Blackcurrant 'Ben Alder' Bush

Overview

Experience exceptional productivity with Blackcurrant 'Ben Alder', a premium Scottish-bred variety that represents the pinnacle of modern blackcurrant breeding. This remarkable cultivar combines extraordinary yields with outstanding commercial-grade quality, delivering heavy crops of intensely flavoured berries rich in vitamin C and natural antioxidants. Perfect for gardeners seeking maximum productivity from minimal space, 'Ben Alder' delivers professional-quality fruit suitable for juice production, preserves, and culinary applications whilst demonstrating remarkable hardiness and disease resistance that makes home cultivation both successful and rewarding.

Key Features

• Variety Type: Mid-season, high-yielding blackcurrant

• Planting Season: Jan to April

• Harvest Period: July 

• Mature Height: 1.2 metres

• Spread: 1.2 metres

• Berry Characteristics: Small to medium berries with exceptional juice content and vitamin C

• Productivity: Up to 4.5kg (10lb) per established bush

• Productive Lifespan: 15-20 years once established

• Hardiness: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -20 to -15 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H6)

Scottish Excellence in Breeding

Blackcurrant 'Ben Alder' represents the finest achievement of The James Hutton Institute (formerly the Scottish Crop Research Institute), combining decades of selective breeding expertise with practical growing requirements. This sophisticated variety demonstrates the exceptional quality of Scottish horticultural research, delivering commercial-grade performance that transforms home fruit growing. The breeding programme focused on maximising yields whilst maintaining exceptional fruit quality, resulting in a variety that satisfies both productivity and flavour requirements.

Exceptional Commercial-Grade Yields

This variety excels in productivity, consistently delivering the highest yields in commercial trials and establishing itself as the benchmark for blackcurrant production. In commercial trials in Norfolk it was the highest yielding variety, demonstrating its exceptional capacity to produce abundant crops. Once fully established will produce up to 4.5kg (10lb) of fruit per bush, ensuring remarkable returns from garden space investment. The extraordinary productivity makes this variety particularly valuable for gardeners seeking maximum harvests for preserving, juice making, and culinary applications.

Superior Juice Production Quality

Beyond exceptional yields, 'Ben Alder' delivers outstanding juice quality with high juice content and exceptional vitamin C levels that make it highly prized for health-conscious gardeners. The quality is excellent with high colour stability, ensuring consistent results in preserves and beverages. The intense flavour concentration and natural antioxidant content provide premium nutritional benefits whilst delivering the authentic blackcurrant taste that makes homemade products superior to commercial alternatives.

Late Flowering Frost Protection

This variety demonstrates exceptional seasonal timing with late flowering that escapes spring frosts, ensuring reliable annual cropping even in challenging climate conditions. The delayed flowering provides natural protection against late spring frosts that can devastate earlier varieties, making 'Ben Alder' particularly valuable for gardens in frost-prone locations. This reliable flowering characteristic ensures consistent harvests year after year without the disappointment of frost-damaged crops.

Outstanding Disease Resistance

'Ben Alder' exhibits good resistance to mildew and leaf spot, reducing maintenance requirements whilst ensuring healthy, productive plants. The strong disease resistance eliminates many common problems that affect blackcurrants, making this variety particularly suitable for organic growing and low-maintenance cultivation. This natural resistance ensures consistent productivity without the need for chemical interventions.

Optimal Growing Position

Blackcurrant 'Ben Alder' prefers a position in full sun but will tolerate semi shade, demonstrating remarkable adaptability to different garden situations. Shelter from cold winds and late spring frosts optimises performance, though the late flowering provides natural frost protection. Plant in a sunny position that is sheltered from cold winds for maximum productivity and fruit quality development.

Soil Requirements

This variety thrives in rich, moist, well drained soil that provides the fertility needed for exceptional yields. Use a rich, moisture retentive soil that is incorporated with plenty of well-rotted manure and free of weeds to ensure optimal growing conditions. The soil should maintain consistent moisture throughout the growing season whilst providing adequate drainage to prevent waterlogging during winter months.

Planting Instructions

Plant between October and March when bushes are dormant and soil conditions are suitable. Plant in rows 1.5m (5') apart to accommodate mature size and facilitate maintenance access. Prepare planting areas thoroughly by incorporating generous amounts of well-rotted organic matter and ensuring the site is completely free of perennial weeds before planting.

Establishment and Early Care

Begin fruiting in the second year with crops steadily increasing as plants mature and establish strong root systems. Estimated time to cropping once planted: 16-20 months for bareroot plants, ensuring relatively quick returns on garden investment. The establishment period requires consistent care and feeding to develop the robust framework needed for exceptional long-term productivity.

Harvesting Excellence

Begin regular harvesting from July through August when berries develop their characteristic deep black colouration and rich flavour. Ripe fruit will only hang on the bush for a limited time, requiring timely picking to maintain quality and prevent losses. The concentrated harvest period provides abundant quantities suitable for large-scale preserving, juice making, and culinary applications.

Maintenance Requirements

Virtually no maintenance required once established, making this variety particularly suitable for gardeners seeking productive fruit growing without intensive care. Regular feeding and annual pruning maintain optimal productivity, whilst the natural disease resistance reduces the need for preventive treatments. Apply balanced fertiliser annually and maintain consistent moisture during the growing season.

Pruning Guidelines

Follow standard blackcurrant pruning practices by removing approximately one-quarter of the oldest wood each winter to maintain vigorous growth and maximum productivity. The late flowering characteristic means pruning can be completed without concern about removing flower buds, as these develop on current season's growth. Regular pruning ensures continued high yields and maintains manageable bush size.

Culinary Applications

• Juice Production: Outstanding for homemade blackcurrant juice with exceptional vitamin C content
• Preserves: Perfect for jams and jellies with intense flavour and natural pectin content
• Cordials: Ideal for traditional blackcurrant cordial with concentrated flavour
• Baking: Excellent in summer puddings, pies, and traditional British desserts
• Health Drinks: Perfect for antioxidant-rich smoothies and vitamin C supplements
• Commercial Quality: Suitable for larger-scale processing and preserving projects

Nutritional Benefits

The exceptional vitamin C content and natural antioxidants provide outstanding health benefits, making homegrown blackcurrants valuable nutritional supplements. The concentrated flavour and natural compounds offer superior health properties compared to commercial alternatives, whilst the freshness ensures maximum retention of beneficial nutrients.

Garden Design Integration

Plan placement considering the mature size and productive lifespan of this permanent planting. The compact dimensions make 'Ben Alder' suitable for smaller gardens whilst the exceptional yields ensure worthwhile harvests. Position where easy access facilitates regular harvesting and where the productive nature provides convenient supplies for kitchen use.

Commercial Growing Potential

Popular with commercial growers for juice production, this variety offers serious gardeners the opportunity to achieve professional-quality results. The exceptional yields and premium fruit quality make it suitable for gardeners interested in small-scale commercial production or extensive home processing requirements.

Storage and Processing

The high juice content and excellent colour stability make 'Ben Alder' particularly suitable for long-term storage through freezing, juice extraction, and preserve making. The concentrated harvest period allows efficient processing of large quantities, ensuring year-round supplies of premium blackcurrant products.

Growing Success Tips

Success with this exceptional variety depends on proper soil preparation, adequate spacing, and consistent seasonal care that supports the remarkable productivity potential. The investment in quality growing conditions will be rewarded with decades of outstanding harvests that provide commercial-grade fruit from home cultivation. Maintain regular feeding with balanced fertiliser, ensure consistent moisture during fruit development, and follow proper pruning practices to maximise the extraordinary yields this variety can deliver. Your 'Ben Alder' blackcurrant will become the cornerstone of productive fruit growing, demonstrating that exceptional commercial-quality results are achievable in home gardens with the right variety selection and proper cultivation techniques.