We have been getting a few strawberries from the berry patch, and today I bought one of those plastic nettings that go over top of the berries to keep the birds (and squirrels ?) out. Last year, something ate most of our berries before they got ripe. We would see the blossom and the green berries, and never any ripe ones. Hopefully, the netting wil stop the intruders, and not stop me from getting into the berries. I also ordered three currant bushes that came in a "trio collection" of one red one, one white one, and one black currant bush. When I was growing up, my folks had red currants in the yard and we would pick and eat them. They are tart, a little like a cranberry, and about the size of a pea, and in a cluster like grapes. I have never tried the black or white ones, and actually didn't know they came in any color except red; but I am looking forward to trying some of all the flavors. Usually, they are more of a northern berry; but when I read about growing them in the south, it said to put them in a shady area, and we have LOTS of shade; so that should be perfect. I also ordered a strawberry collection, which has some ever bearing and some June bearing. I am going to plant those in a strawberry tower made from one of the tall laundry baskets. I saw that someone did that and it looked like it would work for us. I can cover the basket easily to keep the birds out, and it will keep the berries off of the ground. And I can put it in the back yard where we get more sunlight and maybe they will grow better there. I will take a picture once I have it planted. Currants are supposed to have even more antioxidants than blueberries and be very healthy. I am planning on using some in my smoothies once we actually have some on the bushes. http://www.diethealthclub.com/askqu...ts-heath-benefits-are-the-seeds-in-red-c.html
Here is the picture of the collection that I ordered from Directgardening. I have never seen the white ones, or the blue ones for that matter; but the information (when I looked them up) says that they are a variant of the red ones, and can come in shades of pink to the almost white color shown here. All three varieties have their own flavor, and I think that they would be great to use in blender juices and smoothies. If you look up "white currant", there are some really pretty pictures of them, @Chrissy Cross .
Looked it up and I take back what I said...I've seen it in Hungary....it's called ribizli and it's a very popular drink. Have seen the white one there.
Forgot to add that it's sold as a syrup in stores and then you add water or seltzer from your own seltzer maker at home. When I was there every home had a seltzer water maker...seems it's more popular than plain water. Although this was almost 20 years ago, so don't know now.
We have a SodaStream, which is basically the same as what you are talking about with a seltzer-water maker, at least I think it would be the same idea. I have added juice to the carbonated water, and I can see that having a syrup to add would be even better and more flavorful. The SodaStream also sells a whole bunch of different flavors that can be added to the water once you have carbonated it in the machine; but I just make plain carbonated water with it. We have the one that looks like a penguin, and it is a great way to have ice cold carbonated water without the added syrups and artificial sweeteners that are in a regular soda.
I would love to be able to plant currants on my land because they grow easily, and are hardy. But alas, currants are against the law in Maine, as are gooseberries. The berries are sometimes available in the grocery store, but the plants are illegal.
I noticed that when I was ordering, and there are only about 4 states that they could not be shipped to. However, they have developed some strains of currants that do not transmit the pine blister disease; so it is possible that one of those strains could be grown in Maine. There are some for sale on ebay, and they do not say that there are shipping restrictions; so it is possible that they are relaxing the regulations against currants. The ones I saw on directgardening all had restrictions, but since there are now resistant varieties, those might be okay. To address your question, @Chrissy Cross , there is a blister disease that is transmitted to pine trees, and apparently some of the varieties of currants are carriers for this. I read that it was illegal to grow them anywhere since about 1900; but my folks always had them in Idaho, so I don't think that they made a big deal out of eradicating all of the currants in the US. Now, they have changed the laws, and except for 4 states, currants can be shipped and grown anywhere.
Although there is no hard evidence of a relationship between the pine blister and currants or gooseberries, as far as the spread of the plant disease goes, the fact that both are susceptible has led to this belief. It's probably more of political matter than anything else, as the lumber industries lobby against it, while probably not keeping up with the current science. One state recently did away with their ban, then reinstated it a year or two later. I can't remember which one now, but I remember reading that. As for varieties, I am thinking that the agencies that would be enforcing the ban don't want to have to get into being able to determine whether something they come across is one variety or another, since it's easier for them to simply ban them outright.
@Ken Anderson You've aroused my ire: first, are currants and gooseberries not growing wild anywhere in ME? Second, why in the world would berries be declared illegal? Disease? Or diseased minds (of law-makers)?
I don't know about currants, but gooseberries are native to Maine but they eradicated them several years ago, and enforce its continued eradication by fining any landowner who is found to have them growing on their land. I suppose if you could persuade the courts that you didn't plant them, you'd get off but it is illegal to plant or to have them growing on your land. There is a belief that they play a part in the spread of white pine blight.
@Ken Anderson Sometime during the Great Depression, WPA Conservation Corps planted thousands of wild rose bushes in the National Forest of Missouri Ozarks. Thought was, their rough and burly presence would discourage excessive grazing of more delicate native flora. Today, the damned rosebushes have become so widespread as to be extreme nuisance. Walking through the woods is apt to produce torn clothing as well as exposed skin; thorns abound everywhere. The immense deer population, known for fast and sudden jerky haphazard movement, suffers from torn skin resulting from crashing through impassable rose entanglements. Frank
Wild roses are like that. We have some in our yard. For the first few years we were here, I mowed them over yet they kept coming back, so I decided to let them grow. They're not particularly pretty, their flowers are tiny and they last only about a week or two, but the plants proliferate. Oddly, I have planted a few varieties of roses, thinking that if I added some other roses to the same part of the yard, they'd blend in, but the ones I plant rarely make it through a winter or two. Back to currant bushes, I like currants, and I think the bears and birds would probably like them too. Having them growing on my land up north would fit well into my forest garden concept so, every now and then, I consider making a trip to Massachusetts, where they are legal, and picking some up. I think I could live out the rest of my years before anyone ever found them growing on my land, as long as I didn't plant them along the ATV trail, and if they did, I could act stupid, like I wouldn't know a currant bush from a chokecherry. I think New Hampshire is the state that legalized them, and then made them illegal again.