User avatar
GardenRN
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

White currant seeds

I got some white currant seeds in a trade. Never even knew what currants were but now I'm gonna grow them and see what I can do with them. Anyone have any tips on germination? Do they have to be cold stratified? Tough to grow? blah blah blah...I don't know anything about these and a google search on germination tips yielded very little info.

DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm

Jeff,

Never seen white currants. I'm growing black, red and golden.
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Orchard/OrchardJuly14th002.jpg[/img]

Seeds may be fun, but I will be trying to propagate cuttings this year.

Eric

User avatar
Kisal
Mod Emeritus
Posts: 7646
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:04 am
Location: Oregon

California Rare Fruit Growers organization offers this comment:
Propagation: Currant seeds germinate if stratified for three to four months at temperatures just above freezing. Seedlings are prolific and do not vary much from parent. Bushes grown from seed bear when two or three years old.
See the entire article [url=https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/currants.html]here[/url].

User avatar
GardenRN
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

ugh...two to three years old? I may be way too impatient for this plant. I'm not one who enjoys waiting for years for things. I'm a much bigger fan of instant gratification. :?

User avatar
GardenRN
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

are these going to survive a Z 7 winter or am I going to have to be ready to bring them inside??

User avatar
soil
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1855
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:40 pm
Location: N. California

plant them in the fall in a protected area outside(unless in a warm climate) and they should germinate in the spring. I prefer to take cuttings from currants but since you have seeds go for it.

DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm

Jeff,

No problem growing in zone 7. Most currants, gooseberries are zoned 3 through 8/9.

I looked up my yellow currant, it's considered a white variety. :roll:

Eric

User avatar
alaskagold
Senior Member
Posts: 130
Joined: Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:12 pm
Location: Alaska

I have white currents. Very tart and they grow pretty well since they are in a zone 3 at the moment.

I would say you are one lucky person to have them.



Return to “Seed Starting Discussions”