On 24/05/2011 13:15, mogga wrote:
It's going to take me until autumn to prepare the ground - but I was
wondering when it's done if it's better to have the bed as earth to
mulch over or to allow grass to grow and then mow it...

I assume grass will take water that the plant wants - which is my main
thought on it at the moment. Are there any other reasons - or is that
one more than enough?

Mine are on mulched soil and seem to thrive as the mulch holds in the
moisture. Getting grass cut under them would be something of a hassle.

I suspect I don't need more than 3 bushes either as there's a limit to
how much jam I can make! (Unless anyone has a recipe for vimto...)

Worth growing Jostaberries as well provided you can net them. Gooseberry
x Blackcurrant. Think blackcurrants on steroids and you are not far out.
Much less topping and tailing needed for a pies worth.

(And for those interested this is a photo of our site at the moment -

Looks like it will take a fair bit of work then.

I hope there are no obsessively Organic(TM) growers so you can use
glyphosate on it to get a clean or nearly clean start.

Regards,
Martin Brown