# Black Currant Odor



## grapeman (Jul 6, 2007)

I have a question for you guys that are growing black currant. Are any of you seeing(or smelling) an objectionable odor from the plants? I planted Consort and Titania this year. When I opened them up I thought a cat had urinated on the package. As they have been growing they still smelled heavy of cat urine and I though the stray cats were marking them. The other day I saw a ripe berry on the Titaniaso I picked one and IT smelled like cat urine. A little hard convincing myself to taste it smelling like that, but I did. It tasted pretty good almost like blackberry. The Consorts don't seem to have the foul smell. Anybody else have a similar situation?


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 6, 2007)

Gee...I'll give them a sniff when I go out. My biggest plant was a potted plant and it has a few berries on it...the others were bare-root and arrived late....and 3 good cuttings growing.


How many plants would a person need for a batch of wine???


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## grapeman (Jul 6, 2007)

I guess the yield varies quite a bit from variety to variety. One study I found gave yields as running from a half pound to about 5 pounds per bush. paubin says it takes 3 pounds per gallon so I would say a bush or two per gallon of wine. I planted 15 bushes this year and hope to get a batch or two when they mature. I'm a little dissapointed because of the smell of the Titania. They are much more disease resistant than the Consort. They look great with a nice green color. The Consort has been a battle with downey and powdery mildew. I may need to get rid of them because they are at the end of a row of grapes and may act as a source of disease innoculum.


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 6, 2007)

I have read that some vineyards plant roses at the end of grape rows as an indicator of diseases...thus prompting sparaying...Maybe the Currants could help you...?


How close together did you plant your bushes???


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## paubin (Jul 14, 2007)

I've never heard of an odd smell from any type of currants. That is strange!! Maybe you do have a neighborhood tom cat that likes currants too and is marking them as his own




. I used to have a cat that would mark my scallions every year, luckily they where my set stock and he never messed with the young eating scallions. When the plants are fully mature you should get a couple gallons worth from each, although different varieties have different yields. Some of the newer hybrids are giving up to 6 pounds per bush. I think that a lot of new hybrids will be coming out in the next few years now that most states have lifted the restictions on black currants. Good luck with yours!!!


Pete


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 14, 2007)

I use to grow a lot of herbs...then found the dog was coming across the yard to use them as his bathroom...Now I buy herbs at the Food Co-op...that way I don't know whose dog has been 'using' them before me.


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## grapeman (Jul 14, 2007)

It is just the Titania that stinks. When the two packages came, it was just the Titania that stinks. I picked a couple dozen yesterday. They are about the size of cultivated blueberries. The taste is good and after 6 inches or so of rain they don't smell AS bad, but there is definitely an odor there. It will be interesting to see next year if the odor is there. They appear to be much more resistant than the Consort. The plants are big and bushy with nice big leaves. The Consort are much smaller and covered with powdery mildew. I applied a couple doses of sulfur after I noticed them getting some.


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## Wade E (Jul 14, 2007)

Resistant to what, other animals and people with that smell?


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