Can I sow redcurrants now?
Not from seed now. A sowing started today is unlikely to beat the autumn cold; use this page if you are already growing redcurrants, or choose something still in season.
- Best next action
- Choose another crop to sow now
When to plant
redcurrants in the UK
Beautiful jewel-like berries that hang in trusses. They tolerate more shade than most fruit, so they are perfect for a north-facing fence. Prune to a permanent framework like a gooseberry, not like a blackcurrant.
Can I sow redcurrants now?
Not from seed now. This is outside the usual UK sowing window for redcurrants.
- 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 redcurrants 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 redcurrants
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 120cm apart
Get redcurrants 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 redcurrants need
Sun or partial shade. Well-drained soil. Train as a cordon against a wall or fence to save space. Net against birds.
Spacing
120cm between plants
These plants need serious room. Plan for at least a square metre each.
Varieties worth growing
Jonkheer van Tets
commonAn early Dutch variety with long trusses of jewel-like red berries. The name is hard to pronounce but the currants are easy to grow. Heavy-cropping, reliable, and the translucent berries catch the light like stained glass.
Redcurrant jelly
Simmer the currants (no need to strip them from the stalks), strain through muslin, add sugar, boil to setting point. Crystal-clear, ruby-red, and the classic accompaniment to lamb. A jar of this is a gift.
Rovada
uncommonLate-season with exceptionally long trusses that make picking easy and look spectacular hanging from the bush. The berries are firm and store well, giving you a longer window to deal with the harvest. The organised gardener's redcurrant.
Summer pudding
Layer redcurrants with other summer berries in a bread-lined pudding basin, weight down overnight. Turn out. The juices soak through the bread and dye it deep purple-red. The most dramatic pudding in the British repertoire.
Stanza
uncommonA late-season variety that fruits well into August when other redcurrants are finished. Heavy-cropping with good-sized berries, and the late timing means you can extend the soft fruit season by several weeks. The patient one.
Redcurrant sauce for lamb
Simmer redcurrants with a little sugar and a splash of port until the berries burst and the sauce thickens. Strain or leave whole. The classic British accompaniment to roast lamb — sharp, sweet, and a stunning deep red.
Good companions
When to sow redcurrants
Based on UK average frost date. Enter your postcode for exact dates, or find your city.
Where to buy redcurrants 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 redcurrants.