There are several varieties for compost growing of currants.
The Big Bud Mite, which causes the buds of the blackcurrants to swell out three and four times the size, will attack red and white currants, but in this case the buds are killed-they do not swell out. If, therefore, you have bushes which do not fruit or which have buds which do not open, then an attack of Big Bud Mite must be suspected. The only thing to do in this case is to use a lime sulphur spray, dissolving I pint in 49 pints of water for this purpose. It will be seen that only a weak solution is needed.
Two types of aphis can be a great nuisance: one can suck and ruin the tips, and the other curls the leaves and causes red blisters to appear. Spraying with a 5 per cent solution of a tar-oil wash in December gives good control.
In cases where it is seen that the leaves are punctured with numerous holes giving a brown spotted appearance, and where the shoots are also punctured with the growth thus reduced, a Capsid Bug attack may be suspected. In this case, instead of using a tar-oil wash in December for a winter spray, it is better to apply a DNC wash early in February so as to smother the eggs.
There is a variety, Fay's Prolific, which is sometimes planted because it is early. It is, however, prone to two troubles: (1) the buds seem to go blind and one has to be very careful to prune to a live bud, in the winter; and (2) the growths are rather brittle and are apt to be blown off in the summer.
Birds sometimes cause trouble by pecking out the buds in the early spring, and when this happens the bushes must be heavily black-cottoned to keep them away. Pick the red and white currants when the berries are of a good clear colour. Gather the whole bunch at one time. Go over the bushes, however, three or four times so as to be able to pick the berries in the right condition. Unfortunately, birds go for red currants more than any other fruit in the garden, and therefore to be successful with them many people grow them in a fruit cage. - 15266
The Big Bud Mite, which causes the buds of the blackcurrants to swell out three and four times the size, will attack red and white currants, but in this case the buds are killed-they do not swell out. If, therefore, you have bushes which do not fruit or which have buds which do not open, then an attack of Big Bud Mite must be suspected. The only thing to do in this case is to use a lime sulphur spray, dissolving I pint in 49 pints of water for this purpose. It will be seen that only a weak solution is needed.
Two types of aphis can be a great nuisance: one can suck and ruin the tips, and the other curls the leaves and causes red blisters to appear. Spraying with a 5 per cent solution of a tar-oil wash in December gives good control.
In cases where it is seen that the leaves are punctured with numerous holes giving a brown spotted appearance, and where the shoots are also punctured with the growth thus reduced, a Capsid Bug attack may be suspected. In this case, instead of using a tar-oil wash in December for a winter spray, it is better to apply a DNC wash early in February so as to smother the eggs.
There is a variety, Fay's Prolific, which is sometimes planted because it is early. It is, however, prone to two troubles: (1) the buds seem to go blind and one has to be very careful to prune to a live bud, in the winter; and (2) the growths are rather brittle and are apt to be blown off in the summer.
Birds sometimes cause trouble by pecking out the buds in the early spring, and when this happens the bushes must be heavily black-cottoned to keep them away. Pick the red and white currants when the berries are of a good clear colour. Gather the whole bunch at one time. Go over the bushes, however, three or four times so as to be able to pick the berries in the right condition. Unfortunately, birds go for red currants more than any other fruit in the garden, and therefore to be successful with them many people grow them in a fruit cage. - 15266
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Fruit trees are common existing features and they can often incorporated into the new design of your garden.
