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Problems with growning potted black currants inside over winter? #775814

Asked October 19, 2021, 1:41 PM EDT

I wanted to grow black currants next year and I am trying to determine when to buy the potted plants and when to plant them. It seems like it is too late in the season to plant them now, as they won't have time to properly establish roots before the frost. I could buy them next spring, but with the supply chain in chaos, i would rather get them now so I know I have them in time for planting. But this would require growing them indoors over the winter. While I am confident I could get such a setup, I wanted to know if there would be any problems to having them grow, for several months inside, before planting them outside after the spring thaw. If so, can they be dealt with?

Dakota County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thanks for the question.

If you had asked this question about a month or so ago, I would have suggested that you buy potted plants and put the plant – container and all – into the ground. You then would not have had to worry about root establishment as there would already be roots in the pot. Then next spring you could just remove the plant from the pot and transplant it to a desirable location. However given the lateness of our season (late October 2021), this might not now be the best approach. You could try to maintain plants inside in containers over the winter. However given that currants do require moist environments and in Minnesota indoor conditions usually have a low humidity over winter, survival may be problematic. I can understand why you may want to try to do this however. But if things do not work out, then next spring you will also be facing the problem of supply. Whether you want to go through the issues of maintaining black currants inside over the winter, or take your chances of getting plants next spring, is a decision that you will need to make. See the following:

https://www.madaboutberries.com/currants/how-to-grow-blackcurrants-and-redcurrants-in-containers.html

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-currants-and-gooseberries-home-garden - bare-root-and-potted-plants-1222410

Good Luck!!


An Ask Extension Expert Replied October 19, 2021, 4:19 PM EDT

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