Currants

Currants grow incredibly well in the west of Ireland and don't seem overly bothers by the excessive rain or wind. That said, you should pick a semi-shelter spot for your plants if you can, away from the very worst of the wind (they are tough but they're not made of stone!). Burren Berry currants includes a number of varieties of black, red and pink currants which produce large fruit crops in June and July once established. 

Planting:

Currents are not overly picky when it comes to soil and can handle poor draining soil to a certain extent but ideally they enjoy well draining, rich soil. Plant them three or four feet apart. They would work well against a wall but can easily be grown in open soil - just keep in mind that you might want to support them with stakes or similar after a few years. You can plant currents at any time of the year but it's always best to plant when the currant is dormant - so from November to March.   

Fruiting:

Burren Berries' have three varieties of currents which produce black, red and pink fruit in June and July. They should produce fruit from year one but it will take two or three years before you start to see bumper crops.

After care:

Some people recommend 'hard pruning' your currants after planting. This mean cutting them below all the new buds - which will prevent fruiting in the first year and, in theory, allow the plant to develop more. I don't this is particularly necessary and it's always nice to get some fruit in year one. Once they get established, it's a good idea to prune your currents in the February or March each year. How much you prune depends on how much space you have available but, as a rule, you'll get better fruit from new wood. As rule of thumb, never prune more than 20 per cent of a single plant in one year. If you'r currant bush has gotten out of control, it might take you a few years to get it back to a manageable size. It's not a bad idea to mulch around the base of your currants once or twice a year. This will keep weeds down, retain water in the soil and over time give nutrients back to the soil. Grass clippings after lawn mowing is a easy option but you could also use seaweed, comfrey, manure or any number of other options.

Visit the SHOP to buy raspberries and other Burren Berries.