How to grow Redcurrant

Ribes rubrum · red currant, white currant

Deciduous shrub producing edible red or white berries in summer. Hardy and self-fertile, suitable for temperate gardens.

Quick facts

Type	Berry
Family	Grossulariaceae
Light	Partial shade
Soil pH	6–7
Frost	tolerates light frost
Soil for sowing	from 5 °C
Germination	14 days
Sowing to harvest	800 days
Where it grows	Open ground

When to plant

Planted as a young plant from a nursery while it is dormant — in early spring before the buds open, or in autumn after leaf fall.

Care

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	5…22 °C	balanced (NPK), 30 days into the stage
Flowering	every 6 days	8…24 °C	phosphorus and potassium, at the start of the stage
Fruiting	every 5 days	10…26 °C	potassium, at the start of the stage; potassium, 21 days into the stage
Harvest	every 5 days	10…24 °C	—

Growing notes

Light

Prefers full sun to partial shade; fruit production best with at least 6 hours of sun.

Soil

Well-drained, fertile soil rich in organic matter; pH 6.0–7.0.

Care

Prune in winter to remove old wood and encourage new shoots; mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Harvest berries when fully colored and slightly soft.

How to tell it is ripe

Berries are richly coloured, deep red.
Berries look full and juicy.
A ripe berry feels slightly soft and juicy when pressed gently.
Pinch or cut off whole bunches at the base of their stalk rather than single berries, and strip the stalks in the kitchen.

Pests and diseases of Redcurrant

Gooseberry sawfly
Rust

Sources

Figures cited from these sources.