General
Whitecurrant is a white- to translucent-fruited form of redcurrant (Ribes rubrum). It forms a compact, long-lived bush that bears strings of mild, sweet-tart berries prized for fresh eating, jellies, desserts, and garnishing. Compared to redcurrants, whitecurrants are generally sweeter and less acidic, with cultivars like ‘White Versailles’ and ‘Blanka’ common in Northern Europe. Plants are very winter-hardy, flower early, and set best crops in cool summers with steady moisture.
Light
Full sun for sweetest fruit; tolerates light partial shade.
Soil type
Moist, well-drained loam rich in organic matter; avoid waterlogging.
Water requirement
Moderate, consistent moisture—especially from flowering to harvest.
Nutrient requirement
Medium. Annual compost mulch; avoid high nitrogen that drives soft, pest-prone growth.
Precultivation
Propagation is easiest from hardwood cuttings taken in late autumn to late winter (Nov–Mar). Cut 20–25 cm pencil-thick shoots from the past season’s growth, trim just below a bud at the base, and insert 2/3 length into a free-draining, moist medium. Rooting at 5–15°C with bright indirect light takes about 3–6 weeks. Keep evenly moist, not wet. Softwood cuttings can root in late spring under high humidity. Seed is rarely used and not true-to-type.
Planting
Plant container-grown or well-rooted cuttings in early spring once the ground is workable (≥5°C) or in early autumn while soil is still warm. Space bushes 1.5 m apart (rows 2 m). Set plants 3–5 cm deeper than they were in the pot to encourage new basal shoots. Water in well and mulch 5–8 cm with composted bark, leaves, or straw, keeping mulch off the stems. Choose a site with airflow but sheltered from harsh, drying winds. pH 6.0–7.0 is ideal.
Pruning
Aim to maintain an open, airy bush with 8–12 fruiting shoots of mixed ages. In late winter (Jan–Mar), remove weak, damaged, crossing, or low-hanging shoots and the oldest wood (over 4 years), leaving strong 1–3-year-old wood which carries best crops. Shorten long laterals to 2–4 buds to stimulate spur formation. A light summer tidy (Jul–Aug) after harvest can thin congested areas. Train new strong shoots from the base to replace the oldest removed canes over time.
Maintenance
Mulch annually to conserve moisture and feed soil life. Water during dry spells—about 20–25 mm/week when fruit is swelling. Feed lightly in spring with well-rotted compost or a balanced organic fertilizer; avoid heavy nitrogen. Net plants as fruit colors to protect from birds. Encourage beneficials with diverse flowers; release or attract predators for aphids. Keep the base weed-free; a white clover understory can reduce evaporation and add nitrogen if kept trimmed. In cold, windy sites, a windbreak reduces blossom damage.
Harvest
Harvest when strings are fully translucent, glossy, and berries taste sweet with gentle tartness (typically mid-Jul to late Aug depending on site and cultivar). Cut entire trusses with scissors to minimize berry splitting. Chill promptly; stores 1–2 weeks refrigerated. Berries freeze well on trays, then bag. Best for fresh eating, jellies, cordials, tarts, and as a delicate garnish.
Common issues
• Birds: Netting before color change is the most reliable control.
• Aphids (including blistering on leaves): Encourage predators, wash off with a firm water spray, or use insecticidal soap as needed.
• Currant sawfly (gooseberry sawfly): Inspect undersides of leaves; hand-pick larvae promptly. Maintain ground cover and mulch to support predators; consider biological controls where available.
• Anthracnose/leaf spot and powdery mildew: Improve airflow by pruning, avoid overhead watering, remove fallen leaves, and mulch. Use sulfur or bicarbonate sprays preventively if pressure is high.
• Poor fruiting: Too much shade, excessive nitrogen, drought during fruit swell, or pruning away too much 1–3-year-old wood.
Pollination
Self-fertile, but yields improve with another Ribes rubrum nearby flowering at the same time.
Companion plants
Chives, garlic, Welsh onion, marigold, calendula, borage, comfrey (as a mulch source), white clover living mulch.
Incompatible plants
Avoid clustering with other Ribes (red/black currant, gooseberry) if pest/disease pressure is high; avoid planting near five-needle pines (where white pine blister rust is a concern).
