Red Currant Rovada

Red Currant ‘Rovada’ is a classic, high-yielding redcurrant valued for its impressive, long trusses of bright red berries and excellent garden reliability. The fruits have a fresh, tangy-sweet flavour that’s perfect for jams, jellies, sauces, baking, and freezing, and they also make an attractive garnish for summer desserts. Because it crops heavily and ripens later in the season, it’s ideal for extending the soft-fruit harvest in kitchen gardens and allotments. The tidy, productive shrub fits well into mixed edible borders and can be grown as a bush or trained on wires as a cordon for easy picking.

The plant typically grows to a height of 100 cm (39 inches) and forms a sturdy, branching shrub that carries generous clusters of berries in mid to late summer. ‘Rovada’ performs best in full sun to light shade in fertile, well-drained soil and benefits from even moisture during flowering and fruit set for the best berry size and juiciness. Mulch annually to conserve moisture and improve soil structure, and protect ripening trusses from birds with netting if needed. Prune in winter to maintain an open framework and encourage productive young wood, which helps keep crops high and harvesting straightforward year after year.

• Plant species: Ribes rubrum (red currant), cultivar ‘Rovada’
• Height: 100 cm
• Fruit size: Medium (may vary with growing conditions)
• Fruit color: Bright red (shade may vary with maturity)
• Harvest period: Mid to late summer (varies by climate)