Currants (Ribes spp.) grow easily from seed but they need special treatment or you'll be looking at bare soil and no seedlings indefinitely. Currants grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. In warmer climates, plant currant bushes in a cool spot with northern exposure.
Stratification and Currant Seeds
Currant seeds require stratification before they will germinate. Stratification is the a treatment for seeds that softens the seed coat and stimulates germination. Stratification methods are seed-specific. Depending on the seed, stratification methods include soaking, chilling, heating or scarring of the seed coat. Currant seeds need a period of chilling before they will germinate. The chill period emulates the period of cold weather a currant seed would experience in its natural environment during the winter before spring sprouting.
Stratification Method and Requirements
Peat moss works well for stratifying seeds. The porous, soilless mix protects the seeds from drying out during the chilling period. Place the seeds between two layers of slightly damp peat moss and then put them into a bucket or plastic bag. Poke holes in the container to allow air circulation during stratification. Put the bucket or bag of currant seeds somewhere that stays at 33 to 34 degrees Fahrenheit , such as a refrigerator, for three to four months. The seeds need to be just slightly above freezing. If temperatures drop below freezing, it can damage the seeds and prevent germination.
Planting Currant Seeds
Use sand, peat moss or a soilless seed-starting mix to grow currant seedlings. Avoid unsterilized potting soil and garden soil because it contains microbes that can hinder germination. Place the currant seeds on top of the damp mix and cover them with a thin layer of soil. You can simply press the seeds gently into the mix and then brush the soil over the top. Currant seeds germinate best at a temperature between 65 and 75 F in bright, indirect light.
Planting and Fruit Production
Once the seedlings germinate, transplant them from the seed flat into individual pots. The current bush seedlings can be planted out in the garden the following fall or you can wait until spring to plant. In mild climates, you can plant currant shrubs in winter. Currant bushes grown from seed will begin producing fruit in the second or third year.
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