(→Uses) |
No edit summary |
||
Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
Species: ''R. nigrum'' | Species: ''R. nigrum'' | ||
Blackcurrant is therefore closely related to [[Gooseberry]] (''R. uva-crispa''). [[Jostaberry]] is a hybrid between ''R. nigrum'', ''R. uva-crispa'' and ''[[Ribes divaricatum|R. divaricatum]]''. | Blackcurrant is therefore closely related to [[Gooseberry]] (''R. uva-crispa''). [[Jostaberry]] is a hybrid between ''R. nigrum'', ''R. uva-crispa'' and ''[[Ribes divaricatum|R. divaricatum]]''. Jostaberry is grown in the same way. | ||
==Common Names== | ==Common Names== | ||
Line 40: | Line 40: | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Deciduous, perennial shrub.<ref name=pfaf /> Mature height 1.5-2m.<ref name=pfaf>[https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Ribes+nigrum ''Ribes nigrum'' (Plants For A Future).]</ref> | Deciduous, perennial shrub.<ref name=pfaf /> Mature height 1.5-2m.<ref name=pfaf>[https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Ribes+nigrum ''Ribes nigrum'' (Plants For A Future).]</ref> | ||
Plants can crop for 15-20 years.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | |||
==Hardiness== | ==Hardiness== | ||
Line 71: | Line 73: | ||
==Watering== | ==Watering== | ||
Water during dry periods but not during ripening as fruit may split.<ref name=bird2011 /> | |||
==Pruning== | ==Pruning== | ||
Line 78: | Line 81: | ||
* '''Birds''' -- likely to be the biggest problem.<ref name=bird2011 /> consider protecting ripening fruit using nets,<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> or a fruit cage made with a frame and wire mesh.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | * '''Birds''' -- likely to be the biggest problem.<ref name=bird2011 /> consider protecting ripening fruit using nets,<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> or a fruit cage made with a frame and wire mesh.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
* '''Big Bud''' -- caused by gall mites which occupy the buds, giving a rounded and fat | * '''Big Bud + Reversion''' -- caused by big bug mites / gall mites which occupy the buds, giving a rounded and fat appearance of the buds (instead of long and slim). Occurs in spring before bud burst. Check plants in spring and cut off any affected buds and then burn the buds.<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> Reversion virus also spread by gall mites. Causes unnatural foliage and reduced fruit crop.<ref name=titchmarsh2008 /> The shape of the leaves changes into something that looks more like a nettle leaf.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Affected plants flower earlier with bright than normal flowers.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Fruit crop is poor and dies quickly.<ref name=seymour2014 /> There is no cure, so the whole bush must be uprooted and burnt.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Alternate host is [[hazel]].<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
* '''Leaf Spot Fungus''' -- leaves turn brown and drop off in midsummer. Gather the fallen leaves and burn them, or put in a hot compost heap.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | * '''Leaf Spot Fungus''' -- leaves turn brown and drop off in midsummer. Gather the fallen leaves and burn them, or put in a hot compost heap.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
Line 91: | Line 92: | ||
* '''Powdery Mildew''' -- can be a problem with blackcurrants.<ref name=bird2011 /> | * '''Powdery Mildew''' -- can be a problem with blackcurrants.<ref name=bird2011 /> | ||
* '''Aphids''' | |||
==Harvest== | ==Harvest== | ||
Line 98: | Line 101: | ||
==Preservation== | ==Preservation== | ||
Blackcurrants store for only 1-2 weeks.<ref name=crawford2016 /> If they are to be eaten raw, then keep them on the stalks until they going to be eaten.<ref name= | Blackcurrants store for only 1-2 weeks.<ref name=crawford2016 /> If they are to be eaten raw, then keep them on the stalks until they going to be eaten.<ref name=bird2011 /> Blackcurrants freeze well.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Remove stalks before freezing.<ref name=bird2011>Bird, R (2011). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/practical-guide-to-growing-vegetables-fruit-herbs/oclc/992353698&referer=brief_results A practical guide to growing vegetables fruit & herbs.] Hermes House. ISBN 9781843098324.</ref> | ||
==Uses== | ==Uses== |
Revision as of 21:04, 6 April 2019
This article is about Ribes nigrum, a temperate climate berry bush commonly termed Blackcurrant (Black currant).
Note that Redcurrant and Whitecurrant are a different species called Ribes rubrum, discussed in a separate article (See; Currants).
Taxonomy
Family: Grossulariaceae
Genus: Ribes
Species: R. nigrum
Blackcurrant is therefore closely related to Gooseberry (R. uva-crispa). Jostaberry is a hybrid between R. nigrum, R. uva-crispa and R. divaricatum. Jostaberry is grown in the same way.
Common Names
- Garden black currant.[1]
- European blackcurrant.[2]
- Gazels / gazles.[2]
- Quinsy berry.[2]
- Squinancy berry.[2]
Etymology
The word currant used to exclusively refer to the type of dried grape cultivar ("Black Corinth"). It was shortened from the phrase "raysyn of Curans" (late 14c.), from Anglo-French "reisin de Corauntz" or "raisins de Corinthe" (grapes of Corinth), referring to the Greek harbor of Corinth that was the primary source of export. Gradually, the name got corrupted into currant.[3] In circa 1570 the word was also applied to certain berry bushes of Northern Europe, and later applied to plants with similar fruit in America and Australia.[4]
Ribes (pronounced "RYE-bees") is Latin for "currant” (from Arabic rībās meaning "rhubarb"). Nigrum (pronounced "NIGH-grum") is Latin for "black, dark, sable, dusky."
Range
Blackcurrants are very hardy and will thrive only in cool, temperate climates.[5] Their original range was Europe (excluding warmer mediterranean regions) and Northern and Central Asia.
Native to:
Altay, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Central European Rus, Chita, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Irkutsk, Kazakhstan, Krasnoyarsk, Netherlands, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Ukraine, West Siberia, Yakutskiya, Yugoslavia.
Introduced into:
Austria, Connecticut, Falkland Is., Hungary, Illinois, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Magadan, Maine, Maryland, Masachusettes, Michigan, Minnesota, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Ontario, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Québec, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, Vermont, Wisconsin.
[Source= Plants of the World Online][6]
Description
Deciduous, perennial shrub.[7] Mature height 1.5-2m.[7]
Plants can crop for 15-20 years.[8]
Hardiness
Cultivation
Growing blackcurrants is generally easy and not time consuming.[9]
This plant can perform excellently in a temperate climate forest garden (food forest) as part of the shrub layer.[8] Robert Hart considered blackcurrants (along with other Ribes spp. such as gooseberries, redcurrants and whitecurrants) to be the backbone of the shrub layer of the temperate climate forest garden.[10] Blackcurrants are interplanted with plums in the traditional agroforestry systems of south-western England.[10]
Space bushes about 1.5m apart.[9]
Varieties
Soil Type
Ideal soil for blackcurrants is fertile, heavy clay-loam with lots of organic matter.[11] However, any almost any soil is suitable if it is improved first by adding compost or manure.[11]
Soil pH
Shade Preference
Shade Tolerance
Aspect
Exposure
Propagation
Maintenance
Mulch generously each spring (ideally well-rotted manure).[9] Use general purpose fertiliser (e.g. blood, fish and bone) in mid to late April.[9] In early summer use nitrogen rich feed (e.g. poultry manure pellets, 2-3 handfuls per plant).[9]
Watering
Water during dry periods but not during ripening as fruit may split.[12]
Pruning
Blackcurrants can only be grown as a bush form.[12] They are pruned differently from redcurrants and whitecurrants.[12]
Problems
- Birds -- likely to be the biggest problem.[12] consider protecting ripening fruit using nets,[9] or a fruit cage made with a frame and wire mesh.[11]
- Big Bud + Reversion -- caused by big bug mites / gall mites which occupy the buds, giving a rounded and fat appearance of the buds (instead of long and slim). Occurs in spring before bud burst. Check plants in spring and cut off any affected buds and then burn the buds.[9] Reversion virus also spread by gall mites. Causes unnatural foliage and reduced fruit crop.[9] The shape of the leaves changes into something that looks more like a nettle leaf.[11] Affected plants flower earlier with bright than normal flowers.[11] Fruit crop is poor and dies quickly.[11] There is no cure, so the whole bush must be uprooted and burnt.[11] Alternate host is hazel.[8]
- Leaf Spot Fungus -- leaves turn brown and drop off in midsummer. Gather the fallen leaves and burn them, or put in a hot compost heap.[11]
- Currant Maggot -- more common in America than Europe. Currants that ripen earlier than usual should be examined for maggots.[11]
- Currant Shoot (Core) Borer -- causes the leaves at the tip of a cane to wilt. Examine along the length of the branch to find the tunnel. Cut the branch back and kill the insect. Can be prevented by using a winter wash of tar oil spray (illegal for amateur horticultural purposes in some countries, washes based on plant oils available instead).[11]
- Coral Spot + Dieback -- both caused by fungus, linked to excess nitrogen. Any wood which appears to be dying or has red "coral" spots can be cut back to sound, white wood. Burn affected branches. Stop high nitrogen feed (e.g. manure). Change to mulching with waste vegetable matter or spoiled hay/straw, and a small amount of well rotted compost.[11]
- Powdery Mildew -- can be a problem with blackcurrants.[12]
- Aphids
Harvest
Usually blackcurrant plants are heavy yielding,[11] typically 4kg of fruit per plant.[8] Fruit are ripe when they have swelled to maximum size and have a shiny, jet black appearance.[9] The longer the fruit are left on the plant the sweeter they get.[9] If birds are not a big problem (e.g. if the bushes are protected with nets or a cage), it may be better to leave the berries on the plant until they are needed.[11] However if left too long the berries will fall from the plant.[11]
Whole trusses (trigs) of blackcurrants are removed from the branches to harvest.[9] Picking individual fruits off the trusses can be tedious.[9] One method is to hold the thick end of the stalk and pull the truss through the prongs of a dining fork.[9]
Preservation
Blackcurrants store for only 1-2 weeks.[8] If they are to be eaten raw, then keep them on the stalks until they going to be eaten.[12] Blackcurrants freeze well.[11] Remove stalks before freezing.[12]
Uses
- Fruits can be eaten raw (excellent with cream).
- Juiced. One blackcurrant juice recepie is to place trusses of blackcurrants into a pan with a little watter. When softened, mash and let juice drip through a mesh bag. Add sugar while still warm (or reduce the sugar by using sweet cicely leaves and stalks, e.g. 3-4 leaves per 450g of blackcurrants, removing leaves after cooking). Dilute with water to drink as a cordial, or add 1 spoonful to a glass of white or sparkling wine as a "Kir". The undiluted juice can also be used as a base for sauces. Keeps for 1 week if refidgerated, or frozen (e.g. in ice cube trays).[9]
- Teas.[8]
- Cooked to make sauces (very good with duck), crumbles.
- Alcoholic drinks, see: Household Cyclopedia, Wines and Ciders (1881)
- Jam.
- Jelly.
- Used in fruit leather, but blackcurrants are too juicy to be used solely, can be combined with a firmer pulp e.g. pulm.[8]
Secondary uses:
- Bee plant.[8]
- Fruits used to make purple dye.[8]
- Blackcurrant seed oil contains vitamin E and is sometimes used in cosmetics.
Nutritional Values
Raw blackcurrants are 82% water, 15% carbohydrates, 1% protein and 0.4% fat (table). Per 100g serving providing 63 kilocalories, the raw fruit has high vitamin C content (218% of the Daily Value) and moderate levels of iron and manganese (12% Daily Value each). Blackcurrants are an excellent source of vitamin C, especially in cold, moist climates.[11] For more nutritional information see Wikipedia article on blackcurrant.W
References
External links
- Wikipedia:Blackcurrant
- Video about growing Blackcurrants by Royal Horticultural Society.[1]
- ↑ Ribes nigrum (Flora of North America).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ribes nigrum (Royal Horticultural Society).
- ↑ Zante currant (Wikipedia).
- ↑ Currant (Online Etymology Dictionary).
- ↑ Brickell, C; Royal Horticultural Society (2012). Encyclopedia of Gardening. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409364658.
- ↑ RIbes nigrum (Plants of the World Online).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ribes nigrum (Plants For A Future).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Crawford, M (2016). Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 Titchmarsh, A (2008). The kitchen gardener : grow your own fruit and veg. London BBC. ISBN 9781846072017.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Hart, R (2019). Forest gardening : rediscovering nature and community in a post industrial age. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322027.
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 Seymour, M (2014). The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Bird, R (2011). A practical guide to growing vegetables fruit & herbs. Hermes House. ISBN 9781843098324.