How Long Do Blackcurrants Take To Ripen?

Currants typically ripen over a 2 to 3 week period. Fully ripe currants possess the characteristic color of the variety (red, white, or black), are slightly soft and juicy. For jellies and jams, harvest currants before the berries are fully ripe.

How do you know when blackcurrants are ready to pick?

Tug blackcurrants slightly to check for ripeness.
Pull the blackcurrants off their stems in the areas of the bush you’d like to harvest from. Ripe blackcurrants should be full of juice, so they should easily fall into your hand.

What month are blackcurrants in season?

Season – July -August – September. Blackcurrants have been the workhorse of the soft fruit garden for many years. Red and white currants may have gone in and out of fashion but the blackcurrant has always survived.

What month do you prune blackcurrants?

Pruning of blackcurrant bushes is very simple. The time to prune is when they are dormant, mid-winter to early February is a good time for this garden job. Don’t prune for the first year of their life.

Can you pick blackcurrants early?

Blackcurrants ripen from early summer onwards, depending on the variety. The easiest way to harvest modern varieties, such as the ‘Ben Sarek’, ‘Ben Hope’, ‘Ben Lomond’ and ‘Ben Connan’, is to cut whole fruit trusses (known as strigs) once the currants turn black.

Will blackcurrants ripen after picking?

Answer: Currants typically ripen over a 2 to 3 week period. Fully ripe currants possess the characteristic color of the variety (red, white, or black), are slightly soft and juicy. For jellies and jams, harvest currants before the berries are fully ripe.

How do you store blackcurrants after picking?

Rinse in cold water and dry completely. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and arrange the berries on top in a single layer. Freeze until the berries are solid. Tip the frozen berries into a freezer bag and expel any excess air.

Can you eat blackcurrants straight from the bush?

Blackcurrant shrubs were a staple in my parents’ garden, and I enjoyed many sticky handfuls straight from the branch. But their flavor really shines when cooked, in both sweet and savory dishes.

How long does a blackcurrant bush last?

15 years
A well established blackcurrant bush can yield 10 ibs or more fruit and will remain productive for up to 15 years.

Do I need to top and tail blackcurrants for jam?

If you have grown your blackcurrants yourself you will need to remove the tails (stalks) and wash your currants. Some people also prefer to remove the tops as well. It does take ages (and I mean ages) so you may prefer not to do this. Make sure you have removed all debris, bugs or leaves from the currants.

Do blackcurrants fruit on old wood?

Blackcurrants are grown as a ‘stool’, with most shoots arising from ground level or close to it. One-year-old shoots are the most productive. Two-year-old wood will produce some fruit but older wood becomes non-productive, so each year some stems need to be removed to make space for younger ones.

What do you feed blackcurrant bushes?

Blackcurrant bushes need plenty of watering and feeding – particularly if container grown. In spring, feed with pelleted chicken manure or other high potash fertiliser, and add a thick mulch. Keep weed-free during the growing season and when the fruits start to mature, net your plants to protect from the birds.

Should you cut back blackcurrant?

Pruning Blackcurrants:
This is to encourage bushier growth from the base in year one, making a solid foundation. If you were planting pot grown plants in summer, you would leave them to grow as they were until winter, then snip the top/s off to encourage bushiness and still get fruit the next year.

Can you freeze blackcurrants?

Yes, both red and black currants freeze very well. Just follow the simple steps below to prepare and freeze your currants to use in baking recipes or to make jelly from later.

How often should I water black currants?

From fruit set to harvest, currants need 1 inch of water every week. After the initial watering, a soaker hose or drip irrigation system can maintain an adequate water supply. In the spring, purchase container-grown currant plants from a reputable nursery. The plants should be one to two years old.

Can you plant raspberries and blackcurrants together?

The site of the old raspberry bed can safely be a home to unrelated fruits such as currants, strawberries or rhubarb as long as it has been improved and fed well beforehand.

When should I prune currant bushes?

Currant pruning requires the removal of the oldest wood annually in very early spring. Fruits are produced on three-year-old wood, which needs to be preserved. Broken and dead wood are removed annually and some thinning needs to take place to enhance air and light penetration.

How do you prune an overgrown blackcurrant bush?

Prune out branches growing low to ground. Prune away any crossing shoots or branches. Prune out the clutter using thinning cuts (the removal of shoots or branches at their point of origin), to keep the currant open. Always cut away to an outward facing bud.

Do berries ripen after they are picked?

A berry with any hint of red isn’t fully ripened. White and green colored blueberries will not ripen after they are picked; while blueberries that have already turned purple, red or blue-ish usually DO ripen after they are picked (if they are kept at room temperature to ripen).

Do I need to wash blackcurrants before freezing?

Rinse them under cool water to remove any insects or debris. Spread them on a dish towel to dry off for a few minutes. If you won’t get around to de-stemming the fruits for more than a few hours, simply put the whole clusters of currants into freezer bags or containers.

How long can you keep frozen blackcurrants?

Blackcurrants can be frozen for up to 6 months. Spread blackcurrants out onto a baking tray, freeze for a few hours before bagging them up and storing them in the freezer for the longer term.