Gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON reckons growing currants in Canberra is a doddle. Here’s how she does it…

GROWING currants in Canberra is easy. They need protection from the winds, full sun to part shade, but remember the more sun the more fruit.

Native to eastern Europe. Currants are from the gooseberry family and have adapted to our climate very well. They thrive with lots of organic matter around their root zone in the growing season and like an acidic soil of pH of about 6-7. They don’t mind our heavy soils but, importantly, don’t like wet feet and need drainage. 

Currants grow well next to other berries as they both like the same conditions. When they are dormant in winter is when most of the pruning should take place. Remove entire canes that have fruited and don’t shorten stems. 

Currants are all the same species, Ribes sativum with the exception of Ribes rubrum and Ribes nigrum, the red and black currants. 

One plant will feed the family, but for making jams and preserves a few more shrubs will be needed. 

The fruit of the pink and white currants are generally less acidic and better for fresh eating than the red ones. So, the darker the current, the more tart it will be and the lighter, the sweeter it tastes. 

Red currants, with their striking red, glossy berries, are my favourite because they’re small and don’t take up much space. They grow to a metre tall and can be used as a small hedge in the vegetable patch. Black currants (Ribes nigrum) grow a little smaller and prefer more sun. 

Currants fruit on second and third-year wood and canes that have fruited can be cut down to the ground after harvest. This allows sunlight to get into the centre crown of the plants and promote new canes for future fruiting. 

Over time the shrub will get wider and send off suckers. These can be cut and potted up for a new plant in the garden. 

Currants flower in spring and mature into ripe, edible fruit right through summer. But when the birds spot them, they can be taken overnight; so netting or mechanical measures with a covering will protect the fruit until it’s ready for picking. 

Ripe currants can be stored by freezing on flat trays or using a dehydrator. 

THE Arum lily (Arum italicum) is a pest plant in our gardens. Now its foliage has died down for the summer, the berries can be seen. They’re green at first before turning to brilliant oranges then reds. 

They’re attractive to birds who, unfortunately, eat the seeds and disperse them into bushland. 

Remove any green flower stems by hand and place them into the green bin, not the compost as they self-seed as well. 

Popular in the floristry trade, this plant can often be seen on old gardens as it grows well in deep shade. 

To get rid of it altogether, try placing cardboard and mulch laid over the top to keep light away from the bulb. A grow-me alternative would be Calla Lilies as they look similar in flower shape and foliage, but not as big and not a pest. 

Jottings… 

• Deadhead and fertilise roses for an autumn flush. 
• Plant the last of the tomatoes for an autumn harvest.
• Keep the mower settings on high in the hot weather.
• keep watering shallow-rooted plants such as maples and azaleas.