blackcurrants in bud & winter's due to arrive next week

[Ali.A]

This is my first winter on my allotment (prior to which the most I had grown from seed were tomatoes) and whilst I had a VERY successful summer I'm a bit concerned about my established blackcurrant bush. I'm in Devon and like most of the country it's been very mild up until now, most of the time in double figures day and night. Having briefly checked my allotment over Christmas I noticed that my blackcurrant bush has started to bud and now we are expecting a change in the weather and a drop in temperature from next week. Should I be worried? Should I be doing anything to protect the buds?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[chrisdb]

This is my first winter on my allotment (prior to which the most I had grown from seed were tomatoes) and whilst I had a VERY successful summer I'm a bit concerned about my established blackcurrant bush. I'm in Devon and like most of the country it's been very mild up until now, most of the time in double figures day and night. Having briefly checked my allotment over Christmas I noticed that my blackcurrant bush has started to bud and now we are expecting a change in the weather and a drop in temperature from next week. Should I be worried? Should I be doing anything to protect the buds?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm in Nottingham, and my blackcurrants are also showing signs of life. Personally, I don't intend to do anything - the entire currant family is very cold hardy and can be grown up to the edge of the Arctic Circle. I wouldn't worry unless the plants actually start flowering - although blackcurrants have high chilling hour requirements, so the mild winter might actually make successful flowering less likely.

[lottie dolly]

A few years ago on here,i rubbed off some buds purely as an experiment for the same reason,would they be no good,the up shot was,DO NOT RUB OF BUDS,they will not regrow until 2017,of the ones i left alone,they were all fine,and gave me black currants,so just leave them be,also in trying to cover up,you will still damage the buds

[KairdiffKid]

They should be fine, as has been said they are cold hardy (and like blueberries need a decent amount of cold over the winter to perform well).

In general it's frosts when fruits are flowering that you need to worry

[Kirk]

Just leave them, they will be fine.
They have had about 380 million years of experience to work things out.

[Ali.A]

Thanks for all of your replies