Currants are easily propagated by hardwood cuttings of one-year old wood. Take one-foot cuttings of dormant wood in late winter, dip the base in rooting hormone and pot in ordinary soil. Cuttings will quickly root and are best kept in part shade for the first year. If the plants are to be grown as standards, strip all buds off cutting below soil line. Currants can also be grafted, but no advantage is gained.
Currants are subject to a variety of insect and disease pests.
Affected buds swell, form dried rosettes, and fail to break during following spring. Whole stem becomes blind and dies back to ground. Plant should be removed and burned immediately upon detection. Aphids commonly distort currant foliage causing red spots. Spider mites are common and also cause foliar distortion.