1. Blackcurrant 'Ben Tirran'

Overview

Extend your blackcurrant season with Blackcurrant 'Ben Tirran', the exceptional late-flowering Scottish variety that delivers outstanding crops when other varieties have finished. Bred by the Scottish Crop Research Institute and released in 1990, this remarkable cultivar is the latest to ripen of all commonly grown varieties, providing fresh blackcurrants well into August when they're most appreciated. Perfect for gardeners who want to maximise their harvest season, 'Ben Tirran' combines excellent disease resistance with outstanding flavour intensity, making it an essential addition to any serious fruit garden.

Key Features

• Plant Type: Vigorous upright deciduous fruiting bush

• Planting Season: October to March

• Mature Height: 1.5m

• Spread: 1.5m

• Harvest Period: Late July

• Berry Characteristics: Medium-sized berries with rich, full flavour

• Productive Lifespan: 15-20 years with proper care

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

Season Extension Excellence

Blackcurrant 'Ben Tirran' stands out as the ultimate variety for extending the blackcurrant harvest season. Ben Tirran is the latest to ripen of all the commonly grown varieties and extends the cropping season, whilst it is a very late cropping variety, extending the blackcurrant season. This timing provides fresh blackcurrants when they're most valued and other varieties have finished.

Late Flowering Advantage

One of 'Ben Tirran's' greatest strengths lies in its late flowering characteristic that provides natural frost protection. Late flowering too so less likely to be affected by frosts, whilst it also flowers late, making it a good choice for colder areas. This late flowering ensures reliable crops even in challenging spring conditions.

Outstanding Crop Yields

Despite producing medium-sized berries, 'Ben Tirran' delivers exceptional productivity that makes it highly valuable for home gardens. Very heavy high yielding, whilst the yield is slightly above average and it produces consistently heavy crops. The reliable productivity makes this variety an excellent investment for serious blackcurrant growers.

Superior Flavour Characteristics

'Ben Tirran' produces berries with exceptional flavour intensity that makes them particularly valued for culinary applications. Excellent quality fruits and very heavy high yielding with a good flavour, whilst the berries are small to medium sized with a rich, full flavour. Plentiful, deliciously sweet/sharp, medium sized currants provide the perfect balance for both fresh eating and processing.

Excellent Disease Resistance

The variety demonstrates outstanding natural resistance to common blackcurrant diseases, making it particularly suitable for organic growing approaches. Good disease resistance due to the late flowering season, whilst good disease resistance, especially to mildew. This natural resistance reduces maintenance requirements and ensures reliable performance.

Vigorous Compact Growth

'Ben Tirran' combines vigorous growth with a manageable compact habit that makes it suitable for various garden sizes. The bush is vigorous, yet compact, upright in habit, whilst Ben Tirran is a late flowering variety that is vigorous and has a compact growth habit. This growth pattern maximises productivity whilst remaining manageable.

Simultaneous Ripening

The variety offers the convenience of simultaneous fruit ripening that enables efficient harvesting during the peak season. Berries ripen simultaneously, allowing for bulk harvesting when fruit reaches peak quality. This characteristic makes processing and preserving particularly efficient.

Excellent Processing Quality

'Ben Tirran' berries are particularly well-suited to cooking and preserving applications due to their flavour concentration and processing characteristics. Cook down well, whilst taste is slightly tart and full-flavoured. The intense flavour makes this variety exceptional for jams, preserves, and baking applications.

Cold Hardy Performance

This Scottish-bred variety demonstrates exceptional tolerance to harsh weather conditions, making it reliable even in challenging climates. One of the late-flowering, cold-resistant Ben series developed in Scotland, ensuring consistent performance across diverse UK growing conditions.

Ideal Growing Position

Plant 'Ben Tirran' in full sun to partial shade positions where it receives adequate light for optimal fruit development. Plant full sun to partial shade, ensuring good air circulation around the bush. The vigorous nature benefits from positions with adequate space for mature growth.

Soil Requirements

'Ben Tirran' thrives in rich, moisture-retentive soil that supports its vigorous growth and heavy cropping capacity. A good, rich and moisture-retentive soil is preferred, whilst soil: well drained and moist but well-drained soil. The variety adapts to various soil types whilst performing best in fertile conditions.

Planting and Spacing

Plant between October and March, spacing bushes 1.5-2 metres apart to accommodate the vigorous mature growth. Space plants 1.5 to 2 metres apart, whilst plant 1.5m (5ft) apart. Plant lower than the nursery soil-mark to encourage new growth from below soil level.

Self-Fertile Reliability

'Ben Tirran' is self-fertile, producing excellent crops as a single plant without requiring pollination partners. Self-fertile, making it perfect for gardeners with limited space or those wanting guaranteed fruit production from individual bushes.

Establishment and Early Productivity

Young plants establish steadily and begin productive cropping within the first few years after planting. The vigorous nature ensures rapid framework development whilst the late flowering characteristic provides insurance against early season setbacks.

Harvesting Excellence

Harvest from late July through August when berries develop their full dark colour and rich flavour intensity. Fruits in August, whilst they ripen to a dark purple / black colour in early August and fruits July to August depending on weather conditions. The simultaneous ripening enables efficient bulk harvesting.

Nutritional Support Requirements

The vigorous growth and heavy cropping nature require generous feeding to maintain optimal performance. Blackcurrants are hungry plants so dig plenty of organic matter into the soil before planting. Regular feeding supports the substantial fruit production throughout the season.

Pruning and Management

Maintain the bush through standard blackcurrant pruning practices, removing old wood over three years old to encourage vigorous new growth. The upright habit makes pruning straightforward whilst the vigorous nature ensures rapid replacement growth.

Wildlife and Ecological Value

'Ben Tirran' provides valuable ecological benefits throughout the growing season, supporting beneficial insects during its flowering period whilst providing habitat and food sources for garden wildlife.

Annual Care Programme

Apply balanced fertiliser in early spring to support the heavy fruit production, followed by generous organic mulching to maintain soil fertility and moisture levels. The disease resistance minimises intervention requirements whilst the vigorous growth responds well to good nutrition.

Culinary Applications

• Premium Preserves: Rich, full flavour creates exceptional artisan jams and jellies

• Seasonal Extension: Late harvest extends fresh blackcurrant availability

• Baking Excellence: Intense flavour enhances pies, crumbles, and desserts

• Cooking Applications: Excellent processing qualities for sauces and compotes

• Juicing: Full flavour creates superior cordials and beverages

• Freezing: Late season harvest perfect for winter storage

Season Planning Advantage

'Ben Tirran' provides the perfect complement to earlier varieties, creating a succession of fresh blackcurrants from mid-summer through late summer. This timing enables extended fresh eating whilst providing peak-season fruit for preserving when processing time is most available.

Processing and Storage

The excellent keeping qualities and superior cooking characteristics make 'Ben Tirran' particularly valuable for gardeners who enjoy preserving and processing their harvest. The concentrated flavour ensures exceptional results in all culinary applications.

Companion Planting

Plant alongside earlier blackcurrant varieties to create a complete harvest succession. The vigorous growth works well with other robust fruit bushes whilst the late flowering complements spring garden displays.

Investment Value

The combination of season extension, exceptional productivity, and superior processing qualities makes 'Ben Tirran' an outstanding long-term investment for serious fruit gardeners. The variety's proven track record and unique harvest timing ensure valuable returns over many productive years.

Growing Success Tips

Success with 'Ben Tirran' centres on providing the rich, moisture-retentive soil and adequate spacing that supports its vigorous growth and heavy cropping capacity. Take advantage of the late flowering to avoid frost damage whilst planning harvest timing to maximise the season extension benefits. The variety's natural disease resistance and vigorous growth make it forgiving whilst rewarding good care with exceptional crops. Your 'Ben Tirran' blackcurrant will establish itself as the perfect season-extending addition to your fruit garden, delivering outstanding harvests of richly flavoured berries when they're most valued, proving that the best is truly saved for last.