Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Chatting => Chatting on the Plot => Topic started by: DanielCoffey on June 15, 2019, 16:58
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I was wondering if there was a season to UK Redcurrants as the prices I am seeing at the moment for imported are a little steep to say the least.
The situation is that I need some for making pectin for Strawberry Jam (not had good luck with the past two years using Gooseberry for that). I went and chatted with my local Independent Fruiterer and asked when they had Redcurrants in and they said they already had them. They were imported from Holland I think and had a very broad season (so I assumed polytunnel) but were £4.50 for a small punnet of about three strings. Given that I was looking to buy a kilo or so I decided that was a little too steep but it got me thinking.
Does the UK produce Redcurrants and when? How much would you expect to pay?
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My redcurrant bush at home has ripe fruit on it already. Not the whole bush, but quite a few strigs have ripened. Need to net it against the birds now before they strip the lot!
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So it looks like we should be able to get local soft fruit from now-ish, yes?
I know prices fluctuate a lot for the rarer soft fruit (particularly red/black currants) but £4.50 for a few strings struck me as a bit much. I would guess they were 125g punnets.
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Mine haven't started to change colour yet, although I know some varieties are earlier than mine. TBH I don't remember seeing redcurrants in the shops :unsure:
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When we had good independent greengrocers they sold them but were expensive, but they’ve gone now, can you buy frozen ones? Tbh I don’t add pectin to strawberry jam, but I do add lemon juice. I think also you can use apple peel to make pectin.
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neighbours are usually july/ august
gooseberries should have more pectin now as cookers, come july/august they soften and become eaters
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I have spoken to the fruiterer and they only ever get the imported redcurrants at £36 a kilo.
Yes the green gooseberries are *just* in and the last two years I did make the strawberry jam with goosberry pectin stock but it was very runny. Fine for yoghurt but flowed off the bread. I'll try again with the green gooseberries this season.
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I am picking a load of gooseberries for wine making, when the apples are ready, they are very sour but the chook and the dog do like to eat them.
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Harvested the ripe redcurrants from my 2 yo bush today. Not a spectacular yield but £18 worth of fruit at those prices. Now to turn them into jam!
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I've only just got the all-clear from Mrs Growster to grow our redcurrants as a cordon.
We're just about to get a new fruit cage, and there'll be room for several plants!
I reckon they're one of the most underrated fruits around, so watch this space...
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blooming typical... the week after I make my Strawberry Jam using green gooseberries for the pectin, Reducrrants drop in price.
Although Mrs Growster may be interested to know they went from £36 a kilo to £26 a kilo. You may find she starts spending more time with your Redcurrants than you, Growster!
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I'd estimate that we've about 8 kilos to harvest. One of the 3 bushes is ready to be de-netted now. So that's about £200 even at the lower price!
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blooming typical... the week after I make my Strawberry Jam using green gooseberries for the pectin, Reducrrants drop in price.
Although Mrs Growster may be interested to know they went from £36 a kilo to £26 a kilo. You may find she starts spending more time with your Redcurrants than you, Growster!
Ha ha ha!
Trouble is, Daniel, she doesn't like redcurrants whereas I love 'em!
It was a fair fight, and the bandages will be coming off next Wednesday...
;0)
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I'd estimate that we've about 8 kilos to harvest. One of the 3 bushes is ready to be de-netted now. So that's about £200 even at the lower price!
Reds have a requirement for up to 25 s.f. per bush, I was told!
Blimey, that's some sort of space requirement in my book, but what fabulous productivity!
I just don't have the room, but would love to nurture a few cordons for these marvellous berries!
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I was wondering if there was a season to UK Redcurrants as the prices I am seeing at the moment for imported are a little steep to say the least.
The situation is that I need some for making pectin for Strawberry Jam (not had good luck with the past two years using Gooseberry for that). I went and chatted with my local Independent Fruiterer and asked when they had Redcurrants in and they said they already had them. They were imported from Holland I think and had a very broad season (so I assumed polytunnel) but were £4.50 for a small punnet of about three strings. Given that I was looking to buy a kilo or so I decided that was a little too steep but it got me thinking.
Does the UK produce Redcurrants and when? How much would you expect to pay?
Have you thought of using apple peels and cores for this? Much cheaper and readily available.
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Yes and they give too much of a flavour to the strawberry jam. That was why I didn't use something like Certo.
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Hello redcurrants should be available in pick your own places now I just picked 11 lb off 2 bushes that some one didn't want he was feeding his chickens with them jezza
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Lucky chickens! I bet they tasted good! No PYO places near me I am afraid but thanks for the suggestion.