Travel & Leisure Facts and Notes

Each year, in February, hoof and horn meal should be applied at the rate of about 3 oz. to the sq. yard. This is distributed over the straw and is allowed to wash in. On very light land, likely to be low in potash, wood ashes may be applied at lb. to the sq. yard, or a natural form of sulphate of potash at 2 oz. to the sq. yard. The potash dressing would only be necessary once every three or four years.

The blackcurrant bears on the young wood produced the previous season. Thus, when the bushes are seven or eight years of age and onwards, the aim is to remove a third of the branches, tackling those that are dropping on the ground first, so as to keep the bushes as upright as possible.

Fortunately with black currants it doesn’t matter at all about cutting to just above a bud, for there seem to be pin buds which will break out into good growth on almost any part of the old wood. By the way-don’t ever summer prune blackcurrants.

Reversion is a virus disease and not, as some people think, a reverting back to some wild state. The trouble may be recognized by examining the main leaves in June. They should be of perfect shape, and not look like a nettle leaf. Look at the top lobe of the leaf. There should be six sub main veins going direct from the main vein to a spikelet at the side of the leaf and in all this top lobe there should be thirteen little spikelets on either side. A reverted bush must be dug up and burnt, for there is no cure; and, furthermore, the trouble can spread easily through insect visitors.

If the stems of the blackcurrant bushes suddenly wilt, the blackcurrant shoot moth caterpillar must be suspected. A tunnel will be found in the centre of the shoot made by a small caterpillar. The only way to get rid of this pest is to cut all the branches down to within an inch of ground level, in the spring, and so to sacrifice the crop for one year.

All blackcurrants are self-fertile, but for a good heavy set of flowers one must rely on insect visitors and particularly bumble bees. A sheltered place, therefore, for blackcurrant growing is always advisable.