Black currant: origin, cultivation & Co.

Currant bushes are very popular in your own garden. But what distinguishes the black currant compared to the red or white currant? And what are the fruits used for? You can find out more about this and more here.

The black currant is a very special type of currant. In this article you will find out what makes it special, how it is grown, cared for and what its tart, tart fruits can be used for.

Black currant: characteristics and origin

The black currant (Ribes nigrum), Eelberry or black currant, as it is called in Austria, grows in many domestic gardens. It originally comes from the temperate latitudes of Eurasia and was found from France to the Himalayas. Today the domesticated form is almost worldwide. The black currant belongs to the gooseberry family, i.e. the Grossulariaceae, but is completely thornless. The shrub, which is up to two meters high, has three- to five-lobed leaves about the size of a hand on its shoots. Another characteristic is its bitter, intense smell, which can already be perceived from the buds of the flowers. The marble-sized, deep black berries also have a tart, sour taste, but also pleasantly sweet when ripe.

Differences between black and red currants

Its sister, the red currant, is much more widespread than the black currant. Apart from the clear color differences, the black currants are slightly larger than the red ones. The ingredients of the two types also differ slightly, there is a clear difference in the vitamin C content. Depending on the variety, black currants can be up to five times larger than their red sisters.

But can you also eat black currants raw? The raw consumption is possible without hesitation. Because of their bitter taste, however, they are often processed further, while red currants are also very popular raw. However, through processing, more valuable ingredients can be lost in black currants than in red currants. When growing black currants, one must note that most varieties, unlike red currants, are not self-fertilizers. It is therefore advisable to have a second variety in the immediate vicinity so that cross-pollination can take place and berries produce plenty of fruit.

The best varieties of black currant

There are a variety of varieties of black currant. Here are a few of the most popular varieties:

• ‘Titania’: Robust and easy to care for, therefore suitable for almost all locations; large, deep black berries; slightly sour, typical aroma of black currant.
• ‘Ometa’: Strong and upright growth; sweet, strongly aromatic fruits.
• ‘Silvergieters’: early ripening variety with a mild, sweet aroma; low demands on soil and climate, therefore suitable for many locations.

An overview of more Currant varieties can be found in our special article.

Growing black currant: what to consider

Black currants can be grown in almost any garden. Nevertheless, it is important to pay attention to the correct location. The black currants, like their red and white sisters, as original forest dwellers, need a partially shaded location, but most varieties can also tolerate direct sun.

The right location for the black currant

The black currant is not a fan of mixed cultures, so it should be planted on its own. Only other currant varieties are accepted as neighbors, including white and red, and as a major exception that Wormwood. The cultivation of several currant varieties also has the advantage that the flowers are fertilized and there is no irrigation. Irrigation means that individual berries are rejected because they have not been fertilized. The result is a high loss of berries and a visually very patchy currant panicle.

Since the flowers are sensitive to frost, draughty locations and cold sinks should be avoided.
The soil must be rich in humus, but not very deep, since the root system of the currants has a broad growth and does not reach particularly deep. A constant water supply and an always moist soil are important because of the shallow roots. Waterlogging must be avoided as a matter of urgency. That is why humus soils are particularly suitable, but cultivation on loamy sandy soils is also successful. A cultivation on clayey, heavy soils is only possible with intensive soil improvement because of the poor drainage.

To improve the water supply, a mulch layer of bark mulch, lawn section or fresh compost can be used in the dry summer months. This prevents evaporation from the soil and protects against dehydration and leads depending on Mulch material in addition to nutrients, which means that further fertilization can be saved. If you don't have a garden, you can also grow blackcurrants in pots on the balcony or terrace. A correspondingly large bucket should be used because of the broad root system. In order to plant the shrub, a soil rich in potassium is advantageous, as the young plant is thus ideally supplied from the start. For example, ours is suitable Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil.

This is how the black currant is grown

Once you've found the right location in your garden, it's time to plant. But when is the right time for it? It is best to plant them in late autumn, where you hardly have to differentiate between the classic shrub and the tall trunk. In this way, the first roots can be formed in autumn and at the start of vegetation in spring and the plant will grow safely. If sufficient irrigation can be guaranteed, planting in early spring is also possible.

When replanting several shrubs, a planting distance of 1 to 1.5 meters should be between the plants, as the individual plants can become very spreading. If you grow the plants in different rows, they need a distance of 2.5 to 3 meters between them. The plant is inserted into a large hole that should be at least 1.5 times the size of the root ball. This can be covered about five centimeters with earth, which promotes the formation of adventitious roots, i.e. roots that are newly formed on the shoot. This ensures the formation of a dense and strong root system. Now the excavation is made with fresh, nutrient-rich soil, such as the Plantura organic tomato and vegetable soil mixed and mixed with an organic fertilizer or compost. This mixture is now filled into the planting hole and stepped on well.

Finally, the currant bush has to be watered well. For easier watering in the growing phase, a casting ring can be formed from the excess soil. This ensures that the water only seeps away in the area directly around the currant bush and thus reaches the plant.

Tip: A special feature of the tall trunks is that a permanent support post is required. About a third of this is buried in the ground. The black currant is then tied to the stem, the grafting point and the leading shoot of the crown to the support pole.

Before or after planting, a plant pruning should be carried out. For this, only the 5 to 6 strongest shoots are selected, all weaker shoots are removed at the base. The selected framework branches that are allowed to remain on the plant are now shortened to 3 to 5 buds above the ground. This guarantees strong budding after growth and ensures that the shrub is well built.

Summary: This is how black currants are planted

• Time: In late autumn, with a secure water supply also possible in spring
• Plant spacing: 1 to 1.5 meters between plants and 2.5 to 3 meters between rows
• Planting depth: Up to 5 cm above the roots
• Soil: nutrient-rich, humus, loose; heavy soils and waterlogging unsuitable
• Watering: Regularly when it is dry, use a pouring ring to help during the growth phase
• Plant pruning: Leave 5 to 6 scaffold branches and shorten to 3 to 5 eyes

Care of the black currant

In the hot summer months, it is very important to water the shrubs regularly, as they are very sensitive to drought and otherwise there may be crop losses.

Fertilize black currant

In addition to sufficient water, the plants need new nutrients at their location after two years at the latest in order not to use up the reserves of the soil. Organic long-term fertilization is best. Since the black currant begins its vegetative growth very early in the year, it is important to fertilize even earlier, ideally at the beginning of February. For this, we recommend using a primarily organic fertilizer, such as this Plantura organic universal fertilizer, as this supplies the currant bushes with nutrients and, in particular, covers the high potassium requirement. Will the Currant properly fertilizedso the harvest of the following year is as good as assured.

Cut black currant

Apart from regular fertilization, the annual pruning of black currants is also crucial. It is best to do this immediately after harvesting so that the plant can put its energy into the other shoots and start the new year stronger. The aim of the pruning is a light shrub where the sun can reach all places. For this, the sick and weak branches, as well as particularly annoying and cross-growing branches are cut out. Side shoots lying very flat on the ground or very thin should be completely removed. Another peculiarity of the black currant compared to red and white currants is that all shoots those older than four years are completely removed near the ground, because the older shoots only bear a few berries. The young shoots have a light, smooth surface and thus differ significantly from the darker, rough old shoots. Cutting out the old shoots is therefore easy for every gardener.

Diseases and pests

Black currants are very robust and rarely suffer from diseases. A typical blackcurrant disease, however, is leaf fall disease - a fungal disease in which the leaves are shed prematurely. To contain it, infected leaves should be removed and disposed of in late winter at the latest so that the fungus cannot spread again. Red pustular disease, the death of affected branches with the formation of orange-red pustules on dead branches, can also occur. On the other hand, a generous pruning of the infected parts of the plant and disposal of the sections usually helps. Black currants are significantly more susceptible to nettle leaves, a viral infection, than other varieties. Vigorous pruning of the infected parts of the plant can also help here. Action should also be taken against the nettle gall mite as it transmits the infection. In addition to diseases, pests can also develop. With black currants are especially Aphids,Scale insects,Spider mites, Gall mites and glass winged pests are known as pests. Various home remedies can help here. A nettle broth or a 3% soft soap-water mixture, which is sprayed onto the pests with a spray bottle, have proven to be particularly effective.

Tip: Irrigation is often wrongly interpreted as a disease. Incompletely draped fruit heads are caused not only by frost, but also by a lack of pollinators. One remedy is Bee pasture near the bushes, what additionally still the Bees supported in the garden. So you have fewer problems with poorly bearing currants.

Propagating black currant: this is how it works

The simplest variant for propagating black currants is vegetative propagation using cuttings. This creates clones of the mother plant, which is particularly recommended if you are satisfied with your own variety in terms of taste and yield. To propagate cuttings, choose a strong, healthy shoot of your currant plant that is no older than two years in spring. Cut this off with clean, sharp secateurs. From this shoot you cut one or more cuttings about 20 cm long, each with 2 to 3 eyes. These should be beveled at the top in order to avoid water build-up when it rains and the fungal infection that is often associated with it. The cuttings can then be inserted so deep into the potting soil that at least two of the eyes still protrude. Regular watering and patience are then important, then nothing stands in the way of the new currant bush. Tips from the professional and how to Propagate currants in different ways we have put together for you in an article.

Harvest and use

The ripe fruits can be harvested from mid to late July until late August. Thus, they are ripe a little later than the berries of the red currant. There are many possible uses for blackcurrants: The berries can be eaten raw, in a fresh fruit salad or just as a snack. But only fully ripe berries should be harvested for this. Unprocessed, the berries contain many vitamins, especially vitamin C, but also healthy tannins and minerals. The berries can also be frozen without any problems and saved for later use. Black currants are often processed into jelly or jam, they can be baked into cakes or made into liqueur. The berries also taste great in smoothies or add a sweet note to a hearty sauce. Have you already seen the more unconventional use of the leaves as soup greens? These are particularly healthy because of the flavonoids, essential oils and anthocyanins they contain.

At first glance it is not immediately recognizable, but it is another species of the genus Ribes is the gooseberry. Here you can find everything you need to know about growing and maintaining the Gooseberry plant, as well as their reproduction and utilization.