How to grow redcurrants

Redcurrant plants in 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 from larger 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 on how you will be growing it: 

• For growing as a bush – choose a two- to three-year-old plant with a short clear stem of 10–15cm (4–6in) and a well-balanced head of three to five main branches  

• For growing as a cordon – look 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 – shaped like a lollipop, with a bushy head on a tall stem. For these, it’s easiest to buy a plant that has already been grafted and trained, as they take a while to train from scratch.

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.

Water newly planted redcurrants regularly during their first spring and summer. Established plants don’t generally need watering, except in long dry spells. Mulching annually (see below) will help to hold moisture in the soil.

Redcurrants in containers need watering on a regular basis throughout the growing season – even daily in hot weather. In winter, ensure the roots don’t rot in soggy compost by standing the containers on ‘pot feet’ or bricks to allow heavy rain to drain out through the holes in the base.

After feeding in early spring (see below), mulch the 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. 

In early spring, feed redcurrants growing in the ground with a high potassium general fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4 or blood, fish and 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 from frost 

If frost is forecast while redcurrants are in flower, cover the plants overnight with fleece or hessian, raised up on canes, then remove in the morning to allow pollinators access to the flowers. 

Protecting fruit from birds 

As soon as the currants start to ripen, it’s worth putting netting over your plants to protect the crop from birds. Make sure the netting is taut, so birds don’t get tangled in it. Alternatively, use a temporary or permanent fruit cage. 

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-free soil-based compost, firm it in around the roots to remove any air pockets and water well.