when to plant gooseberrys and red currants

Last week i went out and bought 2 little plants, one gooseberry and the other a redcurrant, they are both about 12" high, they cost �£2 each and came in a box, they are also in a plastic bag, with another bag around the root, now i assumed they might have been in the shop a little while and it wasn't possible to water, so i haven't been in a hurry to plant them out in case its too cold for the little things.
1) Do you think it will be ok to plant them out yet, if not, when should i pot ( i have to put them in pots as i have no garden) them ready to go, and how long will they survive dry without soil and water
2) do they go in normal compost, or the eracacious like my blueberries?
thanks
gill

 

Hi samsoph,
Take them out of the bags, put them in a bucket of water for 24 hours
plant them ASAP in ordinary compost, water well.
they should get going ok

 

They don't need ericaceous compost - that's not a prob. Gooseberries and redcurrants live outdoors all their lives, but since you got it indoors, it's be wise to take it cautiously - like, don't plant it if there's a heavy frost forecast. I'd go for the standard hardening off process, leave them outside during the day, so long as it's not frosty, and bring in overnight, and gradualy acclimatise, and eventually leave outside for good! Newport is probably south enough to let you use early May as a reasonable guideline for not expecting any frosts. Good luck, and enjoy the fruits of your labour! :D

 

hi Rossco and dendrobium,
thanks for information, i will plant them up tomorrow possibly, if not definatly on thursday, i can't wait to get them out and starting to grow, used to have black and red currants as a kid, and loved to eat them ,
when do you think i can expect them to have berries on them?
Gill

 

summer/autumn!

 

Hi Dendrobium,
wow great, i really hope so, i thought i'd have to wait a year or so,
thanks again for your really fast replys
Gill

 

Just about 7 miles up river from you Samsoph. Watch out for the nasty caterpillars on the redcurrants they've denuded ours in the past.

Both fruits are very easily grown from cuttings if you want to expand yout stock.

 

Hi Dave,
thanks for the warning, i can be on the lookout! glad to hear they are easily grown from cuttings..i tried that last year with blueberries, and had no success.
my daughter is a proper fruit feind, she'll love a garden full of fuit,: ) .i did think about a fruit tree, but berries seems easier in pots.
Are you pretty close to newport then?
Gill

 

thought Newport was Wales??

 

Hi Dendrobium,
Yup you are correct, the Newport i'm at is in South Wales,
Gill

 

Oops!!!Sorry Gill. I was thinking "Tayport"

 

Hi Dave,
easy mistake to make does this mean i don't have to worry about the caterpillars
Gill

 

I hope you don't have to worry about them Gill. They completely stripped our red currant bush in 2004 in the space of about three days. Last year I kept a better look out and sprayed as soon as I spotted the little blighters.