How to grow Redcurrant
Updated October 2026
Red currants are hardy, self-fruitful bushes that hang with glossy strings of tart red berries in early summer, ideal for jelly and jams. They love cold winters and cool summers, tolerate partial shade and fruit for 10 to 15 years or more. Before you plant, check your state's rules, as some states restrict currants and gooseberries to protect white pines.
Where to plant
Red currants grow best where winters are cold and summers cool. Unlike most fruit, they tolerate partial shade, and in warmer areas afternoon shade and a thick mulch keep the roots cool. Give them moist, rich, well-drained soil, and avoid hot, dry or windy spots.
Check the law first. Currants and gooseberries (Ribes) are an alternate host of white pine blister rust, a serious disease of white pines. Several states restrict growing some or all Ribes, or ban them in certain counties or towns; black currants are restricted most often, and red currants are less susceptible. Ask your state department of agriculture or county extension office before you buy.
- Pacific Northwest: grows well. Plant while dormant in fall or late winter.
- Northeast and Midwest: plant early in spring, as currants leaf out before most shrubs, or in fall.
- Northern Plains and Alaska: very hardy. Plant as soon as the ground thaws.
- Mid-Atlantic and Southern Plains: plant in fall or late winter and give afternoon shade and mulch; they struggle in the hotter southern parts.
- Mountain West: give afternoon shade and steady water.
- Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the Desert Southwest, the Mid-South, most of California and Hawaii: too hot or too mild in winter for currants to crop.
Choosing a variety
All currants are self-fruitful, so a single bush will crop. Buy from a reputable nursery, and confirm your state allows Ribes before ordering. White currants are a color form of red currant and are grown the same way.
How to plant
- Plant 1- or 2-year-old dormant plants in fall or early spring, setting them a little deeper than they grew in the nursery.
- Cut the tops back to 6 to 10 inches after planting to encourage strong new shoots from the base.
- Space plants 3 to 4 feet apart.
- Water in and mulch thickly to keep the roots cool and moist.
- Remove the flowers in the first year so the plant puts its energy into roots and shoots.
Watering and feeding
Currants have shallow roots, so keep the soil evenly moist, especially while fruit swells, and keep a thick layer of mulch over the root zone.
Penn State suggests about 6 to 8 ounces of a balanced fertilizer each spring, spread in a ring about 18 inches out from the base.
Pruning and care through the year
- Red currants fruit at the base of 1-year-old shoots and most heavily on spurs of 2- and 3-year-old wood. Aim for a bush with two or three stems each of one, two and three years old.
- Prune while dormant in early spring, just before growth starts. Remove all stems over three years old at the base, along with weak shoots, canes lying on the ground and stems crowding the center.
- Cut out and destroy any stems that wilt or have a hollow, tunneled center, a sign of currant borer.
Harvesting
Pick when the berries are fully colored, usually late June to July in the North. Red currants hold on the bush for a week or two after ripening. Cut or snap off whole strings (strigs) and strip the berries with a fork in the kitchen.
A mature bush, usually from the third or fourth year, yields about 5 to 7 pounds. Net the bushes if birds find them first.
Growing in pots
Red currants grow in a large pot, at least 16 inches (40 cm) wide, in a shady corner of a patio. Keep them well watered, as pots dry out fast and currants dislike hot, dry roots.
Using it
Red currants are tart, so they are seldom eaten fresh, but they make excellent jelly and jam, sauces for meat, summer puddings and cordials. They freeze well on or off the strig.
Propagation and saving seed
Currants root easily from hardwood stem cuttings, about 8 to 10 inches long, taken while the plant is dormant and set in the ground with only the top bud or two showing.
Pests and diseases
Birds are the main thieves. Currant borer, aphids and leaf diseases are the other common problems.
Pests to watch for
- Fruit tree borers Currant borer, a clearwing moth larva, tunnels in the stems; shoots wilt or break in late spring. Cut out and destroy infested canes.
- Aphids Leaves at the shoot tips pucker and blister, often red, in spring.
- Birds Berries stripped as they color; net the bushes.
Diseases to watch for
- Powdery mildew White powder on young leaves, shoots and fruit, worse in humid, still spots.
- Leaf spot Small brown spots on leaves that yellow and drop early in wet summers; rake up fallen leaves.
- Rust Orange spots under the leaves in late summer; this can be white pine blister rust, the reason some states restrict Ribes.
Common questions
Is it legal to grow currants in my state?
In most states, yes, but several restrict Ribes, the currant and gooseberry genus, because it hosts white pine blister rust. Some ban black currants only, some require permits, and some restrict certain counties or towns. Check with your state department of agriculture or county extension office before planting.
Do I need two red currant bushes?
No. Currants are self-fruitful, so one bush crops on its own, though more bushes give a bigger harvest.
How do I prune a red currant?
In early spring before growth starts, remove stems more than three years old at the base, plus weak, low or crowded shoots. Keep two or three stems each of one, two and three years old, as the best fruit grows on two- and three-year-old wood.
Can red currants grow in shade?
Yes, they tolerate partial shade better than most fruit. In warmer areas, afternoon shade actually helps them.
When are red currants ripe?
When the berries are fully colored and glossy, usually late June to July in the North. They hang on the bush for a week or two, so you can pick whole strings at once.
Can I grow currants in the South?
Generally not. Currants need cold winters and cool summers, so they fail in Florida, the Gulf South, Texas, the Desert Southwest and most of California.
Sources we checked: Penn State Extension: Home fruit plantings, gooseberries and currants; UMass Amherst: Currants and gooseberries in Massachusetts; University of Minnesota Extension: White pine blister rust; University of Wisconsin Extension: White and red currant production; Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook: Currant and gooseberry, currant borer.
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