[whippersnapper]

Last year, at about this time, I planted approx 9 different fruit bushes from Lidl. I unknowlingly/stupidly rushed into things and made several errors: the ground was not prepared enough in advance, the plants were cheap and not labelled correctly. I've dug out packets from the shed and it seems that they are a mixture of: Redcurrent 'Jonkheer van Tets', Gooseberry 'Red Dessert', Raspberry 'Glen Ample', Blackberry, Gooseberry 'Careless' and maybe more........?! 

So... I went down to the bed to dig'em all up today thinking they were no good - surrounded by weeds and poor growth last summer. However, having looked at them long and hard, I couldn't bring myself to do it! They all have green bud type growth and one of them (which consists of several branches) is now growing about 3/4 green buds at ground level - I guess this is raspberry???!!! 

Instead of removing, I carefully rfemoved the weeds. Unfortunately, I uncovered a couple of roots on the one I reckon is a raspberry but didn't damage them and buried quickly 

Then dug in a bit of BFB and chicken pellets. Finally covered soil with a couple of inches of rotted manure/home compost.

Questions:

(a) how do I now work out what they all are???
(b) once I've worked this out then should I be cutting back now? - I know this has been dealt with on several other threads but I'm uncertain because even though they went in last year, growth was poor and certainly no fruit was produced

Many thanks if you can help.

[gillie]

Well, the gooseberries will have long thorns that will pierce just about anything and will  have something approaching a central stem.  The blackberry will have less vicious thorns and will have grown quite tall.  The raspberry will send out shoots from around last year's growth and the  redcurrant will just be an innocent looking bush.  If you have a blackcurrant it will smell 'curranty'.  Redcurrants do not smell.

I would not cut any of them back now. 

Gillie

[DavidT]

Your best bet would be to photograph them and post on here, you`ll soon know what`s what.

[whippersnapper]

Thanks.

I did take some pics and will get them up asap. Tricky to photograph though as they seem like a load of sticks really!

[Trikidiki]

I wanted a red gooseberry so picked up the first pack of three you mentioned:
Redcurrent 'Jonkheer van Tets', Gooseberry 'Red Dessert', Raspberry 'Glen Ample'

The gooseberry had its tip painted yellow and was mentioned on the package. The redcurrant will have no spines, the raspberry will have very fine spine/hairs on the stem.

The blackberry should be esily identifiable unless its a thornless variety. If the second gooseberry has its tip painted as well I don't know, if not then its the other one with big thorns.

If you can identify the raspberry and blackberry the others don't really matter as you'll treat them the same until you have some/if only a little fruit anyway.

[whippersnapper]

Ok here they are ------>  (sorry about quality of pics)

Badly neglected and almost for the chop 



After sorting out, before adding feed and mulch



Poor photo (sorry) but this is the one with several canes and new shoots at ground level (raspberry?). In the background it's possible to see another, that really didn't grow last summer so very small but now has green buds appearing...



Two similar canes that are single, tall (2-3ft) but now with green bud growth

[whippersnapper]

I wanted a red gooseberry so picked up the first pack of three you mentioned:
Redcurrent 'Jonkheer van Tets', Gooseberry 'Red Dessert', Raspberry 'Glen Ample'

The gooseberry had its tip painted yellow and was mentioned on the package. The redcurrant will have no spines, the raspberry will have very fine spine/hairs on the stem.

The blackberry should be esily identifiable unless its a thornless variety. If the second gooseberry has its tip painted as well I don't know, if not then its the other one with big thorns.

If you can identify the raspberry and blackberry the others don't really matter as you'll treat them the same until you have some/if only a little fruit anyway.

Thanks - all of this is helping. I realised after planting that they should have been colour coded. Unfortunately, something must have gone wrong with my batch as they had no colour on the tips whatsoever...

[Trillium]

They're a bit far away but I'd say the last one is your blackberry.

[Dominic]

"(a) how do I now work out what they all are??? "
Wait and see would be my advice.
The Recurrant will grow red blackcurrants, the gooseberry will grow very nasty thorns, the raspberry will invade everywhere else.

"(b) once I've worked this out then should I be cutting back now? - I know this has been dealt with on several other threads but I'm uncertain because even though they went in last year, growth was poor and certainly no fruit was produced"
No!!!
Only the Rapsberries "need" cutting back, in any circumstance, and only when the stalk in question is dead.
I dont bother.



Many thanks if you can help.

[whippersnapper]

That's really good to hear Dominic - thanks 

I've feed them, mulched them and now I'll leave alone (except for some drink when it's dry!).

Hopefully with some new growth this season, identification will become easier!

Ta.