Currant Bushes

[Gandalf]

Has anyone found a source for currant bushes (black or red - Ribes Nigrum or Ribes Rubrum) in Japan?
I've got a gooseberry but have been unable to find currants for sale anywhere...

[KenElwood]

Haven't seen them, anywhere.

ken

[gomu]

engei.net (http://www.engei.net/PathBrowse.asp?Path_id=023020) supplied ours. Doing ok so far :-)

[KenElwood]

There they go !

Thanks gomu.

ken

[Gandalf]

engei.net (http://www.engei.net/PathBrowse.asp?Path_id=023020) supplied ours. Doing ok so far :-)

Ah, that's awesome. Thanks so much! I knew about Engei but somehow missed the currants on their website...

Something new to order for the forest garden this year! (Once I get all the other stuff here planted...) I set out a basic structure of about 26 fruit and nut trees last year, but have been struggling a bit for "shrub layer" plants, apart from blueberries and billberries - which did quite well. I have one Junberry and a gooseberry though.

[KenElwood]

Something new to order for the forest garden this year! (Once I get all the other stuff here planted...) I set out a basic structure of about 26 fruit and nut trees last year, but have been struggling a bit for "shrub layer" plants, apart from blueberries and billberries - which did quite well. I have one Junberry and a gooseberry though.
Gandalf, nice.

I've got 2 bills, 4 blues, 2 junes, 2 chokes, 10-12 rasps, a goose and 5 or 6 blacks.

ken

[Gandalf]

10-12 rasps...and 5 or 6 blacks.


So, how are you growing the brambles? Are they contained or hedged in some way or just bushes amongst the trees?

Being from Sydney, I am unable to avoid the genetic paranoia affecting all New South Welshmen, that brambles like blackberries will get totally out of control and take over my entire garden, then the neighbour's, then the town, then probably all of Kyushu by, say, early July this year...

That said, I did stick one of each in near the border, planning to perhaps make some sort of espalier/fan type hedge - still the idea that they must be CONTROLLED! But some of the more mild mannered (i.e. non-Australian) gardening guides I've read seem to think that such plants can be grown fine as a normal bush, as long as you prune out old wood and don't let shoots rest on the ground to sucker and spread too much...

[KenElwood]

Hi Gandalf,


So, how are you growing the brambles? Are they contained or hedged in some way or just bushes amongst the trees?
The rasps are hedged on tree branches stuck vertically in the ground. The blacks are a high-bush non-prickly type, that are probably not true blacks (although the berry looks and tastes like blacks) but a cross between something and something. Whatever it is, it's a self-seeder and keeps popping up (usually under trees where birds' poop falls), which is great !

ken

[Lazi]

engei.net (http://www.engei.net/PathBrowse.asp?Path_id=023020) supplied ours. Doing ok so far :-)

Nice one Gomu,

We've been looking out for something along those lines

[kirinclassic]

Just a note on goosegogs - make sure you site them somewhere with PLENTY of shade. The first 2 yrs ours were out in the open, the fruit shrivelled and fell off as they were too exposed to sunlight. Moved em to a shadier place and they're doing much better.

Cheers,

KC

[Gandalf]

Just a note on goosegogs - make sure you site them somewhere with PLENTY of shade... ours were out in the open, the fruit shrivelled and fell off... Moved em to a shadier place and they're doing much better.


Noted with thanks! I have one small bush I just bought recently, bu I've put it at the southern edge of the food forest next to a seasonal pond (Full most of summer after rainy season and during rice season as it collects all the excess water that seeps onto our land). I'll take your advice and move it back in a bit, perhaps under the apples or peaches. It might still get blasted a bit until they mature but in the long term will do better.

On the plus side, I found Lycium Chinense (Chinese Wolfberry) available at the local Gooday today so snagged two of them. I plan to order some of the currants mentioned above so it looks like the shrub layer will be filling out this year! Maybe another Juneberry and I saw Eleagnus at Nafco so that is another contender.

[Yukkuri Kame]

On the plus side, I found Lycium Chinense (Chinese Wolfberry) available at the local Gooday today so snagged two of them. I plan to order some of the currants mentioned above so it looks like the shrub layer will be filling out this year! Maybe another Juneberry and I saw Eleagnus at Nafco so that is another contender.

Wolfberry/Goji will often germinate well from seeds inside the dried fruits. You probably know the leaves are edible raw or cooked.

[Gandalf]

Wolfberry/Goji will often germinate well from seeds inside the dried fruits.

Well, I have grown a bunch of stuff from seeds of commercially purchased foods, or from rhizomes or cloves. Lets see - I've done garlic, ginger, mangoes, pumpkins, chillies, melons, peaches, and even apple once when I was VERY young, BUT I never thought of trying to grow from the seeds in those little dry berries! Wow... also I wasn't aware of the leaves being edible so thanks for that!

[Gandalf]

I ordered the set of three (red/black/white) currants from Engei and they went in around the apple trees this afternoon, along with a gooseberry and goumi (Eleagnus multiflora).

Thanks again Gomu for the link!