Grow Your Own Magazine

Any suggestions for growing blackcurrants in a container? I just picked up two in Poundland today. I read a bit about them online.. about moist but well draining soil, planting them up two inches deeper than the soil mark, cutting them down to a few inches above the soil, etc. They've started some green leaves (due to being in the warm shop I expect) so I know they're alive.

Will I get some fruit next year? What is the ideal pot size?

I think you'd need a very large container as blackcurrants do grow rather big. Alan Titchmarsh says to plant in rich fertile soil that stays moist as they thrive in difficult boggy spots. Could you try planting in a half barrel? The greater capacity might stop the soil from drying out too quickly. Good luck.

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Julie

Go to the Library and look for the RHS fruit book (it is out of print). If I remember correctly the initial container should not be that big and then you re pot it as it grows.

i have black currants in containers, the containers need to a minimum of 3 ft sq wide and 3-4 ft deep. black currents fruit on 1 year old wood so any wood that seems green just prune the very end then leave any wood that is brown or older needs cutting back to floor level. they need planting right upto where the branches grow out of the main stem dont leave the main stem (leg) uncovered only red and white current need the leg showing. feed twice in autumn and prune and feed twice in winter liquied grow more is fine once a fortnight in spring and until after fruiting then after fruiting feed last time till autumn. the compost will need changing every 2-3 years john innes no 3 is a good one for currents. i have 8 current bushes but im now moving mine to the lottie now ive got one, ps white currents taste the best.

You may possibly get some fruit from a container grown blackcurrant but it's unlikely the plant will thrive if root growth is restricted in any way.

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