Editing Blackcurrant (section)

===Site selection and planting===

Blackcurrants can grow well on sandy or heavy loams, or forest soils, as long as their nutrient requirements are met. They prefer damp, fertile but not waterlogged ground and are intolerant of [[drought]]. Although the bushes are winter hardy, [[frost]]s during the flowering period may adversely affect the yield<ref name=AgroAtlas/> and cold winds may restrict the number of flying insects visiting and pollinating the flowers. A [[soil pH]] of about 6 is ideal for blackcurrants and the ground can be limed if the soil is too acidic. Planting is usually done in the autumn or winter to allow the plants to become established before growth starts in the spring,<ref name=Gilbert>{{cite book |title=Soft Fruit Growing |last=Gilbert |first=E. G. |year=1970 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=1445512254 |pages=101–118 }}</ref> but container-grown stock can be planted at any time of year.<ref name=RHS>{{cite web |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/fruit/blackcurrants |title=Grow your own blackcurrants |publisher=Royal Horticultural Society |access-date=2016-07-14}}</ref>

Two-year-old bushes are usually planted but strong one-year-old stock can also be used. Planting certified stock avoids the risk of introducing [[Plant virus|viruses]]. On a garden scale the plants can be set at intervals of {{convert|1.5|to|1.8|m|abbr=on|frac=2|ft}} or they can be set in rows with planting intervals of {{convert|1.2|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and row separations of {{convert|2.5|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} or more. In the UK, young bushes are generally planted deeper than their initial growing level to encourage new stems to grow from the base.<ref name=Gilbert/>