Blackcurrants are a very easy fruit bush to grow. They’ll grow in most soil types providing it’s fertile and moisture retentive. When established in the garden they’ll produce a good crop of currants from mid-summer that are delicious and high in vitamin C. The fruits are ideal for making jams and preserves, for using in pies and making fruit drinks, or mixing into fruit salad.
The productive life of a blackcurrant is at least 10 years, but if pruned regularly, fed and mulched, there’s no reason why it won’t carry on growing healthily and fruiting for up to 20 years or more.
Modern varieties such as ‘Ben Sarek’ and ‘Ben Connan’ are very good and produce large crops on compact bushes, making them ideal for smaller gardens.
Blackcurrants are very easy to propagate from hardwood cuttings taken in the dormant season. The stems on currants have what is known as ‘pre-formed root initials’ and when inserted into moist soil or compost, they quickly develop roots.
Take cuttings from last season’s strong stems now and only propagate from healthy, vigorous plants that fruit well. You can root the cuttings directly into the garden or in pots of compost and come spring they’ll burst into growth to make a new bush.