How to grow Blackcurrant in the UK
- TypeBush or cane
- Ready to pickJuly
- Space neededabout 1.5m x 1.5m
When is blackcurrant ready to pick?
July.
Pick whole bunches (strigs) when all the berries are shiny black.
Looking after blackcurrant
- Hungry plants - spread manure or compost round them every spring
- Prune in winter: cut out about a third of the oldest, darkest stems right at the base
Storing and keeping
Keep a few days in the fridge, or freeze. Brilliant for jam and squash.
Pests and problems
Birds - net them as the berries colour. Big round buds in winter are 'big bud' mite - pick them off.
Good varieties
- Ben Connan: Big berries on a smallish bush.
- Ben Sarek: A compact bush - good for small gardens.
- Big Ben: Big, sweet berries you can eat straight from the bush.
- Ebony: The sweetest blackcurrant.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
Start growing - it's free