How to grow whitecurrants

Whitecurrants plants in pots are available all year round from many gardening retailers. Bare-root plants (without a pot or soil around the roots) are also available, but only during the dormant season (late autumn to early spring) and mainly from larger online retailers. They are usually cheaper than potted plants, but are less widely available and must be planted straight away. Always buy certified virus-free plants from reputable suppliers.

When buying whitecurrants to grow as a bushes, select two- to three-year-old plants with a well-balanced head of three to five main branches and a clear stem of 10–15cm (4–6in). For cordon training, buy one-year-old cuttings or partly trained plants from specialist fruit suppliers. (It’s also possible to convert a young one- or two-year-old bush-trained plant.) Standards – shaped like a lollipop, with a bushy head on a tall stem – are generally only available from specialist suppliers.

Whitecurrants like moist, well-drained soil, but will grow in a range of soil conditions. Before planting, clear the ground of weeds and dig in a generous amount of well-rotted manure or garden compost. Then add a high potassium fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 or blood, fish and bonemeal at the rate of 85g (3oz) per square metre/yard. Space bushes 1.5–1.8m (5–6ft) apart and cordons 38–45cm (15–18in) apart. For full planting instructions, see our guides below.

Choose a container that is 45–50cm (18–20in) in diameter, and use a peat-free soil-based compost or peat-free multi-purpose compost with added grit (one-third by volume) to improve drainage. For more planting tips, see our guides below.

Water newly planted whitecurrants regularly during their first spring and summer. Established plants won’t usually need watering except in long dry spells. Mulching annually (see below) will help to hold moisture in the soil.

Whitecurrants in containers should be watered on a regular basis throughout the growing season – even daily in hot weather. In winter, make sure the roots don’t rot in wateriogged compost by standing the containers on pot feet or bricks to allow heavy rain to drain out through the holes in the base.

Apply a mulch of garden compost or well-rotted manure after feeding in spring (see below). Spread a layer about 5cm (2in) thick over the root zone, but leave a gap around the base of the stem. Mulching helps to hold moisture in the soil and suppress weed growth. 

Feed whitecurrants in early spring with a high potassium fertiliser, such as Vitax Q4 or blood, fish and bonemeal – scatter one and a half handfuls per square metre/yard around the base.  

With whitecurrants in containers, feed every fortnight from late winter to early spring with a general liquid fertiliser. Each spring, scrape off the top few centimetres of compost and replace with a mix of fresh peat-free potting compost and controlled-release fertiliser granules. Then in summer, while plants are flowering and fruiting, apply high potassium liquid feed.

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Protecting flowers from frost 

If frost is forecast while whitecurrants are in flower, cover the plants overnight with fleece or hessian, raised up on canes, then remove in the morning to allow pollinators access to the flowers. 

Protecting fruit from birds 

Once the currants start to ripen, put netting over your plants to protect the crop from birds. Make sure the netting is taut, so birds don’t get tangled in it. Alternatively, use a temporary or permanent fruit cage. 

Repot containerised whitecurrants every three years in late winter. Either give them a bigger container or return them to the same pot after removing a third of the roots and as much of the old compost as you can. Use fresh peat-free soil-based compost, firm it in around the roots to remove any air pockets and water well. See our video guide to repotting.