Fertilize currants: Instructions & best fertilizer

If you expect a rich harvest, you should fertilize your currants sufficiently at the right time. We will tell you what is important when fertilizing.

Even if you get the impression that currants (Ribes) produce their delicious fruits every year anyway, that's not entirely true. Both redcurrants (Ribes rubrum) as well as black currants (Ribes nigrum) must permanently form new shoots. For this and also for the development of their fruits, they need nutrients from the soil. On a nutrient-rich soil, which during planting may also contain compost improved, the berries may go a few years without fertilizer. But at some point even this soil is exhausted. Shoot growth slows down, the shoots become weaker, yield and fruit quality continue to decline. So that it doesn't come to that, we'll tell you what to consider when fertilizing.

When should you fertilize currants? Which fertilizers are suitable and what is the best way to fertilize? We have summarized the answers for you in this article.

Fertilize currants: the best time

The vegetative growth, i.e. the growth of the shoots, starts early in spring with currants. The plants already need nitrogen for this. Since organic fertilizer usually takes a while before the nutrients are available to the plants, currants are fertilized very early. Preferably in early February. If you only fertilize with compost, we recommend a dose in late autumn. In this way, the organic material can already decompose a little and the currants can feed directly on new nutrient stores with the early budding. In early spring, add one or two more composts. This is not absolutely necessary for fertilizers with a higher nutrient density such as stable manure or organic commercial fertilizers. They are applied once in spring (March). It is best to use organic long-term fertilizers such as our Plantura Organic universal fertilizer. This is particularly gentle on plants, soil and animals in your garden. A second, smaller amount of fertilizer can also be given at the end of April to support flowering and fruit formation.

Summary: when to fertilize currants?

• compost in late autumn early spring
• Basic fertilization in spring (March) with organic long-term fertilizer
• Second application of fertilizer for flowering and fruit formation (end of April)

Tip from the pro: Farmyard manure should be well rotted for a few weeks, or even better, months, so that it is suitable for fertilization. You can tell if the manure has rotted well by the smell. Rottemung no longer smells of its ingredients.

Currants and their nutritional needs

Currants need a lot of nitrogen for the constant renewal of their shoots. They also have an increased need for potassium. A potassium deficiency shows up in currants on the brown leaf edges, which curl upwards. Currants also want to be supplied with magnesium. However, these are very small amounts that are found in organic fertilizers such as ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer are usually included anyway.

Suitable fertilizers for currants

As long as you fertilize early enough in the spring, organic fertilizers work best for currants. They work for a long time and therefore provide the currants with good nutrients all the time. However, not all organic fertilizers are suitable for currants.

Fertilize currants organically

Nitrogen-based horn meal and horn shavings products contain too little potassium and magnesium and therefore do not provide currants with sufficient nutrients. In the case of rotting manure or compost, it is difficult to make precise recommendations for fertilizer quantities, since the nutrients vary greatly depending on the content of the compost, the composting process and the straw content in the manure. Basically, however, currants are very thankful for plenty of nutrients. It goes without saying that the amount of fertilizer must be adjusted to the size of the plant.

Mulching with lawn or clover clippings also ensures that currants are supplied with small amounts of nutrients on an ongoing basis. We especially recommend this for currants because it keeps the soil nice and moist - just like the berries like it. Mulch also prevents grass or weeds from growing under the currants, which would rob the plants of nutrients. Nevertheless, you should apply an organic long-term fertilizer once a year in addition to the grass mulch. Depending on how much has been mulched, you then hold back a bit with the application quantity.

Both from a scientific and especially from a sustainable point of view, there are many reasons for using an organic slow-release fertilizer in the garden. These also have many advantages when fertilizing currants, such as:

• Ongoing decomposition by microorganisms and thus long-term supply of nutrients to the currant
• Active, healthy soil life is promoted (good for microorganisms, earthworms, etc.)
• Particularly gentle on people, pets and garden animals as there are no chemicals

Our Plantura Organic universal fertilizer consists to a large extent of organic, plant-based raw materials and is therefore ideal for fertilizing your currants. A high proportion of nitrogen promotes plant growth and leaf formation. Sufficient phosphorus and potassium continue to ensure rich flowering and lots of fruit. In addition, the production of the fertilizer from residues from the food, feed and semi-luxury food industry is particularly sustainable and resource-saving.

Fertilize currants correctly: instructions for ideal application

If your currants are not fertilized enough, this will of course have a negative effect on the yield. However, over-fertilization or imbalanced fertilization are also not desirable as they increase susceptibility to plant diseases. So that you can supply your currants with the optimal amount of nutrients, we have prepared detailed fertilizer instructions for you below.

Organic long-term fertilization: instructions and dosage amounts for currants

1. Before planting: work 80 - 160 g/m² (6 to 13 heaped tablespoons) of our Plantura organic universal fertilizer into the upper soil layers
2. Water the bush used well so that the granules can dissolve
3. Fertilize 90 - 140 g per plant (7 to 11 heaped tablespoons) every spring (March).
4. A small dose of fertilizer for flowering and fruit formation (end of April) provides your plant with optimal care

Fertilize currants with minerals

blue grain, liquid fertilizer and Co. are often used in the garden, since the nutrients they contain can be directly absorbed by the plant from the soil solution in their pure form. Although this ensures a rapid nutrient boost, at the same time the easy solubility of the nutrient salts also increases the risk of leaching into the soil. In the worst case, this can lead to contamination of the groundwater. Organic Fertilizers In contrast, they act more slowly, but promote soil life through the ongoing decomposition by microorganisms and ensure a sustainably improved soil structure. In addition, with organic fertilizers there is hardly any risk of over-fertilization, since the nutrients are not as concentrated as in mineral fertilizers present.

Regular pruning measures are also important for a rich currant harvest. A guide and pro tips for Cut currants see this article.