fruit bushes

pclark42

Hi

Anyone who has seen me on here will know that in May I had eye surgery and could hardly see for weeks, then a 2nd operation really finished the growing period, I am able to say that at this moment I am good and my sight is 80% what it was, but they did a great job. OK my veg all went to pot, most ended on the compost however I did get plenty of broad beans and french beans, early on I had 6 lettuces, I think they were from a garden centre and called something like Oak leaf? they were lovely. I got peas and a load of radish, but then the eye stopped play, previously I had planted 2 fruit bushes, a gooseberry, blackcurrant and blueberry, I planted them up against my new wooden fence in good soil with manure mixed in, they grew quickly, the gooseberry had lots of fruit on when my eye went west, and I couldn't see to look after them at all, once my eye came back I went looking around, the weeds were a foot high, and all the fruit was gone, all the bushes looked very ill, it had been blisteringly hot, which didn't help, the blueberry did have some on early doors, but the blackcurrant didn't have one berry, I have now got the area clear and I can see the bushes, do you think I should persevere with them or move them to a better place? more to come soon guys I have a lot of questions. Thank you all...the ageing gardener 

Ceres

Good to hear your eyesight is on the mend. Operations and the post operative period can play merry hell with gardening so it's great that you are up and running again.

It might be worth leaving your fruit bushes where they are for now and hoping they improve over the coming months. The very hot dry weather may have permanently damaged them but it is worth seeing if they perk up again next spring. It sounds as though the fruit was eaten by grateful birds and small creatures.

KeenOnGreen

We planted blueberry/gooseberry/honeyberry/goji berry/redcurrent/blackcurrant in February.  Only the Blueberry gave us any fruit.  We are not disappointed, as they are young plants, and just getting established.  We have also had a dry Spring, and a hot, dry Summer.

I would focus more on keeping them alive and healthy, and well watered during hot and dry spells.  They will look after themselves over Winter.  We will start weekly feeding and regular watering ours next Spring, and hopefully both yours and ours will produce fruit.

Bear in mind the specific needs of certain plants, i.e. Blueberries should ideally be planted in Ericaceous soil and watered with rainwater, and fed with a suitable feed. @Ceres also makes a good point about netting.  We will net all of our bushes that produce fruit next year.