How to Grow and Care for Alpine Currant
It is relatively easy to learn how to grow and care for the alpine currant. Alpine currant, officially known as "ribes alpinum," is a wonderfully hardy transplant from Europe that is known to grow and thrive in stateside gardens as well. This hardy, shiny green-leafed plant can grow up to four feet in diameter, remaining unruffled by the elements, the birds, the bees, or the pests. Interestingly, the female of the genus produces dark red fruits in summer, but the female are hard to come by from commercial plant sellers. Both male and female plants will produce yellow to green flowers in the shape of a bell. This durable, enduring plant can survive in temperatures considered arctic by human standards - up to 50 below zero. The very denseness of alpine currant's leafy growth is a protection both for branches and roots alike.
This very hardiness makes it relatively easy to grow and care for alpine currant plants in almost any climate, and regardless of the prior experience of the gardener. To get started, dig a hole in the soil that is approximately twice the size of the root ball to be planted. Root balls may respond well to mild fertilization from mulch mixed in with the soil. Ensure that the soil is moist but not soggy, and pack in the soil and mulch mixture close around the root ball up to the stem. Make sure that the soil has adequate drainage to avoid rotting the roots.
Alpine currant plants must be pruned regularly for plant health. Prior to flowering, pruning is done to remove damaged or dead growth. Following flowering, to encourage continued flowering throughout the blooming season, cut back midway into the flowering portion of the stems to encourage new blossoms to grow. For optimal health, prune again in late summer to remove dead blossoms prior to the winter season. In this way, enjoy alpine currant's beauty all year long.
