Blackcurrant vs Redcurrant

In Central Europe blackcurrant, which comes from cooler and more even climates, struggles in hot, dry lowland summers: it needs a lot of water, drops its leaves early and crops poorly in scorching sun, and its early flowers are damaged by even a light frost. It does not tolerate calcareous, alkaline or drying soils. Its most serious problem is the blackcurrant gall mite, which swells the buds (big bud) and spreads the incurable reversion virus (affected bushes have to be removed). Currant clearwing moth, aphids, powdery mildew and leaf spot with early leaf drop are also common.

In Central Europe it copes badly with hot, dry lowland summers: in scorching sun and drying soil it drops its leaves early and the berries stay small and fall, so watering and mulching are needed. It also dislikes strongly calcareous, alkaline soil. The most common pest is the currant clearwing moth, whose caterpillar bores out the inside of the canes, along with the redcurrant blister aphid that puckers the leaves. Diseases include leaf spot (with early leaf drop), powdery mildew and, less often, rust.