Plant currants: location, time & Procedure

There are a few things to keep in mind when planting currants: From the location and the right time to the planting instructions, we share our tips.

Currants (Ribes) can be planted as a garden hedge, as a border for vegetable beds or the compost heap or simply in a berry bed. They are adapted to our climate and therefore thrive quite well almost everywhere. Nevertheless, they naturally have some preferences in terms of their location, the prevailing soil conditions and their care. With the following information, you'll be well-equipped to soon be able to harvest plenty of delicious currants in your own garden.

Planting currants: Choosing a location

Although currants also thrive in semi-shade, we advise you to plant them in a sunny spot. Not only will the harvest there be larger, but the fruits will also be sweeter the more sun your plant gets. White currants (Ribes sativa) are recommended for anyone who only has a partially shaded spot: They are a bit sweeter anyway and sometimes even grow better in partial shade. Currant plants feel most comfortable in medium-heavy, nutrient-rich soil that can retain moisture well. A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6 is ideal. Currants are also flat-rooted. This means that they do not need deep soil and can also be planted in low beds or large containers around 40 cm high. Due to the fact that their roots do not reach deep, currants have to be watered more frequently when it is dry. This is especially true if they are in a sunny spot. However, a layer of mulch often helps to keep the soil moist.

The right location for currants in brief:

• Sunny, but half-shade is also okay
• medium heavy, nutrient-rich, moist, slightly acidic soil
• Soil does not have to be deep, so plant troughs or low beds are also good

Currantsplant: The right time

Like most berry bushes and fruit trees, currants are best planted in the fall. Then the currants can benefit from the winter moisture and sprout quickly and well next year. Container plants, which are mostly sold today, can theoretically be planted all year round. Then you should just make sure that the plant does not dry out in the first few weeks. Nevertheless, if planting in autumn is not possible, we advise you to plant currants in early spring. Because at this time of year the soil is still nice and damp.

Planting currants: instructions in 4 steps

Once you have found a suitable location, you can start planting. To ensure that this process is crowned with success, we have summarized all the important steps below.

1. Preparing the site for currants

Before planting, you should prepare the soil for the currants, and carefully remove weeds around the future planting hole and its surroundings. Because once persistent weeds such as ground elder, couch grass, stinging nettles or bindweed grow in the roots of the currant, they are difficult to remove.

2. Dig planting hole

Then a generous planting hole is dug, which is about twice as big and deep as the root ball of the currant plant. You should loosen the soil underneath and next to it a little with a digging fork so that the roots can penetrate better. Then put some compost mixed with topsoil back into the planting hole. In our article “What is topsoil?” we'll explain in more detail what it's all about.

3. Perform pruning

The most beautiful and strongest five to six shoots, which ideally grow in different directions, are shortened to about a third of the existing shoot length. Make sure that there are still about four buds on all shoots. You should always clip above an outward-facing bud. If there are more than five to six shoots, the rest are cut off a few centimeters above the ground. This pruning, which initially appears quite radical, stimulates budding and thus the development of a magnificent shrub.

4. Plant currants

The root ball of the currant becomes oneSoaked in water for a while until nice and damp. The plant is then placed in the planting hole, with red varieties (Ribes rubrum) being planted a few centimeters lower than they were previously in the pot (container) or in the nursery. Black varieties (Ribes nigrum) should be planted a hand's breadth lower than before. As a result, many new shoots emerge from the rootstock, which are very important for blackcurrants. These only bear on the one-year-old shoots.

The planting hole is filled with nutrient-rich organic soil so that the shallow-rooted plants can find enough nutrients in the upper soil layers. Our peat-free Plantura organic universal soil, for example, is well suited. If there are several currant bushes next to each other, a distance of 1.3 to 1.8 m between red and white currants - depending on growth - or of 2 m between black currants has proven itself. With this spacing, the shrubs are well ventilated and less susceptible to fungal diseases. If you plant several rows, there should be about 2 to 2.5 m space between the rows in order to be able to cut, harvest and water the shrubs well.

The soil is lightly trampled and the shrub well watered. Finally, the soil surface is covered with a layer of mulch made from lawn clippings, straw, manure or bark mulch. This helps keep the soil moist and provides additional nutrients.

Planting currants: our summary

1. Removing weeds from the soil
2. Dig a planting hole and loosen the soil next to and below it with a digging fork
3. The strongest 5 to 6 shoots are cut back to about a third of their length, but no more than 4 buds remain; Cut off the remaining shoots close to the ground
4. Soak the root ball in water for about half a minute until well soaked
5. Plant red and white currants a few centimeters lower than originally and blackcurrants a hand's breadth lower in the pot than before
6. Fill with organic soil, press down and water generously
7. Cover the soil surface with mulch (bark mulch on calcareous soils, otherwise grass clippings, straw, manure, etc.)

Now you just have to make sure that the plants don't dry out before they are well rooted. In the next few years it is particularly important to cut the currants regularly.You should also make sure to fertilize the currants and water them when they are dry. That's all it takes for your currant plant to reward you with sweet and sour fruits year after year.