How to Grow Black Currant
Black Currant At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Berry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -34°C
Plant Family
Grossulariaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Plant a young bush in early spring while it is still bare of leaves, about 3 weeks before your last frost, or in fall. Set it 5 cm deeper than it grew in its pot, so new shoots come up from below the soil, and leave 150 cm between bushes. Water it well, then cut every stem back to 2 or 3 buds above the soil to start a strong, bushy base.
Black currants are tough, love cold winters, and give fruit from their second year. They fruit best on young stems, so planting deep and cutting out old stems each year keeps the bush cropping for many years.
When To Start
Black Currant likes cool weather. Sow it in early spring, as soon as the ground can be worked.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Black Currant?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Black Currant Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Black Currant Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your black currant bush 5 cm deeper than in its pot
3 weeks before your last frost
Prune black currants: cut out a third of the oldest stems
45 days before your last frost· every year
Look for ripe black currants, black and shiny
90 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new black currant plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Checking in on your black currant! Water deeply each week this first season while the roots settle.
About 30 days after you plant it
Your black currant is putting down roots. A layer of mulch keeps its shallow roots cool and moist.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Black Currant's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
150 cm
Plant Spacing
180 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
No.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Give black currants full sun or a little afternoon shade.
- 2Plant them in rich soil with plenty of compost, as they are hungry bushes.
- 3Keep the soil moist all season, especially while the berries swell, and lay a thick mulch to hold the water in.
- 4Spread compost or worm castings around the bush each spring for steady growth.
- 5Each late winter, cut about a third of the oldest, darkest stems right down to the ground to make room for young ones.
- 6Net the bush before the berries ripen to keep birds off, pick off green caterpillars that strip the leaves, and leave space around it so air flows and keeps powdery mildew (a white dust on the leaves) away.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
150 cm
Mature Height
150 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Pick whole strings once all berries are black and shiny
How to Harvest
- 1Black currants are ready when every berry on a bunch is black, shiny and slightly soft.
- 2Wait about a week after they first turn black, since they get sweeter on the bush.
- 3Pick whole bunches by snapping the stem, then strip off the berries with a fork at home.
- 4Keep them in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them on a tray and then bag them.
- 5They are quite tart fresh, so they shine in jam, juice, syrup and baking.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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