Red and White Currant Growing Instructions
Unpack straight away and, if not planting immediately place canes in a box or seed tray, surrounding the roots with moist peat. Keep somewhere cool and light.
Red & White Currants grow best on a sunny site, but will tolerate some shade.
Prepare the site before planting, remove all perennial weeds & dig in well-rotted manure with some bonemeal or fertiliser mixed in. Potassium deficiency may occur on very sandy soils.
Remove all suckers and cut off any shoots growing less that 6 inches (15 cm) above the soil level. Cut branches back to half-length pruning to an outward facing bud.
Plant bushes 4 – 5 Ft (120 – 150cm) apart at the same height as the old soil mark.
The following winter, shorten new growth by half. Prune any side shoots, which are crossing growing inwards or downwards back to one bud. In subsequent years cut back side shoots to one bud and tip prune main branches removing 2 – 3 inches (5 – 7 cm) of growth. Also cut out any dead, diseased or damaged wood.
Mulch every spring with a layer of well rotten manure mixing in some potassium rich fertiliser if required.
