Blackcurrant

Ribes nigrum · Grossulariaceae

Vitamin-rich fruit; easy bushes

Photo: Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sun: Full sun
Soil: Moist, fertile
Soil pH: Slightly acid to neutral, pH 6.0-7.0; tolerates a wide range
Water: Water in dry spells
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height and spread: 1.5m

Guv's tipEach time you prune blackcurrants, take out about a third of the oldest stems. And net them before the fruit ripens, or the birds win.

Through the year

When to plant

Plant Nov-Mar

Harvest or flowering

Harvest Jul-Aug

Pruning

Remove about a third of the oldest stems. Timing varies: in winter when dormant, or Sep-Oct after fruiting

Making more plants

Hardwood cuttings

Watch out for

Pest

Blackcurrant big bud mite

Look for: Swollen round buds in winter that fail to open; spreads reversion virus

What to do: Pick off and destroy swollen buds; replace heavily infested bushes; resistant cultivars

Pest

Aphids

Look for: Colonies of small green/black insects on shoot tips, sticky honeydew, distorted leaves

What to do: Squash or wash off, encourage ladybirds and other predators; insecticidal soap if severe

Pest

Birds (pigeons, blackbirds)

Look for: Ripening fruit eaten

What to do: Net bushes or use a fruit cage before fruit ripens

Disease

Currant and gooseberry leaf spot

Drepanopeziza ribis

Look for: Brown spots on leaves, early leaf fall

What to do: Rake up fallen leaves, mulch

Disease

Powdery mildew (American gooseberry mildew)

Podosphaera mors-uvae

Look for: White powdery coating on leaves

What to do: Water in dry spells, mulch, improve air flow, resistant cultivars

Always read and follow the label on any treatment, and check it is approved for use where you live.

Safety and spread

Pets and people: Non-toxic. Gardeners' World reports no toxic effects for Ribes nigrum, and the Pet Poison Helpline states that true currants (Ribes) are not considered toxic to dogs. Unlike these, dried 'Zante currants' are grapes (Vitis) and are dangerous to dogs

Weed risk: None known

Checked against two or more reputable gardening sources. How we check our facts

Keep it by the back door

The Plant Doctor and the Guv's book

Printable pest and disease charts with real photographs, and all 50 UK plants in one book.

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