Redcurrants are one of the tastiest berries in the garden. The shrubs require little care and are undemanding. Nevertheless, they bear many red berries in summer, which taste best when eaten fresh.

Berries from the gooseberry family

The hobby gardener can hardly believe that red currants belong to the gooseberry family. In fact, small thorns are still present in wild plants. In the cultivated forms they are hardly noticeable.

The botanical name of the red currant is Ribes rubrum, with the suffix referring to the red color of the berries.

The white currant is a breed that originated from the red currant. Black currants, on the other hand, are a separate variety.

Interesting facts about red currants

Red currant bushes can become quite old at more than 15 years. However, the cultivated forms hardly bear any berries in old age.

With the red currant, the largest and most beautiful fruits grow on the slightly older shoots. This distinguishes them from the black currant, which mainly grows on one-year-old wood.

When are red currants planted?

As for all berry bushes, fall is the best time to plant the bushes. The soil is then still moist and the roots do not dry out so quickly.

If the best time has been missed, you can still plant red currants in the very early spring. But then you have to water more often.

Which location is suitable?

Red currants love a spot in the sun. They also grow in semi-shade, but the berries stay smaller and are not as sweet. The shrubs do not like too much wind. Therefore, make sure you choose a location that is sheltered from the wind.

What should the earth be like?

The soil should be nutritious and loose. Poor soil can be improved with mature compost. With heavy soils there is a risk of waterlogging. In this case, mix the soil with sand to allow rainwater to drain away.

Since red currants are flat-rooted, you should keep the soil under the bushes free of weeds. Otherwise, the roots would be injured when working the soil.

How are red currants planted?

  • shrub base below the surface
  • Prune the shrub beforehand
  • pruning roots
  • Water well
  • Apply mulch layer

The planting hole should be larger than the root ball. Plant the plants deep enough so that the base of the shrub is covered with soil.

Which planting distance is ideal for red currants?

Do not plant red currants too densely. The bushes should be 1.5 to 2 meters apart. When laying out several rows, leave at least two meters of space.

When are the red currants harvested?

If the weather is good, you can harvest the first red currants as early as the end of June. The berries ripen unevenly, so you have to pick each bush several times. The harvest lasts until the end of July.

Birds like redcurrants just as much as humans do. If you also want to harvest a few berries, stretch a net over the bushes by mid-June at the latest.

Can the shrubs be moved?

If the red currants are in an unfavorable place, you can transplant them. But keep in mind that transplanted bushes will only bear fruit again after three years.

Transplanting older currant bushes is therefore not worthwhile. It is better to buy new shrubs right away or take cuttings from the old plant.

Can red currants be propagated?

You can easily propagate red currants with cuttings or planters.

For propagation with cuttings, cut cuttings from one-year-old rods in winter and put them in potting soil.

To lower it, a young shoot is bent to the ground, anchored there and covered with earth. Several new plants form at the eyes under the ground, which are separated from the mother plant in the following year.

Do red currants get along with other plants?

Basically, red currant plants prefer to stand alone. They need the nutrients in the soil for themselves. An exception is wormwood, in the vicinity of which the shrubs thrive.

The currants do better if you apply a layer of bark mulch, grass clippings (without flowers!), leaves or other garden materials under the bushes.

This provides the soil with additional nutrients and prevents the soil from drying out. You also save yourself the hassle of pulling weeds.

How much care do red currants need?

Red currants do not require much care. However, they tolerate neither drought nor waterlogging. If the soil is very dry, you absolutely have to water it.

Regular pruning is necessary so that the bushes bear many berries.

tips and tricks

Red currants have been cultivated since the 15th century. Because of their high vitamin C content, they are real vitamin bombs. Eating fresh berries is also said to have a positive effect on blood pressure. Dried red currants can be brewed into tea and used to aid digestion.

Category:

Vegetable garden