CURRANTS NEED TO BE MULCHED WELL, PRUNED DURING DORMANT SEASON. REMOVE OLDER CANES, THESE OFTEN LOOK DARK AND PEELING. I USE PINE BARK MULCH, I THINK THAT IS WHAT FORESTFARM (OREGON) TOLD ME TO USE. HAVE YOU EVER TRIED PLANTING GOLDEN CURRANTS? I HAVE ONE PLANT THAT NEARLY DIED BUT CAME BACK NOW. ALL THE CURRANT VARIETIES AND GOOSEBERRIES ARE FASCINATING. MY PARENTS USED TO PICK GOOSEBERRIES. THE IMMATURE CURRANTS LOOK JUST LIKE THEM. STILL NEED SOME RECIPES, HOPE THIS HELPS. ALSO CURRANTS CAN GET WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST, ESPECIALLY BLACK CURRANTS. SO KEEP THEM AWAY FROM PINES UNLESS YOU HAVE RUST RESISTANT VARIETIES. OURS DO GOOD IN SUN, A LITTLE SHADE HELPS IN HOT AREAS.

-- Brent Bielema (airgun177@hotmail.com), June 27, 2001.