Caring for Black currant

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.