How to Grow Red Currant
Red 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
Buy a 2 to 3 year old bush, either bare root (sold with no soil around the roots) or in a pot, and plant it in early spring, about 3 weeks before your last frost, or in fall. Set it 120 cm from other bushes, a little deeper than it grew before, and water it well. It starts giving a good crop in about 2 years.
Red currants are one of the toughest fruits for cold Canadian winters, and they still crop well in part shade, so a north-facing spot works. The berries hang in long strings and grow best on branches 2 to 3 years old, so pruning means keeping a mix of young and older wood. A healthy bush keeps fruiting for 15 years or more.
When To Start
Red 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 Red Currant?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Red Currant Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Red Currant Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your red currant bush in sun or part shade
3 weeks before your last frost
Prune red currants, taking out a few of the oldest branches
45 days before your last frost· every year
See if your red currants are fully red and ready
90 days after your last frost· every year
Water your new red currant plants well while they settle in. Deep and slow is best.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your red currant is settling in! Water deeply each week, and add mulch to keep its shallow roots cool.
About 30 days after you plant it
How is your red currant doing? Keep weeds away from the base so the bush is not competing for water.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Red Currant's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 1
Prepare Your Space
120 cm
Plant Spacing
150 cm
Row Spacing
Vertical Growing
Yes: Cordon.
Succession Planting
No.
Good Companions
Bad Companions
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Plant red currants in full sun or part shade.
- 2Mix compost into the soil at planting time, and spread a layer of compost or mulch around the bush every spring.
- 3Water deeply once a week in dry weather, especially while the berries are growing.
- 4In late winter, cut out a few of the oldest branches at the base, keeping about 8 to 10 strong branches of different ages.
- 5In spring, look for small green caterpillars stripping the leaves from the middle of the bush, and pick them off by hand.
- 6Cover the bush with a net as the berries colour, or the birds will eat them first.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
150 cm
Mature Height
120 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
21 days
When to Pick
Snip whole strings when berries are fully red and translucent
How to Harvest
- 1Wait until the whole string of berries is bright red, shiny and slightly see-through.
- 2Snip or pinch off the whole string by its stem rather than picking single berries.
- 3Pull the berries off the strings by running a fork down each one.
- 4Keep them in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them on a tray and then in a bag.
- 5Their tart taste is perfect for jelly, sauces, and mixing with sweeter fruit.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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