RHS Growing Guides
Our detailed growing guide will help you with each step in successfully growing Redcurrants.
1
Getting Started
Section 1 of 7
Established redcurrant bushes crop prolifically, forming long trusses of vibrant fruits
Month by Month
Jobs to do now
- Water plants well in dry weather and ensure compost does not dry out if growing in pots
- Inspect plants carefully for caterpillar larvae and remove by hand or spray severe infestations
- Protect bushes from birds by covering with fine gauge netting
- Prune new growth back to two buds in early summer to keep plants compact
- Prune leaders to outward facing buds unless the branches are bending, in which case they then should be cut to upward facing buds
- Begin harvesting from early cultivars
- Water plants well in dry weather and ensure compost does not dry out if growing in pots
- Inspect plants carefully for caterpillar larvae and remove by hand or spray severe infestations
- Protect bushes from birds by covering with fine gauge netting
- Prune new growth back to two buds in early summer to keep plants compact
- Prune leaders to outward facing buds unless the branches are bending, in which case they then should be cut to upward facing buds
- Begin harvesting from early cultivars
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y |
| Harvest | N | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
2
Choosing
Section 2 of 7
You can choose from several redcurrant varieties, with different ripening times, shade tolerance and disease resistance. When choosing varieties, look for those with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), as they performed well in our trials â see our list of AGM fruit and veg.
For colour variations, you could also grow whitecurrants and pinkcurrants, which are both forms of redcurrant, with pearl-like or blushing fruits. They are all grown in the same way and look highly decorative growing alongside each other.If you visit any of theRHS gardens, youâll find a wide range of fruit, including redcurrants, grown in various ways. So you can easily compare different varieties and pick up useful growing tips.
What and where to buy
Redcurrant plantsin pots are available all year round from many gardening retailers. Bare-root plants (without a pot or soil around the roots) are also available during the dormant season (late autumn to early spring), mainly fromlarger online retailers. They are usually cheaper than potted plants, but are less widely available and must be planted straight away.
Redcurrants are usually grown as open-centred bushes or trained as space-saving cordons, so select a plant to buy based onhow you will be growing it:
For growing as a bush âchoose a two- to three-year-old plantwith a short clear stem of 10â15cm (4â6in) and a well-balanced head of three to five main branches
For growing as a cordon âlook for a vigorous main stem and a spreading root system.Alternatively buy cuttings or partly trained plants from specialist online suppliers
Redcurrants can also be grown as standards â shaped like a lollipop, with a bushy head on a tall stem. For these, itâs easiest to buy a plant that has already been grafted and trained, as they take a while to train from scratch.
Recommended Varieties
âJonkheer van Tetsâ
Produces heavy crops of sweet-tasting currants on long strigs from early July.
The RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) helps gardeners choose the best plants for their garden.
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. The Plants for Pollinators initiative helps gardeners easily identify plants that encourage them back into the garden
âRed Lakeâ
The large, sweet, juicy, dark-red currants ripen from late July.
The RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) helps gardeners choose the best plants for their garden.
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. The Plants for Pollinators initiative helps gardeners easily identify plants that encourage them back into the garden
âRovadaâ
A heavy-cropping, late-summer variety producing large, tasty fruits.
The RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) helps gardeners choose the best plants for their garden.
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. The Plants for Pollinators initiative helps gardeners easily identify plants that encourage them back into the garden
Showing 3 out of 4 varieties
3
Planting
Section 3 of 7
Redcurrants, whether boughtin pots or bare-root, are best planted between November and March. Although potted redcurrantscan potentially be planted at any time, they will settle in best if planted during this dormant season. You can plant them in the ground or in large containers.
Redcurrantsprefer full sun, but will also be fine in partial shade, such as against a north-facing wall, although the fruit will ripen slightly later and be less sweet. Choose a sheltered spot and avoid locations prone to late frosts, which can damage the flowers, resulting in a smaller crop.Also consider planting inside afruit cageto protect your crop from birds.
Redcurrants tolerate a range of soil conditions, but prefer moist, well-drained soil. Allow 1.5â1.8m (5â6ft) between bush plants, and with more compact cordon plants, space them 38â45cm (15â18in) apart.Before planting, clear the ground of weeds and dig in plenty of well-rotted manure. Also add a balanced fertiliser, at the rate of 85g (3oz) per square metre/yard. For full planting instructions, see our guides below.
Planting in a container
Choose a pot at least 45cm (18in) wide and usepeat-free soil-based compost. For more planting tips, see our guides below.
Supporting trained plants
All trained redcurrants (apart from bushes)need support from the start, so put this in place before or at planting time. For cordon and standard forms, either in the ground or in a container, the simplest option is a sturdy bamboo cane, about 1.5m (5ft) tall.Alternatively, for one or more cordon plants, you can set up a system of horizontal wires, spaced 60cm (2ft) and 1.2m (4ft) from the ground, attached to posts or a wall or fence.
4
Plant Care
Section 4 of 7
Established redcurrant plants generally need little maintenance, apart from pruning, watering in dry spells and feeding. Plants in containers require some additional attention, including regular watering and repotting.
Watering
Water newly planted redcurrants regularly during their first spring and summer. Established plants donât generally need watering, except in long dry spells. Mulching annually (see below) will help to hold moisture in the soil.
Redcurrants in containers need wateringon a regular basis throughout the growing season â evendaily in hot weather. In winter, ensure the roots donât rot in soggy compost by standing the containers on âpot feetâ or bricks to allow heavy rain to drain out through the holes in the base.
Mulching
After feeding in early spring (see below),mulchthe root area with organic matter, such as garden compost or well-rotted manure. A layer about 5cm (2in) thick is ideal, laid onto damp ground, and take care to leave a gap around the base of the stem, to avoid rotting. Top up the mulch annually. Mulch helps to hold moisture in the soil and deter weeds.
Feeding
In early spring,feedredcurrants growing in the ground with a high potassium general fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4 or blood, fishand bonemeal. Scatter one and a half handfuls per square metre/yard around the base.
With redcurrants in containers, apply a general liquid fertiliser every fortnight from late winter to early spring. You can also apply a high potassium liquid feed in summer while plants are flowering and fruiting. Every spring, scrape off the top few centimetres of compost and top up with a mix of fresh peat-free potting compost and controlled-release fertiliser granules.
Protecting flowers and fruit
Protecting flowers from frost
If frost is forecast while redcurrants are in flower, cover the plants overnight with fleece orhessian, raised up on canes, then remove in the morning to allow pollinators access to the flowers.
Related RHS Guides
Protecting fruitfrom birds
As soon as the currants start to ripen, itâs worth putting netting over your plants to protect the crop from birds. Make sure the netting is taut, so birds donât get tangled in it. Alternatively, use a temporary or permanent fruit cage.
Repotting
Repot containerised redcurrants every three years in late winter. Either give them a bigger container or return them to the same pot after removing a third of the roots and as much of the old compost as you can. Use fresh peat-freesoil-based compost, firm it in around the roots to remove any air pockets and water well. See our video guide to repotting.
Propagating
Insert redcurrant cuttings around the edge of a pot or into the ground
Related RHS Guides
5
Pruning and Training
Section 5 of 7
For maximum harvests, prune redcurrants into open-centred bushes
Bushes â prune every winter to create and maintain an open-centred goblet shape with up to ten well-spaced branches
Cordons â prunein winter and summer. These compact single-stemmed or multi-stemmed plants are useful if you have limited space
For step-by-step instructions on how to prune all trained forms, see our guide to pruning redcurrants.
Also see our video guides, below, for pruning redcurrant cordons andgooseberry bushes (use the same method for redcurrant bushes).
6
Harvesting
Section 6 of 7
Early, mid-season and late varieties ripen in succession from early July through to late August
Related RHS Guides
7
Problems
Section 7 of 7
Redcurrants are generally healthy, robust, long-lasting shrubs,but there are a few insects and fungal diseases that can affect them (see Common Problems, below). Birds may alsoeat the ripening currants in summer, and bullfinches may peck the leaf buds in late winter, so it's worth covering plants with netting at these times, or growing them inside a fruit cage. Fruiting can also be reduced if the flowers are hit by frost, so keep an eye on weather forecasts while redcurrants are flowering in spring and cover plants overnight with fleece or hessian, supported on canes, if freezing temperatures are likely.
