Growing black currant – step by step

Blackcurrant is a very popular fruit. It is not only tasty but very healthy too. We all know that. Blackcurrant is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants and it is pretty easy to grow. You do not need a lot of space – you can grow blackcurrant directly in your garden or even in a flower pot – on the balcony, for example. When blackcurrant blooms, many bees will visit your garden and you want that. Yet another advantage of blackcurrant.

Location

You need to understand the basic requirements and if you provide those you will be fine. Black current loves sun but it can do well in a partial shade too. Another requirement is a well-drained soil. It must not retain moisture for long. You may grow from cuttings or shoots and you should do so early in spring or autumn. When planting, a good idea is to mix the soil with compost. Water thoroughly. Now, you just watch and let the shrubs grow. Well, almost.

Photo: Pixabay

Care

Young shrubs need to be watered frequently and you need to fertilize. This is especially important when you grow blackcurrants in a container. A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content (chicken manure for example) is ideal for spring fertilization. Remove weeds regularly during growing period – especially if shrubs are young. Once the fruit starts ripening, you can wrap the bush in a net to protect berries from birds.

Pruning

Pruning should be done in autumn or winter, providing that there are no freezing temperatures. Get rid of diseased or inward-growing branches including old wood – that includes three-year old branches as these will not produce much fruit anyway and will grow at the expense of young shoots. Young healthy shoots, preferably one-year-old shoots, make be used for propagation. Take 20 to 25 cm long cuttings. Older cuttings have much harder time to take root.

Source: https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/how-to-grow-blackcurrants/

Preview photo: Pixabay