One of our redcurrants has got redcurrant blister aphid.  This small aphid secretes a chemical which causes the leaves to blister and turn red.

Quite a lot of the leaves are showing these signs.  I’ve been spraying the underside of the leaves with a mild solution of Ecover washing-up liquid, which will hopefully stop the aphids in their tracks.  This is the first year we’ve grown redcurrants and, to be perfectly honest, I was fussing about it a bit, wondering where they’d come from, blaming the dry weather and checking the plant every day.  Then a couple of days ago, we were showing Peter, our neighbour and “veg growing guru”, around our patch.  We passed the redcurrants and I, almost apologetically, said that the leaves had been attacked.  He took one look, and very matter of factly said “oh they always get that.  It’s nothing to worry about!”  Now Peter has the most fabulous and prolific redcurrant bushes around and clearly knows what he’s talking about.  So… no more worrying… although I just can’t stop giving them the odd spray now and again!