My red currant berries are not ripening. Instead, the berries stay green and then almost suddenly shrivel up without turning red at all. I’ve looked...
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Red Currant Berries Don’t Ripen #752028
Asked May 25, 2021, 11:54 AM EDT
My red currant berries are not ripening. Instead, the berries stay green and then almost suddenly shrivel up without turning red at all. I’ve looked for disease and pest problems, but can’t see any obvious problems with the naked eye. The plant is otherwise very healthy. It is growing vigorously, leaves are a vibrant green, and the number of berries I got was surprising for a plant grown in partial shade in its second year (the bush was probably already 1 year old when I bought it from the nursery). Do you have any guess about what could be going on here with the berries that don’t ripen?
Baltimore City CountyMaryland
Expert Response
Hi- this is somewhat unusual. Red currant varieties are mostly self-fertile so you should get a decent yield with one plant. Sometimes plants are mislabeled but white currant fruit would enlarge and lighten in color.
Currants are relatively cold hardy and one would expect that any serious frost/freeze injury would have led to symptoms in leaves, flowers, and fruit (discoloration, distortion, and drop). However, excessively cold temps at some critical point could contribute to the failure of fruits to enlarge and ripen. Excessive shade and fertilization are also possible causes. You may want to contact the nursery about the issue to get their input.
Thank you for your answer! I think the most likely culprit is lack of adequate sunlight. I’ve read that the red currant bush can grow in partial shade, but maybe I’m not getting quite enough hours of sun for proper berry production. I might try transplanting it next year to a spot in the yard that gets more sun during the growing season. Thanks again!
