Talkback: How to plant a blackcurrant bush

Jack Taylor

I have a new border 20in wide by 35ft long running along a 6ft high fence at the edge of my lawn. I plan to plant Blackcurrants, Raspberries, Blackberries and Blueberries in this bed. Can you tell me how far apart I should plant them and any other advice that you think might help me. This is the first time I will have planted fruit bushes directly in the ground. Jack

karen Richards

Hi there

We planted a blackcurrant bush and a loganbery bush a few months ago and nothing seems to be happening with either. We water and feed the bushes often, but still nothing. Any ideas what we may be doing wrong

Thanks
Karen

GEOFFREY RODLEY

Hi there ,
Is it safe to plant out a blackcurrant bush outside at the moment . My garden is just west of LEEDS in Yorkshire .

Emma Crawforth

Hello Geoffrey,

Blackcurrants can be planted throughout winter, however, don't plant if the ground is frozen or waterlogged. If you have bought bare-rooted plants and your ground is too wet or frozen, then keep them temporarily in a bucket of moist compost so the roots don't dry out, but get them in the ground as soon as you can.

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

Felicity Rowe

On the contrary to what you write, I've had to plant my black currants in the shadiest part of our smallholding - we live near the West coast of Sardinia and the sun is too strong elsewhere. My first plant has developed well - after pruning it I've taken about twelve cuttings. After how long is it safe to plant them out? Felicity Rowe, Cabras, Sardinia

Benni

Can you tell me how far apart I should plant new blackcurrants bushes? I have just bought 2x blackcurrants and 2x redcurrants and my bed is 10ft wide x 4ft long. I am thinking of planting them in a "W" shape

Elizabeth Laing

I have a blackcurrent bush which appears to have fruit then it goes brown. What can I do? It shares a bed with raspberry canes.

Liriodendron

Benni, how far apart you plant your blackcurrant bushes depends on the variety.  The upright-growing ones should be about 4ft apart, spreading ones 6ft, otherwise you won't be able to get between them to harvest the fruit.

Elizabeth, does your blackcurrant bush look generally healthy?  I wonder whether it went short of water when the fruit was swelling, possibly because of competition with the raspberries.  You could try mulching it (when the soil is thoroughly moist) with organic matter, and giving it plenty of water next spring/summer.

Elizabeth Laing

Thanks, maybe I should transplant my blackcurrant bush elsewhere and cut it down while it is dormant?

 

Liriodendron

You could try that, Elizabeth.  If you cut it back, you could stick some of the "cuttings" in a spare bit of soil - they root very easily, so if your large blackcurrant bush objected to the move you'd have another to replace it.