Aphides will pucker and curl the leaves and cause the tips to be twisted. Spraying with a 5 per cent emulsion of a tar-oil wash in December kills the eggs.
Not only do blackcurrants revel in this no-digging method of cultivation but, in addition, it proves to be a far cheaper method of cultivation than the shallow digging and hoeing. Anyway, the blackcurrants can send their roots right up to the surface of the soil, under the straw mulching method, and they never get disturbed. At the Thaxted Horticultural College this method has resulted in crops of nearly 5 tons an acre and such yields are most encouraging.
Big buds are caused by miniature mites which cause the fruiting buds to swell to a large size. They are thus easily recognizable. Spray when the majority of the leaves are the size of a two-shilling piece, dissolving 1 pint of lime sulphur in 14 pints of water.
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.
The conventional distances are 5 feet by 5 feet, but under the straw mulch method I get the best results with having the rows 6 feet apart and the bushes only 3 feet apart in the rows. Eventually blackcurrant hedges are formed, and this helps the pollinating insects greatly, for they are able to move from bush to bush right up a row.
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. - 16035
Not only do blackcurrants revel in this no-digging method of cultivation but, in addition, it proves to be a far cheaper method of cultivation than the shallow digging and hoeing. Anyway, the blackcurrants can send their roots right up to the surface of the soil, under the straw mulching method, and they never get disturbed. At the Thaxted Horticultural College this method has resulted in crops of nearly 5 tons an acre and such yields are most encouraging.
Big buds are caused by miniature mites which cause the fruiting buds to swell to a large size. They are thus easily recognizable. Spray when the majority of the leaves are the size of a two-shilling piece, dissolving 1 pint of lime sulphur in 14 pints of water.
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.
The conventional distances are 5 feet by 5 feet, but under the straw mulch method I get the best results with having the rows 6 feet apart and the bushes only 3 feet apart in the rows. Eventually blackcurrant hedges are formed, and this helps the pollinating insects greatly, for they are able to move from bush to bush right up a row.
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. - 16035
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A well drained, moisture retentive soil for fruit trees is needed for growing fruit trees in your garden; black currants respond well to heavy manuring, especially on a light soil.
