Rode bes

Ribes rubrum

Engels: Red Currant

fruitGrossulariaceae🇳🇱 InheemsEetbaar

Rode bes (Ribes rubrum) is a native to the Netherlands, edible fruit plant 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 yellow flowers and attracts bees and birds.

Hoogte

100–150 cm

Breedte

80–120 cm

Zonligging

full sun, partial shade

Waterbehoefte

moderate

Grondsoort

loam, clay soil

Onderhoud

moderate maintenance

Bloeitijd

spring

Bloemkleuren

yellow

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
🍎Oogsten

Care tips

Planting

Red currants thrive in full sun or partial shade, though a sunnier position will give you sweeter, more abundant fruit. They tolerate a wide range of soils but perform best in moisture-retentive loam or clay that doesn't dry out in summer. Avoid very light, sandy soils unless you're prepared to water and mulch regularly. Plant bare-root red currants between October and November or in March, when the soil is workable and not frozen or waterlogged. Container-grown plants can go in at any time during the dormant season, but autumn planting gives roots time to establish before spring growth begins. Space bushes 120 cm apart to allow good air circulation and room for picking. Dig a hole roughly twice the width of the root ball and deep enough so the old soil mark on the stem sits level with the surrounding ground. Red currants are usually grown as open-centred bushes on a short leg (a clear stem of about 10–15 cm), so don't plant any deeper than the nursery level or you'll encourage suckers from below the graft or leg. Fork over the base of the hole and mix in a bucketful of well-rotted compost or manure to improve moisture retention. Backfill with the excavated soil, firming gently with your heel to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly after planting, even in autumn, to settle the roots. Apply a 5–8 cm layer of organic mulch such as garden compost or well-rotted manure around the base, keeping it a few centimetres clear of the stem to prevent rot. Stake young bushes if your site is exposed to wind.

Pruning

Prune red currants during the dormant season—January, February, or early March—before buds break. Unlike blackcurrants, red currants fruit on older wood and at the base of the previous year's growth, so the aim is to maintain a permanent framework of well-spaced branches and encourage plenty of young side shoots. In the first winter after planting, cut back the main stems by about half to an outward-facing bud to create an open, goblet-shaped bush with four to six strong branches radiating from a short central leg. Remove any shoots growing from below this leg to keep the bush clean-stemmed. In subsequent years, prune to maintain the open centre and remove the oldest, least productive branches. Each winter, cut out one or two of the oldest stems (typically four years or older) right down to the base, choosing those that are thick, gnarled, or crossing into the centre. This makes room for younger replacement shoots. Shorten the main framework branches by about a quarter if they're getting leggy, cutting to an outward-facing bud. Trim back side shoots on the main branches to one or two buds from the base to encourage fruiting spurs. Remove any weak, damaged, or diseased wood, and thin out congested growth to improve air flow and light penetration—this helps reduce fungal problems and makes harvesting easier. Use clean, sharp secateurs or loppers for thicker stems. Red currants tolerate hard pruning if an old bush needs rejuvenating, but spread the work over two or three winters to avoid shocking the plant.

Maintenance

Red currants need consistent moisture, especially from flowering in spring through to harvest in summer. Water regularly during dry spells—aim for a thorough soak once or twice a week rather than frequent shallow watering. Mulch helps enormously: top up the organic layer each spring to suppress weeds, conserve moisture, and feed the soil as it breaks down. Feed in late February or March with a balanced general-purpose fertiliser (such as blood, fish and bone) or a controlled-release granular feed, scattering a couple of handfuls around the base of each bush and lightly forking it into the soil surface. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds later in the season, as these promote soft growth at the expense of fruiting and winter hardiness. On poorer soils, a second light feed after harvest can help the plant build reserves for next year. Red currants are fully hardy and need no winter protection in temperate Europe. They flower early, so in frost-prone gardens consider draping fleece over bushes on cold spring nights to protect the blossom and ensure a good set of fruit. Watch for aphids on shoot tips in spring and early summer; squash small colonies by hand or spray with an insecticidal soap if numbers build up. Gooseberry sawfly caterpillars can strip foliage rapidly—check the undersides of leaves from late spring onwards and pick off by hand or use an organic contact spray. Powdery mildew and leaf spot occasionally occur in humid conditions; good pruning for airflow and avoiding overhead watering reduce the risk. Birds are the main harvest pest—net bushes as the fruit begins to colour if necessary.