Growing Currants and Gooseberries in Canada
Self-fruitful, shade-tolerant berry bushes. The work is in the pruning, and in two pests worth knowing by name.
Growing currants and gooseberries in Canada is easy: one bush fruits on its own, and Iowa State University Extension calls the plants hardy and easy to grow. Currants come in red, white and black; gooseberries in American and European types. Iowa State notes they are all self-fruitful, and that three or four plants give an average family enough fruit.
Two things set them apart from other berries: they fruit on two- and three-year-old wood, which decides how you prune, and they are a host for white pine blister rust, a disease that does little harm to the bush and can kill nearby white pines.
Currants and gooseberries at a glance: One plant fruits on its own. Give them a cool, moist, well-drained spot in partial to full sun with good air movement. Prune in late winter or early spring, keeping 9 to 12 shoots of one-, two- and three-year-old wood and removing anything four years old. Near white pines, choose a blister-rust-resistant black currant such as Consort.
Room for a fruit tree as well? See Growing Pawpaw in Canada for a native Canadian tree fruit hardy to Zone 5.
Which Type to Grow
The types differ mainly in flavour and in how they handle white pine blister rust. From Iowa State and Ohio State Extension:
| Type | Example cultivars | Blister rust |
|---|---|---|
| Red currant | Red Lake (Minnesota), Wilder | Somewhat resistant |
| White currant | White Imperial | Somewhat resistant |
| Black currant | Consort (bred in Ottawa), Crusader, Coronet | Most susceptible; choose a resistant cultivar |
| American gooseberry | Pixwell (North Dakota), Poorman, Welcome (Minnesota) | Somewhat resistant |
| European gooseberry | — | Larger fruit, more disease-prone |
Iowa State notes that European gooseberries have larger, better-flavoured fruit but are more susceptible to diseases, which is why most home gooseberries are American types. Pixwell has some resistance to powdery mildew.
White Pine Blister Rust
The rust needs both a currant or gooseberry and a five-needled white pine to complete its life cycle. Ohio State Extension explains it is not a serious disease of the bushes but a very serious one of white pines, which it can kill. The University of Massachusetts says the rust threatens pines within about 400 m (a quarter mile) of infected bushes.
Black currant is the most susceptible. Some US states restrict or ban planting black currants because of it. Ohio exempts recognized resistant cultivars, and Ohio State lists Consort, Crusader, Coronet, Titania and Willoughby among the resistant black currants. The University of Massachusetts warns that a strain of the rust has been found that can overcome the resistance in some “immune” varieties.
If you have white pines on or near your property, a red or white currant or an American gooseberry is the lower-risk choice, and checking with your municipality or province before planting black currants is worthwhile.
Site and Planting
Iowa State says currants and gooseberries prefer cool, moist, well-drained sites and do well in partial to full sun. Avoid wet, poorly drained soil and hot, dry spots, and choose a place with good air movement to discourage powdery mildew.
Plant in early spring, about 1.2 to 1.5 m apart, slightly deeper than they grew in the nursery. Iowa State suggests cutting the shoots back to 15 to 25 cm at planting, then keeping 5 to 10 cm of mulch (straw, grass clippings or wood chips) around each plant, topped up each year.
Pruning by Shoot Age
Iowa State explains that most of the fruit forms on two- and three-year-old shoots, and shoots four years and older produce very little. Prune in late winter or early spring, before growth starts:
| After | Keep |
|---|---|
| First season | 6 to 8 strong shoots |
| Second season | 4 or 5 one-year-old shoots and 3 or 4 two-year-old shoots |
| Third season on | 3 or 4 shoots each of one-, two- and three-year-old wood, 9 to 12 in all |
On a mature bush, each year remove every four-year-old shoot and thin some of the new growth so the count stays at 9 to 12.
Imported Currant Worm
The pest most likely to strip a bush is the imported currant worm, a sawfly larva. The University of Saskatchewan says the adult emerges from the soil in June and lays rows of small white eggs along the ribs on the underside of the leaves; the larvae eat the leaves, not the fruit, and can defoliate a plant.
Its controls are simple: row cover in early June to keep the adults off, squashing the eggs in mid-June, hand picking or hosing off the larvae, and a tarp under the bush to catch larvae before they reach the soil to overwinter.
Picking
Iowa State says currants ripen over two to three weeks and are ripe when they show the full colour of their type and are slightly soft. Pick whole clusters rather than single berries, then strip the berries off the stems.
Gooseberries can be eaten firm and tart or left to ripen to a pinker, sweeter fruit. Iowa State gives about two weeks in the refrigerator for both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do currants need a pollinator?
No. Iowa State Extension says currants and gooseberries are self-fruitful, so a single plant will produce fruit.
When should I prune currants and gooseberries?
In late winter or early spring, before growth begins. Keep 9 to 12 shoots of one-, two- and three-year-old wood and remove shoots four years and older.
Can I grow black currants near white pines?
Black currants are the most susceptible host of white pine blister rust, which can kill white pines. Near pines, choose a resistant cultivar such as Consort, or grow red or white currants or gooseberries instead.
What is eating my gooseberry leaves?
Most often the imported currant worm, a sawfly larva. Look for rows of white eggs under the leaves in mid-June and green larvae feeding from the leaf edges.
Do currants grow in shade?
They do well in partial to full sun, according to Iowa State, and prefer a cool site. Deep shade gives less fruit and more mildew.
How many currant bushes do I need?
Iowa State suggests three to four plants for an average family.
How do I know when currants are ripe?
When the berries show the full colour of the variety and are slightly soft. Pick whole clusters, then strip the berries.
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension, Yard and Garden — Growing Currants and Gooseberries in the Home Garden
- The Ohio State University Extension — White Pine Blister Rust on Currants and Gooseberries, HYG-3205
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Extension — Currants and Gooseberries in Massachusetts
- University of Saskatchewan, Gardening at USask — Imported currant worm