How Do I Know When Currants Are Ready to Pick?

The timing of currant harvest makes a significant difference to flavour. Pick too early and the berries are sharp, hard, and disappointing; wait until they are fully ripe and the balance of sweetness and acidity is at its best. Currant varieties ripen at different times through summer, and conditions in any particular year affect harvest timing, so knowing what to look for in the fruit rather than relying on a fixed date is the most reliable approach.

Blackcurrant harvest timing

Blackcurrants ripen in July in most temperate climates, though early varieties can be ready from late June and late varieties may not be fully ripe until August. The berries should be fully black and slightly soft to the touch. A common mistake is to pick when the first berries on a strig have turned black, while the others at the tip are still reddish. Wait until the entire strig has turned fully black before picking. Taste a berry — a ripe blackcurrant has a deep, rich, sweet-tart flavour. An unripe one is harsh and sharp with no sweetness.

Redcurrant harvest timing

Redcurrants typically ripen from late June through July. The berries turn a rich, translucent red and begin to feel slightly soft. Like blackcurrants, full ripeness on the entire strig is the target — the berries at the base of the strig ripen first, those at the tip last. Pick the entire strig when all the berries have developed full colour. Leaving them longer than this increases the risk of birds taking them and botrytis setting in during wet weather.

White currant harvest timing

White currants ripen at a similar time to redcurrants. They do not change dramatically in colour when ripe — they remain pale yellow-white — but the berries soften slightly, become translucent, and develop a noticeably sweeter flavour than unripe fruit. Taste is the best guide for white currants. They are generally sweeter than redcurrants and can be left slightly longer on the bush without the same risk of spoiling.

Picking method

All currants are best picked as complete strigs (the whole fruit-bearing stalk) rather than picking individual berries. Stripping individual berries from the strig is slow, damages the fruit, and is hard on the skin. Hold the fruiting stem above the strig and pull the strig off in one clean motion, or use small scissors to snip the strig off at its junction with the main branch. Collect the strigs in a shallow container to avoid crushing the fruit at the bottom.

Picking in stages

In a large bush or a varied planting of early and late varieties, harvest may take place over two to three weeks. Check the bushes every few days during the ripening window. Birds will take fully ripe fruit quickly, so regular picking — or netting the bushes before harvest — is important to protect the crop.