Black Consort Currant Cuttings

I’m in full-out winter-prep mode.

I’m thinking through fall 2018 and spring 2019 plantings already!!

So, I worked on our berry area today during naptime.

I pruned back the currant and raspberries/blackberries this past weekend. So, I had 5 currant cuttings to plant.

The little buds are leaf buds. But, the big fat buds like the one in the pic above are fruit spurs! With any luck, that’s what will flower and put out fruit this spring. I knew what to look for from this spring. So when I was pruning, I made sure to leave the strong canes with fruit spurs.

Cuttings, compost, water, and tools

I gathered up the tools and some compost and went to the fence line.

Check. Out. This. Compost!!

It’s incredible! It can’t be compacted! It is truly a delight to work with, and such a contrast to the clay soil here naturally.

First I had to dig out some weeds and poke.

Then I made a little trench for the cuttings.

Then I set the cuttings about 3-4 buds deep, and layered in some of the composted soil.

Cutting with compost

Then I added the dug out dirt back and watered them in. We’ll know for sure if they survived this spring. I assume if they don’t completely wither, and they put out leaves like they’re threatening to, we may be in the clear, but we won’t know for sure until spring.

I spaced them about a foot and a half apart. Assuming they all survive, this gives us a solid “hedge.” Assuming they don’t all survive, we’ll have plenty of space to try again.

Then I went in with the push mower and mulched up the raspberry cuttings from pruning and added that organic matter right back to the soil around them.

That just does wonders for my heart seeing the cycle complete itself like that- nothing going to waste, and everything “scrap” returning to nourish the parent plant.

Unrelated, it also does my heart good to see my chickens just come running when they see me. I know they aren’t the smartest of birds, but the fact that we’ve bonded makes me happy.