[mdjlucan]

i planted 2 red currant be for Christmas there as been no show of any life so i pooled them up ges  wot both ded any one no wot made them go like that

[DD.]

Could be any number of things.

They may even have been dead when you planted them!

[kermit]

Lack of water perhaps? My relatively new redcurrants haven't taken nearly as well as the blackcurrants - I get the impression they are fussy blighters!

[arugula]

Our redcurrant is happier in sheltered draught-free spot. It has had about three locations in the garden and with its back to a wall looking at the sun, seems to be its favourite. I remember noticing it setting fruit very early last year then that came to little or nothing after the May storms. I noticed today, it has sprouted a few leaves so far this year...

[shoozie]

For whatever reason, our black currant always begins leafing first, the white and red are only this week showing signs of life again.

[Trillium]

At my previous house, the redcurrants were open to prevailing winds and didn't do very well at all despite my best efforts.

At this house, they're sheltered among the raspberries and I now have so many I honestly don't know what to do with them all. This year I'll have to pull up many plants which layered by themselves since I never got around to pruning them (something to be said for laziness  )

No, they're not fussy as such, but they do need the right place to grow. Some rotted manure and watering until they settle in and they should do very well for you.

[Janeymiddlewife]

Were there any roots at all left on them? They can look dead and take an awful long time to bud, particularly if exposed. Was it definitely dead wood?  Had you kept them watered if in a dry spot?

[mdjlucan]

yes they did    but they snap like ded wood