How to Grow Blackcurrants

How to Grow Blackcurrants is a step by step guide to show you how easy it is to grow your own blackcurrants so you can enjoy these tangy little berries in desserts and jam. I’ve also included some recipes for you to make with your blackcurrants at the end of this page.

What are Blackcurrants?

Blackcurrants are the fruit of a woody shrub (Ribes Nigrum). These are easy to grow in temperate climates and produce small darjk purple ‘berries’ or currants in mid-summer.

Why grow blackcurrants?

• Rich in Vitamin C
• High in antioxidants and anthocynins
• Stengthen your immune system
• Soothe sore throats
• Ease cold and flu symptoms

What can you make with blackcurrants?

The tart flavour of blackcurrants makes them ideal to be made into all kinds of desserts: pies; cakes; cheesecakes; cordials and jams.

Help! I’ve never grown anything before

Don’t worry, I will take you through the steps to successful growing. I am not a professional gardener, but I have over 30 years of success in growing food in my garden.

How to Grow Blackcurrants

Blackcurrant bushes are easy to plant and easy to grow, just follow these simple steps and you can have your own supply of these versatile little fruits.

Important!

Please check the instructions provided with your blackcurrant bush. It is very likely that the instructions will be similar to the steps below but always check.

Where do I plant my blackcurrant bush?

Blackcurrant bushes grow in most types of soil. They will thrive in an open sunny spot but will still produce fruit in partial shade.

The old blackcurrant bushes I had in the garden were right in front of a beech hedge which gave some shade and they cropped very well.

My two new blackcurrant buhes are planted in a raised bed. Once established blackcurrants don’t like thier roots to be disturbed so it’s best not to plant other things too close to them.

When do I plant my blackcurrant bush?

There are two different types of blackcurrant bush that you can buy:

• Bare rooted blackcurrant
• Pot grown blackcurrant

When to plant Bare-rooted

Plant bare-rooted bushes from October to April when the plant is dormant. Once planted they need very little attention to become established.

When to plant Pot-grown

Pot-grown bushes can be planted in Spring and Summer and will need some extra watering to ensure they establish well before the winter.

How do I plant a blackcurrant bush?

Here is a step by step guide to show you how to plant your blackcurrant bush.

The good news it that blackcurrant bushes establish more easily than most other fruiting plants.

Dig a hole

• Plant bushes 1.5 metres apart in all directions.
• Dig a hole wide enough to accommodate all the roots without bending them.
• Plant the bush slightly deeper than they were in the nursery (you will see the mark on the stem).

Plant and fill in the hole

• Fill in around the bush with good soil mixed with a little compost.
• Firm the soil with the heel of your boot.

Water in

• Lightly water in bare-root bushes
• Water pot-grown bushes twice a day for the first 2-3 weeks.

Hard prune bare root plants

If you are planting from autumn to early spring, cut all the shoots back to 2.5 cm above soil level. This will help the plant establish strong growth.

Do not prune container plants or those that are actively growing. I decided that there was some growth on my plants so did not prune them back.

What happens next?

Leaves

You can expect leaves to appear on your blackcurrant bush in March or April.

Flowers

Your blackcurrant will then produce flowers early in May. These pretty little white flowers will be pollinated by bees and insects to eventually become blackcurrants.

Fruit

The fruit forms on the blackcurrant bush as small green berries in mid to late May. Make sure to water them well if it is a dry season and then wait for the currants to turn dark red, then black before picking.

Can I grow a blackcurrant bush in a container?

Yes, you can successfully grow blackcurrants in containers.

• Repot your container-grown blackcurrant bush in a slightly larger pot every two or three years.
• Repot when the plant is dormant in late winter.
• Take the plant from the pot and trim back some of the roots and replace the soil.
• Feed your container-grown plant with a liquid feed in the summer
• In the Autumn (fall) surround the base of the plant with fresh compost or a general-purpose granular fertiliser.

How do I pick my blackcurrants?

Blackcurrants are easy to pick because there are no thorns on the bushes. The currants grow on a stem-like a little bunch of grapes. Once they are ripe pick the whole stem at once and collect in a bowl, box, or basket.

You can pick individual blackcurrants but there is a greater risk that they will be damaged as you pull them from the stem.

Pick over several days or weeks

The currants will not all be ripe at the same time. Pick as soon as they are ripe and return each day to pick some more.

How do I prepare the blackcurrants for cooking

To use immediately, wash the blackcurrants on the stem under running water. A colander is ideal for this job.

Leave them to drain, then use a fork to gently pull the blackcurrants off the stems. They are now ready to use

Can I freeze blackcurrants?

Blackcurrants are ideal for freezing. Because they do not all ripen at the same time, its good to freeze them until you have enough to make jam or other recipes.

How do you freeze blackcurrants?

• Do NOT wash blackcurrants before freezing. If you wash them they will be coated in ice and as you will cook them before eating there is no need to wash.
• Do NOT remove them from their stems because this can damage the currants.
• Pick out any leaves or other debris collected while picking.
• Open freeze the blackcurrants on a baking tray covered in baking parchment
• Once they are fully frozen, empty them into a freezer-proof container or freezer bag and seal.

Note

You can remove the blackcurrants from their stems once frozen. I do this before I use them but you may prefer to do it before putting in a container.

How do I use frozen blackcurrants?

• Use them from frozen because they will lose their texture if you defrost them.
• Use a fork to remove the blackcurrants from their stems while still frozen unless you have already done this at the open freeze stage.

How long can I store blackcurrants in the freezer?

The standard advice is to freeze for 2-3 months. However, I regularly keep frozen blackcurrants for a year and have used blackcurrants that I have had in the freezer for 2 or 3 years.

Pruning

Year 1 – 3

• If growth is strong prune lightly in autumn or winter
• If growth is weak, prune hard, cutting at least half the shoots back to ground level.

Established bush

Blackcurrants fruit on the previous year’s growth, so it’s important not to cut away all the branches or you will have to wait two years for any currants.

• Prune sprawling branches at picking time
• In winter, cut out 1/4 – 1/3 of the branches each year
• Make cuts low down to encourage strong regrowth

Feeding

• Feed annually with a general fertiliser
• Mulch around the base with garden compost or a soil conditioner
• Water well in dry weather
• Avoid heavy watering as the fruit begins to ripen or it may split

Frost

Blackcurrant flowers need protection from frost. Cover with horticultural fleece or cloth if frost is forecast.

Pests and Diseases

I have not had problems with diseases in blackcurrants. However, there are a few problems you can look out for:

• Blackcurrant gall midge
• Currant Blister aphid
• Gooseberry Mildew
• Blackcurrant big bud mite

I am not an expert in the control of plant disease so I am directing you to the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) because this is where I would look for answers.

Birds

I have been extremely fortunate that I have not had any problems with birds. They do eat a few of my currants but I have never had the bushes stripped.

Many birds love to eat berries and blackcurrants are no exception! Wood Pigeons, blackbirds, thrushes and fieldfares are all birds who will eat your blackcurrants if you let them.

How do I protect my blackcurrants from birds?

Pick the currants as soon as they are ready. If you can’t do this, then consider netting your currant bushes.

Blackcurrant Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

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