Growing Redcurrants - Shade Growing Fruit
You do not need a large garden to grow redcurrants.
They are ideal for a semi-shade position and can be grown in the dappled shade under trees.
One thing they do need is rich moist soil.
Add well rotted manure and plant at 1.
5m intervals.
Keep well watered in dry spells.
Create a ridge around the perimeter so that when you water it stays close to the plant.
Apply a mulch of well-rotted manure every spring, as well as a nitrogen and potassium fertiliser.
Use netting on the bushes to protect the fruit from birds.
'Jonkheer van Tets' is a Dutch redcurrant variety.
It is early, strong growing, with a good flavour and heavy yield.
It has been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.
The berries turn will turn clear red when ripe which should be in early July.
The currants are ideal for serving fresh or made into jams, jellies, pies and wine-making.
Prune After Planting After planting cut back to the stem any branches less than 10cm (4in) above the soil and pull off any suckers growing from beneath ground level.
Prune all other branches to between a third and a half of their original length, cutting to an outward facing bud.
Red currants should be trained with an open centre, goblet-shaped bush - allowing light and air to flow freely around the branches, and making picking easier.
First Yearly Pruning - In winter after the first full season of growth:
They can be planted in pots, cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.
Roots will grow from different places along the cutting.
Keep these new cuttings protected until the following year.
Propagation by Layering In Autumn or spring a simple way of propagating redcurrants is to take a low growing cane and bend onto the ground, cover it over with soil and weigh down to hold in place.
When roots start to grow strongly, simply cut from the main bush and replant.
They are ideal for a semi-shade position and can be grown in the dappled shade under trees.
One thing they do need is rich moist soil.
Add well rotted manure and plant at 1.
5m intervals.
Keep well watered in dry spells.
Create a ridge around the perimeter so that when you water it stays close to the plant.
Apply a mulch of well-rotted manure every spring, as well as a nitrogen and potassium fertiliser.
Use netting on the bushes to protect the fruit from birds.
'Jonkheer van Tets' is a Dutch redcurrant variety.
It is early, strong growing, with a good flavour and heavy yield.
It has been given an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.
The berries turn will turn clear red when ripe which should be in early July.
The currants are ideal for serving fresh or made into jams, jellies, pies and wine-making.
- Species: Ribes rubrum 'Jonkheer van Tets'
- Common Name: Redcurrant
- Skill level: beginner
- Type: Deciduous shrub
- Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
- Hardiness: Fully Hardy
- Soil type: Well-drained/light, Moist
- Height: 100cm
- Spread: 75cm
- Features: large, well-flavoured berries (early-July)
Prune After Planting After planting cut back to the stem any branches less than 10cm (4in) above the soil and pull off any suckers growing from beneath ground level.
Prune all other branches to between a third and a half of their original length, cutting to an outward facing bud.
Red currants should be trained with an open centre, goblet-shaped bush - allowing light and air to flow freely around the branches, and making picking easier.
First Yearly Pruning - In winter after the first full season of growth:
- Remove any shoots less than 10cm (4in) above the soil cutting back to the main stem.
- Prune all other shoots to about half their length above and outward facing bud.
- Prune to one bud all side-shoots that grew from the main framework branches in the last growing season.
- Trim off 5-10cm (2-4in) from the leader shoots of the main branches to promote healthy growth if there is there is still plenty of room for growth otherwise cut back further.
- Remove any old or diseased branches.
- Remove low growing branches as any fruit on these will be vulnerable to pests and rodents.
They can be planted in pots, cold frame or sheltered bed outdoors.
Roots will grow from different places along the cutting.
Keep these new cuttings protected until the following year.
Propagation by Layering In Autumn or spring a simple way of propagating redcurrants is to take a low growing cane and bend onto the ground, cover it over with soil and weigh down to hold in place.
When roots start to grow strongly, simply cut from the main bush and replant.
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