| "Fruits, nuts, berries and unusual edible plants for the American backyard fruit grower!" |  "The most flavorful varieties from around the world! |
| CURRANTS | |
| View & Purchase Raintree
Products How to Grow & Use Our Edible Plants & Regional Growing Info. Pollination Charts Raintree Workshops Landscape Design Raintree Recipes Raintree Helps George Washington! Request a Catalog Message From Raintree's Founder Customer Service About Secure Ordering How to Contact Us Customer Compliments Meet Our Staff About Raintree Visit Raintree's new Garden Center Map To Raintree Search Raintree Raintree Home    |
CURRANTS (Ribes species) The uniquet sweet-tart taste of currants has been cherished for many years in Europe. Currants are not well known to American gardeners. Red currants are among the most beautiful of fruits. Their bright, shiny red clusters enhance any dish to which they are added. Amazing but true: black currants have 5 times the Vitamin C content of oranges by weight. Black Currants have a strong flavor that is highly prized in Europe. Most Americans don’t like their taste eaten fresh. However, they are excellent used in making jams, syrups or dried as ‘raisins’. RESTRICTIONS: State laws prohibit our shipping Currants or Gooseberries to Delaware, Maine, N. Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, or West Virginia. Black Currants may not be sent to the states mentioned above, as well as Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio and Rhode Island. USEFUL FACTS POLLINATION: Self-pollinating, PLANT SPACING: 4 feet apart. SIZE AT MATURITY: 3-5 feet tall. HARDINESS: USDA Zones 3-8 EXPOSURE: Sun or partial shade. ORIGIN: Europe. YEARS TO FIRST FRUIT: Two. RIPENING: Late June, early July. LIFE EXPECTANCY: 15 to 30 yrs. METHOD OF PROPAGATION: Cuttings stuck in the ground in November. YIELD: Bushes are almost covered with fruit. Up to 10 pounds per bush. HOW TO GROW SOIL REQUIREMENTS: pH of 5 to 7, prefers good garden loam but will tolerate heavy or sandy soils. CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS: Mulch with manure or compost, apply nitrogen sparingly. Requires annual pruning of old canes. Fruit is born on new wood. PRUNING: Renew black currants to new shoots. Some growers cut new plants to the ground to allow many new shoots to start or plant the bush deeper so main shoots start at ground level. Prune red and white currants like gooseberries. Prune annually to maintain large berry size. Cut out wood more than 3 years old. HOW TO USE CURRANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE: Use as a foundation planting, in containers, espaliers, in the perennial borders or in hedges. IN THE KITCHEN: Red Currants are prized in jams, jellies and streudels. Black Currants, in juices, syrups, jellies and liqueurs. White Imperials are prized in used car lots. Click your browser's back
button info@raintreenursery.com - 360.496.6400 |