[Lottie Mary]

Hi All,

I have approximately 8 young blackcurrant bushes on my allotment.  I planted them in November last year and early this year they sprang to life with lovely green leaves.  But recently I've noticed that some of the leaves have started to turn a light yellow colour.  There are no other distinguishing marks - only the yellowing leaves - but I'm wondering what's going wrong?

They also haven't flowered yet - whereas I've noticed that many of my neighbours bushes already have little green fruits on them.  Help please - I was very much looking forward to at least a few blackcurrants this year!

[Old Tom]

Don`t know too much about fruits, but could it be lack of nitrogen. Have you fed them so far this year?

[gillie]

How much rain have you had?  Not a lot?  I would guess that unless you have been watering them they are being stressed by drought.  As for fruiting, I guess they just have not settled yet.  Give them time (and water!)

Blackcurrants are very heavy feeders.  The joke is that if  you trip over in a blackcurrant bush it will have you!

[Trillium]

The changing leaf colour could be due to many things, which you'll have to check, then eliminate to find the true problem. When you planted the new bushes, did you amend the soil at all for the planting holes? Also consider the following:

- it can be either too much watering or too little

- newly planted plants lived on existing pot nutrients, and suddenly, in their new permanent spaces, they can't find what they need. So feeding is important, but not just high nitrogen. Something like a rotted manure slurry (very sloppy manure mix) would be better than fertilizers. Yellow leaves are often a magnesium deficiency.

- as young plants, the nights might be suddenly too cold for them or they got frosted and set back a bit. Or left too long in cloches, etc. and got too hot

- very young plants won't put out flowers yet because they're busy setting up root systems. Perhaps next year will have fruit - if the nutrients are there to support it. Normally blackcurrants fruit on second (established) year wood, so it might be too early for you. All depends on the potted fruit age, or root cutting age

[kermit]

I didn't get any fruit in my first year of planting currants but left them, mulched heavily with manure last autumn and got loads this year (2nd). As ever with this lark, patience seems to be the secret!

[Sharonx]

What would be the best feed to give these? Would the same feed go for my Blackberry & Gooseberry too...? I gave the blackcurrents a good water last night but admit I haven't really given them much thought until reading this. I always let fruit do it's own thing normally but it's so blinking dry at the moment. Come on rain!!

[Trillium]

All the currants aren't overly fussy on feed, but if you've just planted out a potted one, it was babied in the pot and will now look for food. If it can't find much, it will sulk in its hole for a while until it can adapt.

Currants and gooseberries will be happy with some compost or rotted manure, and a bit of BFB (blood, fish & bonemeal), and if you have it, a bit of rotted manure. When these plants are flowering or in fruit, they definitely need water support until harvest, after that they can fend for themselves.

[Sharonx]

Thanks Trillium, will keep them watered at least then as they are established.

By the way the advice you gave me for my Red Haven Peach tree a few weeks back proved to be right, the nursery are replacing it for me as it is a gonna! Thanks for that advice too 

[Trillium]

Glad to help. I grow Red Havens and am very familiar with their fussy ways.