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New Blackcurrant Bush

TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
in Fruit & veg
We have a Blackcurrant bush that is old which didn't fruit very well this year. I've cut it back in the hope it will fruit better but also have bought a new one. My question is should I keep the new one in the GH for the first winter or will it be OK to plant out now, I'm thinking out as it was outside when we bought it but I'm not sure. Also is there anything I should do to it like cutting it back if so by how much, it's not very big but has three health branches.







Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    Now is the perfect time to plant it out which will give it a chance to send some new roots into the surrounding soil while it is still warm.  They are completely hardy so no need to worry about cold weather but do give it a good drink when you plant it and water at least once a week if your soil is dry like mine is at the moment.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    Many thanks BobTheGardener. I wasn't sure so thought I best check but did think it might be OK to plant out now. Thanks again.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 50,133
    I'd agree totally with Bob @NannaBoo. It's really only a problem when you buy something that's not brilliantly hardy, or a plant in later spring, when things have been grown undercover, and it's a bit of a shock to stick them out. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    Thanks for your reply Fairygirl, it's now planted out and has had a watering can of water so hopefully it will be happy and do well.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 6,737
    Did you plant it deeply, Nannaboo? Its usually best to plant so the graft union is below the soil, a few inches deeper than the existing soil level, to encourage it to shoot from the base and give a good bushy plant, then prune the existing stems right back to about a third of it’s size and mulch well with woodchip or similar. 

    At least, that was the advice I followed, but mine were bareroot, not potted, but I think it must work the same....perhaps double check that!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • TheveggardenerTheveggardener Posts: 1,057
    Hi Nollie, no I planted to the level it was in the pot. I'll google and see what is advised and if need be will dig it up and replant today.

    I was lucky earlier in the year they were pruning trees and putting the branches through the shredder. I said to one of the chaps that would be useful in his garden, he ask if I'd like some so I have to 120lt compost bags full of it sitting open to the weather will use some of that.
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