This is a blog post on growing and harvesting blackcurrants. Blackcurrants are soft fruits which have got a tart like a flavour. The dark purple berries and are rich in Vitamin C. It is available in supermarkets during the seasonal times around June. Black currant has got many uses from jams to desserts. It’s great to eat even on its own. It does come in many varieties. From red coloured to black coloured ones. It is a perennial soft fruit plant that fruit appears year after year.
Growing and harvesting Blackcurrants
To grow blackcurrants one needs to obtain a growing cutting or a young plant. This can be bought in supermarkets and garden centers. While it is possible to grow them in containers, it is better to grow them on the ground. If they are grown in pots just feed them regularly with some all-round feed. It can be a shrub or a hedge. This blackcurrant plant grew on a border on London clay soil. It needs to be grown in well-drained soil. Therefore I add manure compost on to the soil before planting. I also feed the plant with manure compost regularly.
From a young plant to start fruiting, it can take 2 years. It takes time for the black currant plant to establish its roots. During the first year, the plant may fruit but not much. The plant that I got is now into the 2 years grown on clay soil is doing fairly well. Do grow them in a sunny spot. It does not like to grow like crazy like raspberry when they are young therefore it doesn’t need pruning. Water the plant regularly.
As the plant gets establish do prune them as it will encourage to fruit. Prune them when they are dormant from late autumn to late winter. They are ready to harvest in June.
Thank you for reading and dropping by. Do have a look at my other posts like growing raspberry and tayberry.
