explain all you need to grow them yourself.

Currants are used to make jams, jellies, sorbets, cordials, syrups, fruit salads, cakes, and crumbles. There is an endless list of how to use your currant harvest. There are four different colors to choose from, each with its own unique flavor and use. It’s easy to see why gardeners love to grow currants.

Pink and white currants look like delicate jewels hanging in huge bunches. They are deliciously sweet eaten fresh from the bush. Red currants, and especially black currants, are tart and require a little sugar to enhance their intense flavor.

Not only do these little berries taste great, but they also pack a nutritional punch. They are high in vitamin C. One 80g serving is equivalent to 200% of your RDA (recommended daily allowance). They are also high in phosphorous, iron, antioxidants, fiber, and protein. Plus almost fat-free.

Currants were once referred to as the ‘forbidden fruit’ in the US. They were banned in the early 1900s due to the risk of commercial growers spreading a blister rust disease. This disease is fatal to white pine trees used in the logging industry. The nationwide ban was lifted in the 1960s. The decision was passed to individual states. It’s still illegal to grow them in some states, so best to double-check your location.
What is a Currant?
Currants come from the botanical family Grossulariaceae and the genus Ribes. There are three main species: Ribes nigrum (black currant), Ribes rubrum (red currant), and Ribes sativum, white and pink currants. The latter are albino selections from red currant bushes and are less acidic.

Native Area
Currants are deciduous shrubs originating in woodland and scrub habitats in northern temperate regions across the globe. Most of the northern hemisphere and parts of South America have a few currant varieties.

All Ribes species have similar growth habits and appearance with slight variations. They are closely related to the gooseberry bush, which has a similar growth habit. They tend to grow to medium-sized shrubs approximately three to five feet high and across with an upright growth habit.

Characteristics
Buds appear in late spring. This is followed by mid-green leaves, which alternate with a palmate appearance of five lobes and serrated margins. Stems are brown and woody when old. New growth is green and flexible. It will fade to light brown and have a woody appearance after one year.

Tumbling racemes of small green/brown or green/white flowers develop among maple-like leaves in late spring. They open into long clusters of cream or red/brown flowers, depending on the variety. Black currant leaves are a bit rounder than white, pink, or red currants. The majority of currant varieties are self-fertile. Flowers don’t last long. They soon swell to produce berries that are small, round, and green. You only need one plant to produce berries. Black currants quickly blush a dusky red in late spring. They deepen finally to produce purple/black berries around half an inch in diameter.

Red currants, pink currants, and white currants also start off green and change to their final pearlescent color as they swell. Berries are ready to harvest from mid to late summer. The berries are the only parts that are consumed. The best fruit is produced from two and three-year-old wood. It may take a year or two to yield good harvests from a new shrub.

Currant shrubs lose their leaves in late fall and go into a state of dormancy. This is the best time to prune and propagate. Pruning is an important element of growing to maintain good health and high yields – but more on this later.

Varieties
Some popular and widely grown varieties to look out for are:

Black currant – ‘Titania’ is a heavy producer of good quality large berries. Resistant to blister rust and powdery mildew.
Pink currants – ‘Pink Champagne’ has excellent flavor and good highly resistant to disease.
White currants – ‘White Imperial’ is a good, sweet-flavored variety resistant to powdery mildew.
Red currants – ‘Honeyqueen’ has a great flavor from harvests of this red currant occurring over a long period. Another stunning cultivar is the ‘Red Lake’ variety.
Planting
Bare root currants should be planted in autumn. Soak the root ball in water for a few hours in advance of planting to rehydrate. New shrubs, like potted currant shrubs, can be planted at any time of year in the home garden. But they will suffer least from transplant shock if planted in autumn while dormant.

Choose a location in full sun to partial shade. Currants grown in warmer climates will benefit from shade in hot weather. Soil should be rich, well-drained, and moisture-retentive. Amend the planting hole with lots of organic matter to give them a good start.

They grow best in the ground but can be grown in large, deep, heavy containers that won’t blow over as they get bigger. If growing in containers, ensure you water and feed regularly.

Currants can be planted slightly deeper than their nursery pot. This helps their shallow roots anchor into the ground, ready to support all that heavy fruit. Prepare a hole twice as wide as the root ball, adding lots of fresh organic matter. With the root ball in position backfill with soil, firm in, and top with lots of mulch. This will help retain moisture and keep weeds at bay. Keep the soil moist until they are established. Provide a cane for extra support if growing in an exposed site. They should be spaced four to five feet apart.