I planted two bushes in the front garden three years ago (Jonkheer van Tets and Rovada).
I have never managed to harvest them properly. This year it is different….
It could be the very warm weather has ripened them quickly or it could be that I was a little smarter this year and popped a net over them just as they started to colour up. It could also be that next door’s cats have moved into the fruit garden and seem to live amongst the neighbouring raspberry canes ready to pounce. It seems I have a bumper first crop.
The fruit garden is looking glorious at this time of year. Especially with the first to ripen majestic redcurrant with its ruby red jewels hidden away amongst the vivid leaves. Every garden should try and find space for a few fruit bushes of whatever takes your fancy to grow (and eat!) as not only do they look fabulous, they are low maintainence…and you can eat them! Currants generally need sun to ripen but gooseberries, some blueberries and some raspberries can grow in shadier spots. I have mulched around the fruit plants and landscaped around with very pale limestone chippings which has the benefit of low maintenance but also reflects the sunlight up to help ripen the fruit.
Ripening of soft fruit is a tricky business. Thinking I was a step ahead to avoid a glut, I planted two different varieties which ripen at different times, (often helpful for raspberries and strawberries) but……. I am not convinced of the benefits with the ‘currants’ given how I store and use them. Of the two bushes one has fully ripened, the other still has a lot of work to do. We also have a mini-heatwave so I have been inspecting daily as the daily ripening has been rather dramatic, as sensational as the jewels the plant bares. Today was the day for Bush 1 (Jonkheer van Tets)! Majority have ripened and one day longer then they may have gone squidgy. I have harvested two thirds and left the remaining third on the bush for another day or so.
They have been washed and this batch I have immediately frozen ready for use in meat dishes, pastry (with soft vanilla custard!) and puddings. The less perfect ones will go in a a jelly (using a strainer) and the remaining pulp will be bathed for a while in vinegar for a redcurrant dressing for summer salads.
My Garden Grows........ 