Currants

Design and InstallationGarden Caregarden TriviaIndoor plantsPlant Health CareUncategorized
Written by Peter Morris

Introduction

If every you wanted a plant to produce lots of fruit in the shade – this is it !

Ribes is a genus of approximately 200 known species of flowering plants native to the Northern Hemisphere.  It includes species commonly referred to as redcurrants, blackcurrants, white currants, and gooseberries.

Black currants belong to Ribes nigrum, while red, white and pink currants are Ribes rubrum. They are considered a superfood with three times more Vitamin C than oranges and high levels of antioxidants.

It should not be confused with the dried currants used in cakes and puddings, which are from the Zante currant, a small-fruited cultivar of the grape Vitis vinifera.

History of currant in USA

Currants are an extremely cold hardy crop native to northern latitudes of Europe, Asia and North America. They were brought over from Europe to the United States in the early 1800s and were widely grown in New England, especially New York, in the late 1800s.

In the early 1900s it was discovered that plants in the Ribes genus, especially black currants, served as a host for the fungus and threatened the white pine timber industry. A federal ban ensued in the 1920s and remained in place until 1966.

Today, the laws regarding the cultivation vary state to state – with Michigan and Ohio still with restrictions on the varieties of black currants that can be grown. Black currants are currently illegal to grow in New York. New cultivars are being developed which may soon be legal to grow because they are immune to white pine blister rust.

Two main types

Black currants are most widely grown because of their ease of production, processing capabilities, and nutritional qualities. Most of them are going to juice production.

Red and white currants are less nutritious but more palatable for fresh eating, and excellent for baking and make good jams and jellies - but do not juice well.

Easy to Grow

Currants grow well in partial shade. They prefer cool, moist locations on the northern side of a building.  Good ventilation will help avoid powdery mildew.  Ribes are heavy nitrogen feeders.

Prune annually to remove four-year-old canes. Mature plants should have about eight bearing canes.

Most are tolerant to zone 3 and some to 2 – great plant for a rooftop ! They are also self pollinating !

NOTE: Do not plant next to pine trees or they may get the pine rust.

If you want some in your garden

call us - (718) 392 9404


PLANT SPECIALISTS

GREENING NEW YORK FOR OVER 53 YEARS !







Article written by our Staff Horticulturist, Peter B Morris, BSc, MSc, MBA

All photographs used with permission @SHUTTERSTOCK

Peter Morris

Peter was born and raised on a beautiful green island in the midst of a tropical rainforest. He was introduced into the world of plants at the age of six when his grandmother, an avid Spanish gardener herself, asked him to help her grow seeds for her pepper garden. He was hooked! By the time he was a teen, he had his own rose and orchid collection numbering in the hundreds. Botany was in his blood, and that is what he set out to study.

His passion brought him to NY in the late seventies to further his education. His tenacity allowed him to work full time at Plant Specialists while he completed a MS in Plant Biology. As a manager at the time he felt unsatisfied with his knowledge of business and business processes. Peter felt compelled to learn, so he then pursued and completed an MBA in Quality Management within a few short years.

Peter’s other passion is teaching. His natural ability is quickly consumed by our staff in all subjects in Botany, Horticulture, and Landscaping. He created an immense reference library of more than 3,500 plants providing an invaluable resource for our staff.

Peter’s breadth of knowledge and wisdom allows him to effectively diagnose the needs of plants. Sometimes just by walking into a garden he can create a prescription that fixes even the hardest issue. He is our Staff Botanist, Diagnostician, and all around Mentor. Recently, he has put his immense knowledge and skills into developing a new department that focuses on Plant Healthcare. As he puts it, “Magic through Science”. The PHC staff that surround him have avidly consumed his teachings. Substantially developing their own plant wisdom, many have taken on difficult plant health issues with spectacular results.

Plant Healthcare has been an instant success with customers! The proper treatment of insects and diseases including Organic methods has made pest control a necessity for every plant. Correcting hormonal imbalances caused by planting in containers or refurbishing soils leached of nutrients by irrigation systems are big challenges PHC has become quite comfortable addressing. The scientific approach to the complex demands of keeping plants healthy in our harsh city environment has made many a customer say WOW!

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