On Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:32:24 +0100, Roger Tonkin
wrote:

My redcurrants are ripening much earlier than usual (by about 2 weeks at
least). However when I started picking, I noticed that there are masses
of fruiting stalks this year, but each stalk only has between five and
eight currants on it, and lots of empty mini=stalks where the other
fruit should be. I would guess that each stalk is only about 50%
populated with fruit, as opposed to the normal 80-100%. I'm wondering
why.

Some ideas:

Some predator, insect/bird? Plants are in a cage.

Lack of pollinating insects at a crucial time. May not explain why the
fruit is all at the plant end of the stalk.

Plant decided that it could not support any more fruit and shed the
lower fruit. Seems implausible, I did notice that the flowers were all
down the stalks.

Anyone else seen the problem, and got any ideas as to the cause?

yes birds


Pam in Bristol