When to plant Currant
A tough, cold-hardy berry shrub (red, white, or black) that, unusually for fruit, crops well in part shade. Plant bare-root bushes in early spring. Black currants fruit on younger wood, so they're pruned harder than the red and white types.
Companions: Other soft-fruit shrubs — gooseberry is a close relative
How to grow Currant
Currant can be grown from seed on the schedule below. Give it full sun to part shade and space plants about 48 inches apart. It takes roughly 120 days from planting to its first harvest, so count that against your frost dates to be sure it can finish. Classic companions include other soft-fruit shrubs — gooseberry is a close relative.
Grower's tip: A cold-hardy shrub that tolerates part shade — plant bare-root bushes in early spring.
When to plant Currant by USDA zone
Timing shifts with your climate — the same currant goes in weeks earlier in a mild zone than a cold one. Find your zone below for its planting window, or open that zone's full calendar.
| Zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 1a | Transplant outdoors May 4–May 25 |
| Zone 1b | Transplant outdoors Apr 29–May 20 |
| Zone 2a | Transplant outdoors Apr 24–May 15 |
| Zone 2b | Transplant outdoors Apr 18–May 9 |
| Zone 3a | Transplant outdoors Apr 13–May 4 |
| Zone 3b | Transplant outdoors Apr 8–Apr 29 |
| Zone 4a | Transplant outdoors Apr 3–Apr 24 |
| Zone 4b | Transplant outdoors Mar 29–Apr 19 |
| Zone 5a | Transplant outdoors Mar 24–Apr 14 |
| Zone 5b | Transplant outdoors Mar 19–Apr 9 |
| Zone 6a | Transplant outdoors Mar 10–Mar 31 |
| Zone 6b | Transplant outdoors Mar 4–Mar 25 |
| Zone 7a | Transplant outdoors Feb 24–Mar 17 |
| Zone 7b | Transplant outdoors Feb 18–Mar 11 |
| Zone 8a | Transplant outdoors Feb 8–Mar 1 |
| Zone 8b | Transplant outdoors Feb 1–Feb 22 |
| Zone 9a | Transplant outdoors Jan 17–Feb 7 |
| Zone 9b | Transplant outdoors Jan 4–Jan 25 |
| Zone 10a | Transplant outdoors Dec 20–Jan 10 |
| Zone 10b | Transplant outdoors Dec 4–Dec 25 |
| Zone 11a | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |
| Zone 11b | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |
| Zone 12a | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |
| Zone 12b | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |
| Zone 13a | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |
| Zone 13b | Transplant outdoors Nov 20–Dec 11 |