Redcurrant
Ribes rubrum
A fruit, planted at any time of year.
In September: pick the redcurrants. It can be planted now.
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Redcurrant, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown redcurrant. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root redcurrant. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Winter-prune the redcurrant (bush plants only). | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Summer-prune the redcurrant (trained plants only). | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none |
| Pick the redcurrants. | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown redcurrant at any time of year, 1.2 to 1.5m apart, rows 1.8m apart. Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Plant a bare-root redcurrant November to March, 1.2 to 1.5m apart, rows 1.8m apart. Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Winter-prune the redcurrant
Gardeners call this winter pruning of framework-grown currants and gooseberries.
For bush plants only.
Cut side-shoots from the main branches back to one or two buds, keeping any needed as replacements.
Usually February to March. Moderate source: RHS.
Summer-prune the redcurrant
Gardeners call this summer pruning of cordon- and fan-trained currants and gooseberries.
For trained plants only.
Once side-shoots have seven or eight leaves, cut them back to five leaves.
Usually June to July. Strong source: RHS.
Pick the redcurrants
Usually July to September. Moderate source: Garden Organic.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Redcurrant” comes from.