Grow Redcurrants
Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum syn. Ribes silvestre) are available in both red and white (or light rose) colors. They can be grown as a bushy shrub or espaliered on a wall or other structure, depending on the level of effort you're prepared to put in.
Steps
- After purchasing redcurrants from a reputable supplier, unwrap them from their packaging and allow them to soak in water for 24 hours prior to planting.
- Choose a suitable spot. Redcurrants like mild sun. If you have fierce, hot sun, ensure that the afternoon positioning is dappled with shade.
- Prepare the soil. Till over the soil and add some fertilizer. Dig a hole in readiness for planting the redcurrant bush.
- Plant the redcurrant. Gently tease out the roots across the soil of the whole. Place well-conditioned soil over the top, and firm.
- Given that redcurrants grow erect, they don't need support structures.
- Space plants 120cm (3 to 4 feet) apart in rows.
- Feed the redcurrants regularly and keep well watered. Redcurrants have a high need for potassium, so be sure to use fertilizer well endowed with potassium, such as seaweed fertilizers. Don't drown the roots; just keep them damp.
- Harvest. Wait until you have large, firm red berries forming around mid-summer. Cut the whole bunch.
- Prune. If you have a free-standing redcurrant, prune it to form a strong, cup-shaped bush. Cut back the main branches about a third in the first winter's pruning. Remove any dead or damaged wood.
- After the fruiting season ends, prune back the side shoots to five leaf nodes each.
- Bear in mind that redcurrants fruit on the short spurs along older wood. Don't remove the older canes each year; instead, cut t them back like you would do with a rose bush.
- Finished.
Tips
- While redcurrants prefer good soil, they can also grow in poor soil.
- Redcurrants are easy to propagate. Bend down a stem and fix it into the ground. Roots will form and when it is fully established, cut it from the original plant and shift it to whichever location you prefer.
- Planting the redcurrants in less formal arrangements than rows will help to keep the birds from getting to the berries.
- White berries are known as whitecurrants. They lack the brilliant red colours, so you may not find them as glorious for garden or plate decoration.
Warnings
- Mildew can affect redcurrant leaves. Watch also for aphids and fungal infections.
- You may need to net the bush if the birds become interested.
- Keep the weeds down.
Things You'll Need
- Suitable garden space
- Gardening tools
- Fertilizer
Related Articles
- Grow Gooseberries
- Grow Blackcurrants
- Grow Blueberries
- Grow Raspberries
- Grow Boysenberries
Sources and Citations
- Partial source of information: http://www.soft-fruit.co.uk/currants/redcurrants-and-whitecurrants-top-tips-for-successful-growing/, shared under a Creative Commons 2.0 Share Alike licence.
