(Gardening) Growing Currants, Gooseberries, and Elderberries PDF
(Gardening) Growing Currants, Gooseberries, and Elderberries PDF
CURRANTS,
ROWING
G GOOSEBERRIES, &
ELDERBERRIES IN WISCONSIN
Ribes nigrum
T E R Y L R . R O P E R , D A N I E L L . M A H R , PAT R I C I A S . M C M A N U S
C urrants, gooseberries,
& elderberries are native to Wisconsin woodlands,
fence rows, and fields. Fruit of these lesser known crops are
often harvested from the wild and are prized for making
jams, jellies, pies, and juice. Elderberries are sometimes used
in home winemaking. These crops are generally
hardy enough to be grown in all areas of Wisconsin
and are well adapted for home fruit plantings. A limited
number of improved cultivars are available from nurseries.
S ITE
SELECTION AND In the fall or early spring before planting, thor-
oughly mix additional organic matter with the
PREPARATION soil. Well-rotted manure, compost, granulated
Gooseberries, currants, and elderberries prefer peat, or other partially decomposed organic mat-
cool moist locations; they will not thrive in hot ter are beneficial.
dry places. They can be grown in partially shaded
areas but should have good air circulation around
the plants to reduce leaf and fruit disease prob-
S OURCES OF PLANTS
lems. Soils high in organic matter are ideal for Because of limited demand, recommended goose-
these crops. Do not plant in poorly drained areas berry, currant, and elderberry cultivars may be
where water stands for more than a day. difficult to obtain. One-year-old plants are best;
older plants can be used but are often less vigor-
If possible, obtain a soil test before planting. ous and not as desirable. Check reliable mail-
Procedures for soil sampling and submitting sam- order nurseries for availability. For sources of
ples for testing are outlined in Extension publica- these plants, see Extension publication Home Fruit
tion Sampling Lawn and Garden Soils for Soil Testing Cultivars for Northern Wisconsin (A2488) or Home
(A2166), which is available through your county Fruit Cultivars for Southern Wisconsin (A2582).
Extension office. Apply and incorporate any phos-
phorus or potassium recommended from the soil If you wish to start your own plants from a
test the fall before planting. nearby source, currants, gooseberries, and elder-
berries are easily propagated from cuttings or by
Eliminate quackgrass and other troublesome layering. These procedures are discussed in
perennial weeds by frequent cultivation or use of Extension publication Home Propagation Techniques
non-residual herbicides such as glyphosate the (NCR274). These plants do not come true from
season before planting. Before using any herbi- seed and must be vegetatively propagated.
cide, read the package label to make sure the crop
you intend to treat is listed. Currants are usually propagated from hardwood
cuttings. In winter or early spring, take cuttings 6
to 8 inches long from the matured dormant
growth of the previous season. Store cuttings in
1
C G urrants,
I N W
ooseberries, &
I S C E
O N
lderberries
S I N
P LANTING
to allow cultivation and air circulation in plantings.
AND SPACING
In Wisconsin, spring planting is preferred for P OLLINATION
gooseberries, currants, and elderberries. Set dor-
mant plants as soon as they are received from the Currants and gooseberries are self-fruitful. Cross
nursery, or transplant them directly from the pollination with other cultivars is not essential.
propagation bed. Before planting, remove dam- Elderberries are essentially self-unfruitful. Two or
aged or broken roots or stems and cut back the more cultivars should be planted near each other
top portions to 8 to 10 inches, depending on the to provide for cross-pollination to ensure good
size of the root system. Plant with the lowest fruit set.
branch at or just below the soil line. Water thor-
oughly after planting to settle the soil around the
roots, and water weekly thereafter if rainfall is
inadequate.
2
S UGGESTED CULTIVARS Pixwell. Hardy and moderately productive.
Medium-sized fruit is pink and mild flavored
Since only a limited number of nurseries propa- when mature.
gate currants, gooseberries, or elderberries, the
cultivars suggested here are chosen on the basis Elderberries
of availability as well as their characteristics of
good yield, fruit quality, and hardiness. Other Adams. Both Adams No. 1 and Adams No. 2 are
unlisted cultivars may also perform satisfactorily suitable. Very large fruit compared to
in a home planting. The home fruit grower may native plants. Plant is 8 feet tall,
find testing of other cultivars to be fun and inter- vigorous, with strong canes.
esting if time and space permits. Considered hardy. Ripens
early August.
Currants Johns. Exceptionally vig-
Wilder. Vigorous, red- orous plant, growing 6 to
fruited cultivar; moder- 10 feet tall. Less productive
ately hardy and produc- than Adams, but fruit and fruit clus-
tive. Berries are ters are larger. Moderately hardy. Ripens 10 to 14
somewhat larger than Red days after Adams.
Lake. Ripens beginning in
Nova. An outstanding cultivar. Fruit is large and
early July.
sweet. Plant is 6 feet tall, moderately hardy, and
Red Lake. Vigorous, very productive. Use York as pollinizer. Ripens in
hardy, productive cultivar. August, before York. Originated in Nova Scotia.
Fruit is large, bright red when
York. More productive than Adams cultivars
mature, and of good quality.
and as hardy. Largest berry of all cultivars; juicy,
Mild flavor. Ripens over a 3-week
sweet, purplish black. Excellent 6-foot-tall orna-
period beginning in early July.
mental with white flowers, black fruit, and
White Imperial. An older cultivar. White, showy fall foliage. Last to ripen in mid- to late
translucent fruit with pink blush is borne in loose August.
clusters. Very rich, sweet flavor better than red
currants. Winter hardy. Ripens mid-July.
F ERTILIZER
Gooseberries If the site was prepared properly and phosphorus
and potassium were added based on the soil test,
Hinnonmaki Red.
no additional phosphorus or potassium fertilizer
A European gooseberry. Fruit should be required. Currants, gooseberries, and
is large, purplish red, and elderberries will benefit from applications of
sweet. The canes are mod- nitrogen. Young plants should receive 1 to 2
erately vigorous, but are tablespoons of a high nitrogen fertilizer like
very spiny. For trial. ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, or urea
Poorman. Hardy and annually in the spring. Older plants should
moderately productive. receive 3 to 4 tablespoons of high nitrogen fertil-
Red fruit is the largest of izer in the spring. Nitrogen can also be supplied
any American type. by aged manures.
Somewhat less thorny You can judge the need for fertilizer by looking at
than most cultivars. the bush. If the bush is very vigorous, producing
a lot of new growth, reduce the nitrogen by half
3
C G urrants,
I N W
ooseberries, &
I S C E O N
lderberries
S I N
or eliminate it altogether. If growth is moderate With elderberries simply prune out weak or bro-
but the plants still appear thrifty, apply the rec- ken canes, leaving six to eight vigorous canes to a
ommended amount. If few new canes are pro- plant.
duced and growth appears poor, increase nitro-
gen application by half. For more detailed Old neglected currant, gooseberry, and elder-
fertilizer use suggestions, refer to Extension pub- berry plants can be renovated by removing old
lication Fertilizing Small Fruits in the Home Garden canes and thinning out newer shoot growth to
(A2307). initiate the sequence described for new plantings.
Mature gooseberry and currant plants should
have eight to ten bearing canes and four to six
P RUNING new shoots to replace the oldest canes removed
each year. Six to eight mature canes to a plant are
Growth and fruiting habit of currants and goose-
generally adequate for elderberries.
berries are similar. Thus, pruning practices are
essentially the same for both.
4
mulch depth annually and replenish the mulch as in small droplets called honeydew. Ants may
needed. Don’t get mulches too deep or you’ll cre- feed on the honeydew, and a black fungus—
ate a habitat for rodents. sooty mold—often grows on it. The aphids them-
selves are small (up to about 2 mm) and green,
Grass can be planted in the aisles between the and usually are found in colonies. Other aphid
rows. A grass walkway will let you harvest fruit species also occasionally feed on currants and
following rains. Cultivate along the grass edges gooseberries.
to keep the grass from invading the bushes.
Aphids are often kept under good natural control
I NSECT
by predators such as lady beetles and lacewings,
PESTS OF CURRANTS small parasitic wasps, and even some insect dis-
AND GOOSEBERRIES eases. In some areas or during certain years,
these natural controls may not be adequate, and
Under most conditions insects are not perennially
you may choose to use a chemical spray.
serious pests of currants and gooseberries.
Dormant sprays are effective, as is malathion or
However, certain insects occasionally will
rotenone applied when the aphids are first seen.
become abundant enough to cause serious dam-
Insecticidal soap is also effective, but spray cov-
age if left unmanaged.
erage must be thorough.
5
C G urrants,
I N W
ooseberries, &
I S C E
O N
lderberries
S I N
emerging as the adult moth the following spring. wild hosts and damage is seen most frequently
Feeding damage will kill the cane, and the first when such plants are allowed to grow near cur-
symptom is yellowing foliage on individual rants and gooseberries.
canes in late spring. Red currants are most fre-
quently attacked. In areas where plant bugs have been a problem,
they can be controlled by an early-season appli-
Cut out and destroy infested canes as early as cation of malathion.
possible.
Gooseberry fruitworm
Imported currant worm The larval stage of this insect is a greenish worm
This is the most serious insect pest of currants with darker stripes along the sides. The worms
and gooseberries, with the latter being the feed by hollowing out the insides of fruit of both
favored host. Foliage is consumed by several currants and gooseberries, with each worm con-
small, spotted, caterpillar-like larvae. The adults suming several berries. The adult is a moth.
are sawflies about the size of a house fly. There
are two generations per year, with damage occur- Malathion or rotenone will control this insect.
ring in spring and again in late summer. Make two applications 10 days apart, starting at
early fruit development.
Malathion and rotenone will control this insect.
Start looking for damage shortly after the leaves Currant fruit fly
have fully expanded. Usually the second genera-
tion is less severe than the first and does not Infested fruit drops early and has dark spots sur-
require treatment. rounded by a red area. Small white maggots will
be found in such fruit. Late-maturing varieties
These adult sawflies make numerous punctures Removal and burial or destruction of dropped
in canes during egg laying in spring. The damage fruit will keep populations from building. The
causes new shoots to droop and wilt in late insecticide program for gooseberry fruitworm
spring. Further damage occurs as the larvae tun- will also control fruit flies.
nel through the canes. This insect also attacks
poplar and willow trees, and damage is usually San Jose scale
more severe near stands of these trees.
These insects are small, grayish disk-shaped
The best control is the removal and destruction of specks about 2 mm across with a raised spot in
infested canes at the first sign of wilting. the center. They are most frequently found on the
canes. For most of its life, the scale insect is inca-
6
I NSECT
PESTS OF D ISEASES
OF CURRANTS
ELDERBERRIES AND GOOSEBERRIES
Because elderberry is a native plant, there are The most common diseases of currants and
several native insects and mites that feed on it. gooseberries are caused by fungi. Symptoms of
Although most of these are checked by natural fungal diseases include leaf spots, stem cankers,
controls, occasionally some plant damage can and shoot dieback. Signs of the fungal pathogens,
occur. Pyrellin, a combination of rotenone and such as fruiting bodies, are often visible when
pyrethrins, is registered for controlling several of infected plants are viewed with a hand lens. The
the following elderberry insects. other major group of pathogens that attack cur-
rants and gooseberries are viruses. Typical symp-
Aphids toms of virus diseases include yellowish to pale
green mosaic patterns on leaves, and malformed
Certain species of aphids are occasionally found or stunted shoots, leaves, and flowers. Viruses do
feeding on elderberry. Although feeding may not form fruiting bodies. Fungal diseases are
cause stunted and distorted leaves, usually only a managed by pruning to enhance drying of
few branch tips are involved. If aphids become foliage, and removal of prunings and plant debris
numerous, wash them from the plants with a to reduce primary inoculum. Virus-infected
strong spray of water, prune out and destroy the plants cannot be cured. However, virus-free
infested terminals, or spray with Pyrellin. plants can be obtained from reputable nurseries.
Wild plants in the genus Ribes harbor many of
Cecropia moth the same fungi and viruses that infect cultivated
varieties and may be reservoirs for pathogens.
The larval stage of this insect is a large caterpillar
that can remove much foliage during feeding.
They are most abundant near wooded areas. Powdery mildew
Control by hand removal and destruction. Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease
that is generally more serious on gooseberry than
Elder shoot borer on currant. The fungus overwinters in pruned or
broken twigs. In the spring spores are released
The larval stage of this insect is a worm that
and infect leaves and shoots. Signs of the fungus
bores in the stems and shoots. The adult moth
—white patches on the surface of leaves, shoots,
lays eggs in July and August in canes at least
and berries—first appear in May or June on
1 year old. Eggs hatch the following April or
lower parts of the bush. The patches enlarge,
May. The larvae feed first within the unfolding
merge, and develop white, powdery masses of
leaf whorls, then bore into new lateral shoots.
spores which can start new infections. Eventually
When partially grown, they migrate to the
the fungus turns reddish-brown and small,
ground shoots, entering these at the bases and
spherical, black spore-containing bodies develop.
feeding upwards into the shoots. When the lar-
Severe infection will cause stunting and dieback
vae are fully grown in mid-June, they leave the
of shoots. Infected berries are off-color and rough.
ground shoots and tunnel into dead canes to
pupate, leaving small piles of frass (sawdust) on Powdery mildew infections are favored by
the ground at the base of the old wood. humid conditions. Spacing bushes to enhance air
movement and rapid drying should reduce dis-
To control, prune out infested shoots or canes.
ease. Removing prunings and other plant debris
Eliminate dead canes to discourage pupation.
in the fall will reduce the amount of fungal
Remove old canes with holes or with piles of
inoculum available the following spring. Sulfur-
frass at their bases. Destroy all prunings.
containing fungicides are effective against pow-
7
C G urrants,
I N W
ooseberries, &
I S C E
O N
lderberries
S I N
dery mildew but can damage plants, especially if small, dark spots that resemble anthracnose
used in hot weather. Repeated applications of infections. However, as the spots enlarge, the cen-
sulfur may also harm beneficial microbes, insects, ters turn light tan, and the borders turn brown.
and earthworms. Small black spore-containing bodies appear scat-
tered over the spots. Anthracnose spots do not
Anthracnose have these black, pinpoint-sized fruiting bodies.
Under wet conditions, spores are released from
Anthracnose is a common leaf spot disease of the bodies and are splashed to leaves where fur-
both currant and gooseberry. The anthracnose ther infection may occur. Severely infected leaves
fungus overwinters in leaf and twig debris. One turn yellow and drop. Leaf drop is more common
type of spore (ascospore) is ejected from debris with currant than gooseberry.
and carried by air currents to newly emerging tis-
Minor diseases
sue. A second type of spore (conidium) is splashed
by rain to new tissue. Because fungal spores
come from the ground, the first infections of the White pine blister rust. Plants in the genus
year are often on lower parts of the bush. Early Ribes, including currant and gooseberry, are hosts
season infections produce spores that cause addi- for part of the life cycle of the white pine blister
tional infections. Thus, leaf spots occur through- rust fungus. Black currant is more susceptible
out the season. Spots are dark brown or black than red currant. The disease is usually not seri-
and are scattered over either leaf surface. Spots ous on currant and gooseberry but is devastating
enlarge (up to about 1⁄8 inch), become somewhat to white pine, the alternate host. Symptoms on
angular in shape, and sometimes have a purplish currant and gooseberry appear in the spring as
border. Spore masses appear as glistening, gray, small, yellow spots on the undersides of leaves.
slimy droplets under wet, humid conditions. In Spores are shed from the spots and incite new
some cases, leaves turn yellow with green zones infections. During late summer and fall, a differ-
surrounding the spots. Leaf yellowing is more ent type of spore is formed and is carried up to a
common on gooseberry than on currant. few hundred feet to white pine trees. The follow-
ing spring, spores are released from white pines
Spores of the anthracnose pathogen can germi- and can be carried up to 350 miles to Ribes plants.
nate at temperatures between 35° and 82°F, Separating currant and gooseberry from white
although 40° to 60°F is optimal for ascospores pine by at least 1,000 feet can reduce infections
while 55° to 70°F is optimal for conidia. Spores but is often not practical.
do not germinate at temperatures above 85°F, so
new infections do not occur during very hot Cane blight. Cane blight is caused by a fungus,
weather. Moisture is required for infection. and in severe cases can cause entire shoots or
bushes to wilt and die. Symptoms are most evi-
To reduce primary infections, remove prunings dent just before fruit ripens. The wood and pith
and plant debris in the fall or in the spring before of affected canes are dark. Later in the season on
plant growth resumes. Copper-containing fungi- current year’s growth, or on 2-year-old infections,
cides, such as Bordeaux mixture, are effective black wartlike bodies form in parallel rows along
against anthracnose. Lime sulfur is also effective the length of the shoot. Removal of infected canes
and will simultaneously control powdery mildew. will minimize further infections.
D ISEASES
(A2582)
OF ELDERBERRIES
Other diseases
Powdery mildew fungi attack elderberry, as do
numerous leaf-spotting fungi. These diseases sel-
dom warrant special attention other than remov-
ing as much plant debris as possible in the fall to
prevent the pathogens from overwintering. Root
rots may occur in poorly drained soil.
Verticillium wilt affects a wide range of plants
including elderberry. Plants should not be estab-
lished in sites where tomatoes or related plants
were grown during the past 5 years.
9
References to products in this publication are
for your convenience and are not an endorse-
ment of one product over other similar prod-
ucts. You are responsible for using chemicals
according to the manufacturer’s current label
directions. Follow directions exactly to protect
the environment and people from chemical
exposure. Failure to do so violates the law.
Copyright © 1998 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System doing business as the
division of Cooperative Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Send inquiries about copyright
permission to: Director, Cooperative Extension Publishing, 201 Hiram Smith Hall, 1545 Observatory Dr.,
Madison, WI 53706.
Authors: T.R. Roper is professor of horticulture, D.L. Mahr is professor of entomology, and P.S. McManus
is associate professor of plant pathology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-
Madison and University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension. Produced by Cooperative Extension
Publishing. Cover illustration by Catherine Baer, copyright 1998.
This publication is available from your Wisconsin county Extension office or from Cooperative
Extension Publishing. To order, call toll free: 877-947-7827 (WIS-PUBS) or visit cecommerce.uwex.edu.
A1960
GROWING CURRANTS, GOOSEBERRIES, AND ELDERBERRIES IN WISCONSIN
RP-07-01-(R12/98)-3M-300