{"id":7105,"date":"2026-05-04T19:38:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T02:38:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/how-to-plant-and-grow-black-currants\/"},"modified":"2026-05-04T19:38:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T02:38:11","slug":"how-to-plant-and-grow-black-currants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/04\/how-to-plant-and-grow-black-currants\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plant and Grow Black Currants"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Backfill around the roots with the removed soil and water well to settle the soil and rehydrate the roots. If the soil settles, add a bit more.<\/p>\n

Pests and Disease<\/h2>\n

Black currants tend to be a bit more troubled by pests and diseases than red species.<\/p>\n

That doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re particularly hard to grow, and you can even pick up cultivars that are bred with some pest resistance. The biggest issue I have is birds.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about those, first.<\/p>\n

Herbivores<\/h3>\n

Deer, rabbits<\/a><\/strong>, and the like don\u2019t seem too interested in browsing black currant plants.<\/p>\n

Deer will give them a nibble<\/a><\/strong> if there\u2019s nothing more interesting around, but it doesn\u2019t seem to be a top choice.<\/p>\n

But birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and even racoons will devour all the fruit if you give them the chance.<\/p>\n

Netting is basically your best solution, but I just take a generous approach and plant an extra bush to make sure I get plenty of fruit and still have enough to share with wildlife.<\/p>\n

Insects<\/h3>\n

Occasionally, like many plants in the garden, currants can be impacted by aphids<\/a><\/strong> or scale insects<\/a><\/strong>. But there are two specific pests that attack Ribes<\/em> species.<\/p>\n

Gall Mites<\/h4>\n

In Europe, growers may have to deal with gall mites, also known as blackcurrant gall mites (Cecidophyopsis ribis<\/em>).<\/p>\n

They\u2019re rarely a problem outside Europe, though the mites were recently discovered in Oregon, the first instance of the pest in North America.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

These microscopic pests, known as eriophyid mites, build up numbers during the winter, when you\u2019ll see swollen buds on your plant.<\/p>\n

When the larvae emerge from the galls, they start feeding on the plant, transmitting a virus that causes the leaves to grow misshapen and distorted.<\/p>\n

Your poor currant will have reduced vigor and fruit production.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t any effective treatment, so most gardeners choose to let their plants carry on until production is so compromised that they\u2019re not worth keeping.<\/p>\n

At that point, you can dig the plant up and put a new one in its place.<\/p>\n

Sawfly<\/h4>\n

Sawflies (Nematus ribesii<\/em>) are only a problem when the larvae are present.<\/p>\n

The adults just look like generic wasps but the green and black caterpillar-like crawlers can be extremely damaging.<\/p>\n

The larvae feed on the leaves and shoots and can strip an entire shrub in just one season.<\/p>\n

If you see the larvae, pupal cases, or ragged holes in the leaves and young shoots, act fast.<\/p>\n

You can simply don some gloves and pluck the critters or the cases off and dispose of them.<\/p>\n

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\"A\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Captain Jack\u2019s Deadbug Brew<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you need to protect vulnerable plants or you can\u2019t stand the larvae, you can spray with a spinosad insecticide like Captain Jack\u2019s Deadbug Brew, which is available at Arbico Organics<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Be careful to apply in the early morning or early evening when bees and other beneficial insects<\/a><\/strong> aren\u2019t active in the garden, because you will kill them as well as the sawflies.<\/p>\n

Disease<\/h3>\n

Black currants may experience leaf spot (Drepanopeziza ribis<\/em>), but most modern cultivars have been bred to be resistant.<\/p>\n

More likely, you\u2019ll come across the following:<\/p>\n

Powdery Mildew<\/h4>\n

American gooseberry mildew, which is caused by fungi in the Podosphaera<\/em> genus, and powdery mildew, caused by fungus in the Erysiphaceae family, can cause a white coating to form on leaves and stems.<\/p>\n

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\"A\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

If you\u2019re really observant, you\u2019ll first see black chasmothecia<\/em> (a fancy name for fungal overwintering structures) on the canes during the dormant months.<\/p>\n

Around the time the plants start blooming, these structures will release sexually reproductive spores called acospores, which land on the developing leaves and flowers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These develop into conidia, which is the asexual stage of fungal spore development. This is when you\u2019ll start seeing a white powder develop on the tops of the leaves.<\/p>\n

Regardless of which stage you catch the disease at, spray with copper fungicide to kill the fungal spores.<\/p>\n

Learn more about powdery mildew here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

White Pine Blister<\/h4>\n

As mentioned, currants are banned in some regions because they are a host for white pine blister (Cronartium ribicola<\/em>), which can kill white pines.<\/p>\n

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\"A\"A<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

As mentioned, currants are banned in some regions because they are a host white pine blister (Cronartium ribicola<\/em>), a disease that requires both a currant (or gooseberry) and a white pine to complete its reproductive cycle.<\/p>\n

Remove one host and the disease can\u2019t survive.<\/p>\n

On currants, the disease causes yellow and brown spots on the upper leaf surface and rusty-orange fungal growth on the undersides of the foliage.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t kill your plants, but it\u2019s unsightly and can reduce vigor. White pines aren\u2019t so lucky as\u00a0infection is fatal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n