Blackcurrant bud

Blackcurrant bud are easy to grow, producing bunches of dark purple berries in mid-summer, rich in vitamin C. With their tart flavour they can be made into pies and jams, cordials and even cassis. Blackcurrants can be grown in containers. But avoid heavy watering when currants are ripening, to prevent skins splitting.

Alternatively use blood, fish and bonemeal. Leave a gap around the base of the stem, to deter rotting. Avoid hoeing close to the stems, so you don’t damage new shoots developing at the base. Plants in containers Plants in containers need regular watering throughout the growing season, as they dry out quickly. Mix in a slow-release fertiliser or apply liquid feed during the summer months.

Replace with fresh potting compost mixed with a granular general fertiliser. Re-pot container-grown blackcurrants every two or three years in late winter. Trim back a few of the roots on the outside of the rootball and tease away some of the old compost, replacing it with fresh John Innes No. Pot back into the same container or a slightly larger one. Protecting flowers from frost On nights when frost is forecast, protect bushes in flower by covering them with fleece or cloth.