Zwarte bes

Ribes nigrum

Engels: Black currant

shrubGrossulariaceaeEetbaar

Zwarte bes (Ribes nigrum) is a edible shrub from the Grossulariaceae family that grows up to 150cm tall. This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and requires moderate maintenance. Blooms in spring with white flowers and attracts bees and birds.

Hoogte

100–150 cm

Breedte

100–150 cm

Zonligging

full sun, partial shade

Waterbehoefte

moderate

Grondsoort

loam, clay soil

Onderhoud

moderate maintenance

Bloeitijd

spring

Bloemkleuren

white

Ecologische waarde

Trekt bijen aan

Trekt vogels aan

Verzorgingskalender

Taak	Jan	Feb	Mrt	Apr	Mei	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Okt	Nov	Dec
🌱Planten
✂️Snoeien
💧Bemesten

Care tips

Planting

Black currants thrive in full sun or partial shade, though you'll get heavier crops in a sunnier spot. They prefer moisture-retentive loam or clay soil with plenty of organic matter worked in. Choose a sheltered position if possible, as strong winds can damage the flowers and reduce fruit set. Plant bare-root bushes between March and May, though earlier in that window is better if the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged. Container-grown plants can go in any time during the planting window, but avoid very dry spells. Before planting, dig a hole roughly twice the width of the root ball and fork over the base. Mix a generous amount of well-rotted compost or manure into the soil you've removed. Set the plant about 5 cm deeper than it was growing in the nursery or pot—you should be able to see the old soil mark on the stem. This deeper planting encourages new shoots to emerge from below ground, which is exactly what you want for a productive, long-lived bush. Space plants 120 cm apart if you're planting more than one; this gives them room to spread without crowding. Backfill with the improved soil, firm gently with your heel, and water thoroughly even if the soil is already damp. Apply a 5–7 cm layer of well-rotted compost, leaf mould, or bark mulch around the base, keeping it a few centimetres clear of the stems. Immediately after planting, cut all shoots back to one or two buds above ground level—this looks drastic but establishes a strong framework and encourages vigorous new growth in the first season.

Pruning

Prune black currants in November or December, once the leaves have fallen and the bush is fully dormant. The fruit is borne on wood produced the previous summer, so your aim is to encourage a constant supply of young, vigorous stems while removing older, less productive wood. In the first winter after planting, you'll already have cut the bush hard back at planting time, so there's little to do. From the second winter onwards, remove about a third of the oldest stems each year, cutting them right down to ground level or to a strong low side-shoot. Look for dark, thick stems with few side branches and peeling bark—these are past their best. Use sharp bypass secateurs or a pruning saw for thicker stems. Also take out any weak, spindly growth, stems that are damaged or diseased, and any branches lying close to the ground or crossing through the centre of the bush. The goal is an open, goblet shape with eight to twelve strong stems of varying ages, allowing light and air into the centre. Black currants don't need summer pruning. If a stem breaks under the weight of fruit or after a storm, cut it back cleanly to a bud or to the base as soon as you notice. Don't be tempted to tip-prune the ends of shoots in winter—you'll remove the fruiting buds. If your bush becomes very congested or neglected, you can rejuvenate it by cutting the entire plant down to 5 cm above ground in winter; you'll lose one season's crop but the bush will regrow strongly.

Maintenance

Black currants need consistent moisture, especially from flowering through to fruit ripening in early summer. Water deeply once or twice a week during dry spells in spring and summer, soaking the root zone rather than sprinkling the leaves. Reduce watering in autumn and winter unless conditions are exceptionally dry. Mulch annually in early spring with a 5 cm layer of well-rotted compost or manure to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Feed in March or April with a general-purpose granular fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone, scattering a generous handful around the base of each bush and lightly forking it into the soil surface. Black currants are hungry plants, particularly for potassium, which promotes flowering and fruiting. A supplementary feed of sulphate of potash in late winter can improve cropping, especially on lighter soils. Black currants are fully hardy and need no winter protection in temperate Europe. They flower early in spring, so late frosts can damage blossom; if frost is forecast when your bush is in flower, drape horticultural fleece over it overnight. Watch for big bud mite, which causes swollen, rounded buds in winter—pick these off and bin them. Aphids can cluster on shoot tips in late spring; squash them by hand or tolerate low numbers, as natural predators usually catch up. Powdery mildew sometimes appears as white patches on leaves in dry summers; improve air circulation through pruning and ensure the roots don't dry out. Leaf spot diseases occasionally cause early leaf drop but rarely harm the plant seriously. Net ripening fruit against birds from late June onwards.