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How to Grow Red CurrantsA guide to growing Redcurrant Bushes in gardens, allotments and containers
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Growing Redcurrants - DetailsSee also:- Fruit Growing Glossary | Tree Forms | Container Growing | Buying Plants
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| Aftercare | Open Ground - Yearly pruning will be
necessary (see below). Apply a mulch of well rotted manure or
compost once a year in spring and a supplement of a
potash rich inorganic fertiliser is helpful in February. Containers - Yearly pruning will be necessary (see below). Apply a mulch of well rotted manure or compost during the first year in spring and a supplement of a potash rich inorganic fertiliser is helpful in February. In subsequent years, it is best to carefully remove some of the soil from the container and replace it with fresh compost. Do this carefully so as not to damage the roots. Keep the containers well watered. General - Protecting from birds with netting . Keep watered. |
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| Harvesting | Fruit for eating are best left to completely ripen on the tree. Harvesting takes place between July and August depending on the cultivar. Pick whole sprigs of fruit. | |
| Propagation | In Autumn cut 30cm/12" long pieces of mature wood just below
a bud. Trim any unripe wood from the top of the cutting to just
above a bud. Plant the cuttings to around half their length deep
so the remaining buds are about 15cm/6" above the soil level.
Transplant to a new position once the roots are well developed
which takes about 1 year. Layering also works in autumn and spring. Choose a low-growing cane and carefully bend it down to the ground. peg it down placing a rick on top to hold it in place if necessary and cover the part touching the ground with soil. Roots will grow from the stem creating a new redcurrant bush. Once it has taken hold in Spring, sever the rooted portion from the main plant. |
Redcurrant Plants Dimensions |
Expected Yield Per Mature Redcurrant Plant |
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| Bush Cordon |
Height: 4m/12ft
Height: +2m/6ft |
Spread: 1.6m/5ft Spread: 30cm/1ft |
Bush Cordon |
4-5kg/10-15lb 0.5-1kg/1-2lb |
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| For a complete guide to and explanation of the various fruit tree forms click here | ||||||
Always
make pruning cuts no more than 6mm¼" above a bud.
The aim is to produce an open centred canopy. Slant all pruning cuts away from the buds as in the diagram on the right, to prevent water being channelled towards the bud which will
cause problems.
A
bush is comprised of 3 main parts:
1. The stem or trunk 'Leader'
2. Main 'Branches' which come directly off the Leader
3. 'Laterals' which come off the Branches
Laterals
usually have a set of cluster leaves at their base then spaced leaves all the
way up their stems. Always ignore the leaf
cluster when counting the leaves to prune back to e.g. the diagram
below has been pruned back to 5 leaves on the right had lateral and
3 on the left hand lateral
| Bush | Cordons |
| After planting in winter, prune the main leaders by half to an
outward facing bud. remove any shoots or laterals from the bottom
10cm/4" of the main stem and, if necessary, prune out any shoots which
are crowding the centre to 1 bud. Subsequent years - In Winter prune each main branch by half to an outward facing bud and cut laterals back to 1 bud of the current year's growth unless they are needed to fill the framework of the bush. Prune back any wood which has died back to healthy wood. Once the bush has reached the desired height, prune main leader and branches to leave 8cm/3" of the previous summer's growth every winter. Remove any shoots or laterals from the bottom 10cm/4" of the main stem as well as any suckers at the base of the plant. In June prune all the new growth on laterals to 5 leaves of the current year's new growth. |
 After
planting in winter, prune the main leader by half
to an outward facing bud and prune all side shoots on the main
stem to 1 bud. Remove any shoots or laterals from the bottom
10cm/4" of the main stem. Cordons will need support by being tied to
canes which are fixed to wires.Subsequent years - In Winter prune the new growth on the main leader by one quarter to an outward facing bud and prune all laterals/side shoots on the main stem to 1 or 2 buds. Remove any shoots or laterals from the bottom 10cm/4" of the main stem as well as any suckers at the base of the plant. Once the leader has reached the desired height, prune back to 1 bud of the current year's new growth. In June prune all laterals to 5 leaves of the current year's new growth. and once the leader has reached the desired height, prune back to 5 leaves of the current year's new growth. |
| Pests | Diseases |
| Birds
- like to eat the berries which can decimate the crop. Protect
with netting, cotton or cages. Aphids - can cause leaves to curl or honeydew or mould to form on the fruit and leaves. There are chemicals available to combat aphids which can be bought at garden centres. Organic methods include spraying with diluted washing up liquid ( 1 teasp per 2 litres of water), companion planting of flowers such as marigolds nearby. |
Coral Spot
- numerous coral pink spots on old or dead wood causing
die-back of branches and sometimes destroying the whole plant. Cut out
and burn infected wood to a point well past the infection. Paint wounds
with a sealant. Leaf Spot - dark brown spots appear on leaves which get bigger and join up until the whole leaf turns brown. Remove and burn diseased leaves. Immediately after flowering spray with a copper fungicide. |
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