[sunshineband]

Does any one grow white currants?

I really like the look of these and am putting one on my birthday list (actually, it is the only item on the list  )

My question is -- what variety do you grow please?

There donlt seem many to choose from, but if there is a choice.... which one?

[Lardman]

I've got "white Pearl" from bakkers.

Can't say I've actually found a use for them though, I grab a handful now and then and the chickens like them as a treat. 

[Yorkie]

The RHS has 3 suggestions.

[shokkyy]

Bet they'd make nice wine if you had enough of them

[sunshineband]

The RHS has 3 suggestions.

Yes they do 

I was wondering what was recommended for flavour on here -- want to use for jelly making, as well as cordial

[Trillium]

White Pearl is the most common variety here, in fact, its rarely named as it seems to be the only one available as 3 packs with one each of red, black and white.

Problem with whites is that the berries are quite small so you need several zillion of them to make a cordial. I find them sweeter than black or red so I add them to whichever of the other two that needs topping up for quantity for something. It lightens the reds or blacks juice colour slightly in case that matters, but not enough to mistake the colour for anything else.

The white do produce well every year without fail when the reds or blacks might have problems, so it is realiable even if the berries are quite small.

[shokkyy]

According to this article - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/6122218/Red-all-over-how-to-grow-perfect-currants.html - Blanka/Blanca has the heaviest crop and largest currants.

[gobs]

Mine I got from cuttings, from a plotholder, so no idea of variety. Probably there are many, better new cultivars, I am also looking to buy one. sure enough, the birds tend to leave these behind...

These guys specialise in berries, probably can advise more than on the website, about a particular variety:

http://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/product_info.php?id=199

[gavinjconway]

I have been given 2 bushes and plan to add them to my Red Currants and other berries when I make jams and jellies.. Is this a good idea cos I was told they are quite bitter?

[Trillium]

I've always found white currants sweeter than other currants, so definitely not bitter.

[New shoot]

I'm interested in this as well as I've got 6 old blackcurrant bushes that need to come out and was looking to replant with red and white currants.

Blanka sound promising and Marshalls do a deal on 3 for £13.75, which seems quite reasonable.  The only one we ever seem to get at work is White Versailles.  The flavour was good on the few berries the plants at work produced this summer, but they were small compared to the black and red currants.

Anyone got a favourite red currant they can recommend?  Marshalls do a similar deal on Rovada and make great claims for its productivity.  If they are true I like the sound of it 

[sunshineband]

My red currants are both Red Lake (old variety I think) which I got from Dad.

Now that they have recovered from him being unable to tend to them fro some years, they are fruiting well and are very sweet.


Looking for a white currnat then with biggisg berries and sweet flavour.

Choice so far -- White Pearl - chicken food 
                         White Versaille  - smallish but sweet
                         Blanka (Googled) -- large and sweet

OK thanks guys -- I can now be really specific with my birthay request for February. Space is too tight to give house room to something not A*   

[shokkyy]

But watch out for the alternate spelling on Blanka, because there are websites selling Blanca whitecurrants, which surely must be the same thing. J.Parker have them for what seems a ridiculously cheap price of 5 for £5.

[New shoot]

Knowing J Parker they will be barely much bigger than a rooted cutting, but if you don't mind waiting an extra year or so, that's a good price Shokkyy 

[sunshineband]

Knowing J Parker they will be barely much bigger than a rooted cutting, but if you don't mind waiting an extra year or so, that's a good price Shokkyy 

A good price  :)and several years to wait for fruit.

I only wanted one bush really.......

I'll have to look around