Can I sow blackcurrants now?
Not from seed now. A sowing started today is unlikely to beat the autumn cold; use this page if you are already growing blackcurrants, or choose something still in season.
- Best next action
- Choose another crop to sow now
When to plant
blackcurrants in the UK
Blackcurrants are packed with vitamin C and make the best jam and cordial. Plant deep — 5cm below the soil line — to encourage strong shoots from the base. Prune a third of the oldest wood out each winter. One bush produces 4-5kg of fruit.
Can I sow blackcurrants now?
Not from seed now. This is outside the usual UK sowing window for blackcurrants.
- Status
- Too late from seed
- Best next step
- Wait
- Usual window
- Outside the usual UK sowing window
What I'd do now: This is not a good sowing moment on the UK average; use the calendar to choose a crop with an open window.
For the broader month view, see what to sow in July, or use the UK sowing calendar. For more detail, read the fruit growing guide.
When will your blackcurrants be ready to eat?
Put in the day you actually sowed — the harvest date moves with it. Tuned to your saved location where available.
Work out your own dates
Set the day you sowed (and planted out, if you did) — your harvest date is below.
Using the UK-average last frost · 15 April · add your postcode to tune it
Not sown yet? The standard dates for blackcurrants
Plant out
From around 18 Feb
8 weeks before last frost on the UK average
Transplant seedlings to their final position
Harvest
~52 weeks from sowing
Space plants 150cm apart
Get blackcurrants seeds
Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them, a little goes towards the allotment shed, at no extra cost to you.
What blackcurrants need
Full sun for best crops. Rich, moisture-retentive soil. Shelter from cold winds (they flower early). Annual mulch and feed.
Spacing
150cm between plants
These plants need serious room. Plan for at least a square metre each.
Varieties worth growing
Ben Sarek
commonCompact enough for a small garden, productive enough to keep you in jam and cassis all year. A Scottish-bred variety that handles frost, wind, and neglect. The blackcurrant for people who don't want to manage a hedge.
Blackcurrant jam
Simmer the berries until they burst, add sugar (equal weight), boil to setting point. The deep purple colour and intense flavour make this the jam that ruins all other jams. Toast will never be the same.
Ben Connan
uncommonThe biggest berries in the Ben series — easier to pick and sweeter to eat. Another Scottish warrior that shrugs off late frosts and keeps cropping reliably. If you only have room for one blackcurrant bush, this one makes a strong case.
Cassis
Crush the berries, macerate with sugar, add vodka, seal, and wait two months. Strain into bottles. Use a splash in champagne for Kir Royale, or sip neat. Deep, purple, and worth the patience.
Big Ben
uncommonBerries twice the size of most blackcurrants, sweet enough to eat raw off the bush, which is something you can't say about many blackcurrants. A modern Scottish variety that makes picking less tedious and eating more enjoyable.
Blackcurrant crumble
Tumble the big berries into a dish with a sprinkling of sugar, top with a buttery oat crumble, bake until bubbling and golden. The tartness cuts through the sweet topping. Serve with vanilla custard.
Good companions
When to sow blackcurrants
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
Where to buy blackcurrants seeds
Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them, a little goes towards the allotment shed, at no extra cost to you.
Get your exact dates
Enter your postcode for personalised planting dates for blackcurrants.