My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

On Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:24 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

yes birds


Pam in Bristol

I had lots of redcurrants yesterday but they've nearly all vanished today!
I think birds had something to do with it. It gets light hours before I get
up at the moment !


"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Oops I didn't read the post properly. Yours are in a cage.


"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?


--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

In article , nospamigg1937
@yahoo.co.uk says...

On Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:24 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

yes birds


Pam in Bristol

I don't think so! They are in a cage!

I did have a couple of days when young chaffinches and a young blue tit
got in, but that was before they had ripened!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Roger Tonkin wrote:
Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

My early redcurrant was totally stripped, I think by pigeons. The later one
is just ripening and so far is ok, but I've netted it now, just in case.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

I did have a lot of fruit drop during the dry spell, but I think that was
mostly blackcurrants

On Jun 22, 4:32*pm, Roger Tonkin wrote:
My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Poor pollination. If there is cold weather when the flowers come out,
the insects don't get round them all & the unpollinated ones drop off.

On Jun 22, 11:00*pm, Roger Tonkin wrote:
In article , nospamigg1937
@yahoo.co.uk says...







On Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:24 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

yes birds

Pam in Bristol

I don't think so! They are in a cage!

I did have a couple of days when young chaffinches and a young blue tit
got in, but that was before they had ripened!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I hope the mesh is big enough to allow pollinating insects in.