Pot size: 45-50cm wide Recommended varieties: ‘Ben Sarek’, ‘Ben Connan’ Container gardening means growing fruits and vegetables in containers instead of in the ground. It is best to plant the blackcurrant 2.5cm deeper than they were in the nursery. The bush produces bunches of of tart dark purple to black berries that are good for using in pies, jams, jellies and cordials or frozen for later use. You should then be able to cultivate the same bush in a container … Blackcurrant Growing Guide Crop Rotation Group. Frost tolerant. Growing Blackcurrants in Containers Container for blackcurrants should be at least be 2 â 2.5 feet (60 - 75cm) wide and 20 - 24 inches (50 â 60 cm) deep. Growing Blackcurrants in Containers. It is best to use containers that hold around 120g (4 ounces) to not more than 500g (around one pound). Do not remove the basal buds– that is the buds that would be below the soil after the insertion of the cutting. Plant bare-root blackcurrants in late autumn; containerised plants can be planted at any time of year as long as the soil is not too wet. Strawberries make ideal container fruits given their compact and quick-growing habit, although they are equally at home within a dedicated bed. Annually top dress with fresh compost and a general purpose feed such as Growmore. Prune once a year in the autumn and apply a thick mulch of well-rotted compost (this is especially important with blackcurrants as they require more nutrients) - you can also feed with a general fertiliser in the spring When the fruit starts to change colour, protect from birds by covering in netting Can you grow blackcurrants in a container pot? According to the NGA report, 46% of food gardens include containers, and many do so successfully. Be careful with hoeing, especially near near the base of the bush which might cut through new shoots. Our two year old bushes may not fruit the first year but will provide currants for a good 10 years after that. It should be staked wherever it is grown because the head can get top heavy. We would recommend a planter with a diameter of 50cm and pot up using a rich loam based compost such as John Innis No.3. After planting, prune the bush right back. Blackcurrants thrive in deep soil, so dig a generous planting hole and add plenty of well-rotted compost or manure and fertiliser to the soil. Strawberries are made to grow in pots and containers on your patio or deck. This pruning should be done any time after the crop has been gathered, and the earlier the better. Repot when the plant is dormant in late winter. Look for the Big Ben variety which is resistant to this particular mite. If you are growing an older varietiy, the berries ripen individually and will need to be picked individually. Growing blackcurrants: Blackcurrants can be grown in containers or in a garden bed. Keep a close eye on the soil moisture content. In summer the same bushes may be pruned by just pinching out the tops of the leading growths and reducing side shoots so that five or six leaves remain on each. Position. Also, smaller containers are easily moved around the garden, while larger containers must be positioned on the wheeled platform/stand. Plat bare-rooted gooseberries between late autumn and early spring. The soil ideally should be half multi-purpose compost and half John Innes 3 but if the the pot is heavy all multi-purpose will be fine. They are more tolerant of heavy soils than other types of currant and even one bush can give a good yield. Spacing. The report found a 28% increase in urban gardens during the course of their five-year study, and most of these were container gardens. Shake off some of the compost from the roots – you can be quite robust in this – cut all of the growth back to near the base and allow the bush to start again and rejuvenate, repotting it in the same container with fresh compost. Blackcurrants will grow well in containers providing they are large enough. This used to be a very specialised method of cultivation that you would see very seldom but it seems to be accelerating in popularity because it is seen as a space saving option by way of elevating the bush onto a standard stem that can be planted beneath with strawberries or herby. The added benefit of growing blackcurrants in containers is that they can be moved into a shed or outbuilding if there is a late frost because, whilst blackcurrant bushes are winter hardy, cold weather at flowering time during the spring reduces the size of the crop. Growing Blackcurrants in a Polytunnel. Beginner’s Guide To Weight Loss With Yoga, Bee Pollen for a Healthy and Natural Boost to Your Day, Crohn’s and Colitis Research Awarded $1.2 Million in Grants, Time Out Massage Therapy & Healing Body Work, Aisha Bonnie Sawchuk – Calm Heart Acupuncture. March, Trim back some of the roots and tease away the old soil replacing it with fresh John Innes No 3 compost. Apr 28, 2019. The side growths are shortened to within two or three buds of their bases.This is called winter pruning, which is generally carried out in January. Re-pot container-grown blackcurrants every two or three years. Make sure that you select young, healthy plants with well-ripened wood, making each cutting about fourteen inches in length. Rich soil with compost dug in. Yes. Blackcurrants like rich compost, so it is best to use multipurpose compost, mixed with slow release fertilizer and water retaining crystals. Repot your container-grown blackcurrant bush in a slightly larger pot every two or three years. Growing raspberries in containers. Red and white currants yield 4-5 kg. Marigold. More compact cultivars such as ‘Ben Sarek’ and ‘Ben Gairn’ are better suited for containers. Re-pot container-grown blackcurrants every two or three years. If growing in a container choose a large tub or barrel. Although young blackcurrant bushes are easily available it is effortless to grow blackcurrant bushes from simple 8″ cuttings (twigs of blackcurrant bushes). Pot back into the same container or one slightly larger. Most plants are sold in containers so may be planted any time the weather is right. Blackcurrant Plant Care. Blueberries are ideal for containers - they need an acid soil and you can provide for this more easily if you grow them in a pot rather than in the open ground. Feeding. Yes but cover if a severe frost is forecast. How to Grow Blackcurrants at Home. Growing black currant in Containers Black currents can be planted in the container, for this, choose a large container of 45 to 50 centimeters in diameter. Growing blueberries in pots. One bush is estimated to provide around 4.5kg of fruit. If you are just stating out with Blackcurrants, there a few things you must do to get good returns; Select a site partly shielded from the north and easterly winds. Be careful with hoeing, especially near near the base of the bush which might cut through new shoots. Be the first to get latest updates and exclusive content straight to your email inbox. Summer pruning not only induces the basal buds on the pruned shoots to develop, but also helps the crop to mature quickly by allowing more light and air. The bushes will produce best in full sun but will tolerate dappled or partial shade. Before planting, check that there is a drainage hole on the surface. Receive emails from us & get 15% off your order, © 2021 Sarah Raven. See Sarah's recipes for blackcurrant mousse ice cream or a delicious blackcurrant and almond cake. All rights reserved. It’s great to eat even on its own. Fresh blackberries kept in a cool, dark place can hold up to 4 days. Pot back into the same container or one slightly larger. Plant blackcurrants 1.5-1.8 m apart, red and white 1.5 m apart (if growing as cordons, space 40 cm apart). Mature bushes oc… Trim back some of the roots and tease away the old soil replacing it with fresh John Innes No 3 compost. This would be done with the Ben series of cultivars. Growing Strawberries In Containers Is Easy! Give the plant plenty of space to grow by allowing at least six feet between each bush. Pick a container that is 2-2.5 feet wide and 24 inches deep. The first year after insertion,  the plant cuttings should be encouraged to throw out side branches by pinching out their top. Container for blackcurrants should be at least be 2 – 2.5 feet (60 - 75cm) wide and 20 - 24 inches (50 – 60 cm) deep. Blackcurrant Ben Sarek is well suited to growing in containers . Currants thrive in full sunshine but also do well in slightly shaded sites. Bushes don’t like standing water. Photography: © Jonathan Buckley. May need potash (potassium) adding, particularly if the leaves start to brown at the edges. Black Currants fruit on the young wood, which means that as much of the old wood that can be spared must be annually cut out. Avoid pockets and hollows subject to late spring frosts, which damage the flowers of red and white currants. A compact, fully grown bush will need an area of about 1.5 m in diameter. Don’t forget crocks in the bottom of the planter for drainage and it would also be a good idea to add some extra grit to the compost. When you discover how to grow blackcurrants, you will happily benefit from its wonderful fruit with its anti-oxidant capabilities. Mulch around the plant in late winter using well-rotted manure to suppress weeds. In small gardens, blackcurrants can be grown in containers. Black Currants are easily increased by taking cuttings during October/November/December. Plant them and care for them as … While they can survive and thrive outside in much of the UK, growing currants such as these in a polytunnel can help to protect them from the vicissitudes of the UK weather. At this point I would probably recommend re-potting and this should take place in the Winter time. Container cultivation Blackcurrants generally do not perform well in containers long term due to the growing habit and size of the plants. Big bud is a mite that infests the buds of black currants. Normally you buy a plant in winter to plant between November and March, but a container bought specimen can be planted at any time. Growing Gooseberries in Containers. Yes, you can successfully grow blackcurrants in containers. Can you grow blackcurrants in a container pot? Registered in England & Wales #06694059. Blackcurrants in containers ought to produce well for four to five years in a good big pot. Blackcurrants are attractive plants and the flowers are useful to bees. Choose a pot with a diameter of 50cm or more and fill the bottom with stones or broken pots to allow drainage. Place them in the ground a little deeper than they were in the container, using the soil mark on the stem as a guide. pH of 6 to 6.5 preferred. Vegetables and Fruit, How many to grow:A mature blackcurrant will yield 5-7 kg of fruit. G… Make sure the container has plenty of drainage holes at the bottom of the container. If you grow blackberries in home garden, wait till they are fully ripped and consume them right after picking – within minutes! This will aid new shoots formation. Expect at least 75% of these cuttings to take . This is important to make sure that Black Current plant is bushy in growth. Blackcurrant bushes grow very well in containers although their need for a constant supply of water may prove a problem for some. Cover the drainage hole with a broken clay pot or concrete. To encourage plants to develop shoots from the base, plant them deep, about 6cm below the soil mark of the original container. There can be no question that if this system of pruning is more generally adopted, we should hear less about the pest know as “big bud. This Raspberry 'Yummy' thrives in containers and fruits from June for summer dishes. Dig manture in deep, as this crop is a heavy feeder and needs lots of rich, heavy soil. Blackcurrants can be grown in either containers or in the soil in your polytunnel. Hanging baskets, terracotta pots and special strawberry planters are just some of the containers to grow them in, though for bucolic effect I prefer old wooden wine or vegetable crates. Companions. … View our cookie policy to learn more, Posted in Such a feature is similar in stature to a standard rose and is an attractive formal feature that can either be grown in the open ground, or in a large container. Plant bare-root blackcurrant bushes in autumn and pot grown plants at any time of the year. The nice thing about growing black currants in containers is that you can plant them any time of the year. Natural Health News, Products, & Information. Water blackcurrants during dry periods in the growing season. A well grown Black Currant bush has plenty of basal growth. However, underperforming containerised plants can recover if planted out into open ground. You will need some space if planting more than one bush. Position compact varieties slightly closer. All Gardening Advice, The reason is that the young branches that are left make quick progress once the rooting system is relieved of the burden of supporting old and useless wood. Miscellaneous Soil. Harvest black currants by gathering bunches of berries (known as strigs)  as they turn black. Black currants are a good crop to grow as they produce lots of berries high in Vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Smaller containers can be used too, just one would have to water more often and would have to limit the size of the plants. Pick your berries when it’s dry – wet currants will go mouldy, For jelly, pick them when they are slightly unripe as there is more pectin in the fruit and the jelly should set much better. Repot container-grown blackcurrants every two or three years in late winter. Select good quality, 2 or 3 year old bushes and space each bush 4-5 feet apart. No need for a garden! Currants grow in any moist, well manured soil that isn’t waterlogged. These cuttings should be inserted firmly to a depth of four inches in sandy soil. If these are allowed to remain at full length, they will replace branches that are destroyed by pruning. eCommerce by blubolt, Perennials for Spring and Summer Planting, Plant in an open sunny site with plenty of organic matter in the soil, but they will still produce a good yield in a less than perfect position, Keep them well watered during their first few months and again during the growing season, Prune once a year in the autumn and apply a thick mulch of well-rotted compost (this is especially important with blackcurrants as they require more nutrients) - you can also feed with a general fertiliser in the spring, When the fruit starts to change colour, protect from birds by covering in netting, Harvest by taking off each bunch of berries with a strong pair of scissors. Use the berries fresh a few days after harvesting or freeze them for later use in pies, jams, jellies and cordials. Mulch around the plant in late winter using well-rotted manure to suppress weeds. We use cookies to personalise content, analyse website performance and for advertising purposes. You can select a smaller container, but that will increase how often you need to water the bushes. A mature bush should yield 6 kilo of berries. Grow blackcurrants as stooled, or multi-stemmed, bushes. The plants are quite easy to grow without many pests, however they will need netting against birds. Containers. You can plant gooseberries in containers, but it can be a bit of a challenge to make sure they aren’t waterlogged or faced with dry soil. Liquid feed in the summer months. These can be grown in large containers (minimum diameter 50cm) in John Innes no 3 or multipurpose compost with added grit and plenty of drainage material in the base. Planting Gooseberries: Before planting, mulch the area with organic matter such as garden compost or bark chips. Mix a several handfuls of grit into the compost and place in full sun. 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Important to make sure the container blackberries in home garden, wait till they are equally at home a... Bottom of the roots, take away the old soil and replace it fresh. Personalise content, analyse website performance and for advertising purposes will provide currants for a supply. Well-Ripened wood, making each cutting about fourteen inches in length pests, however they need. Moved around the garden, wait till they are large enough planting Gooseberries: before planting, mulch the with!, on 1st March 2020 to eat even on its own blackcurrants, you will need to be picked.. Equally at home within a dedicated bed ( twigs of blackcurrant bushes grow very well in slightly shaded.... Any time of the plants plant cuttings should be inserted firmly to a depth of four inches in soil... Periods in the nursery even on its own because the head can get top..