First red harvest
Fruit ripens from late June, bringing vivid red colour earlier than many other cultivars.
Ribes rubrum ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ 13cm
Normal price
€10,00
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Ribes rubrum ‘Jonkheer van Tets’
If you can turn on a tap, you can look after it 💦
- Very early ripening
- Large vivid-red berries
- Vigorous upright bush
- Self-fertile cultivar
Ribes rubrum ‘Jonkheer van Tets’ opens the redcurrant season with long gleaming strings and lively refreshing flavour. Large red berries ripen early, cut easily in whole clusters and transform desserts, jellies and summer bowls. The strong upright bush fills quickly, remains productive with simple renewal and brings the timeless look of a classic European fruit garden.
Because it flowers early, plant it away from frost pockets and cover the blossom temporarily if a late frost is forecast.
What makes it special
‘Jonkheer van Tets’ remains a benchmark for very early picking, long strings and vigorous growth.
Long strings
Berries are spaced along elongated stalks that cut and present beautifully as complete clusters.
Strong framework
Upright stems quickly form a productive bush or a clean wire-trained row.
Why you will love it: It is the choice for anyone wanting classic redcurrant flavour and a basket that fills before the main summer harvest begins.
In the garden & on the terracePositioning & plant combinationsA bright cool position with good cold-air drainage and easy access for protecting early flowers.
Ideal position
Give it sun to bright partial shade and 1.2–1.5m from other shrubs. Avoid low enclosed spots where cold air settles in spring.
Compatible combinations
Cool-shade spring plants frame the early blossom and recede visually as the strings turn red.
- Pulmonaria officinalis — It flowers early for bees and covers the outer partially shaded zone at low level.
- Myosotis sylvatica — A blue cloud fills spring gaps and is easily removed afterwards.
- Brunnera macrophylla — Silver-green leaves brighten the ground and tolerate cool shade on the north side.
Care at a glance
Light
Sun to partial shade; avoid fierce reflected heat.
Water
Deep watering when the surface dries, especially while berries fill.
Climate & hardiness
Very hardy in winter; its very early flowers are the sensitive stage during late spring frost.
Safety
Wash fully ripe fruit before eating.
Detailed careComplete care guideSoil, watering, support, feeding and cultivar-specific prevention.
Soil & drainage
Plant in fertile, humus-rich soil that holds even moisture without waterlogging. An organic mulch over the outer root zone keeps the soil cool.
Watering
Water deeply when the surface dries, with particular consistency from flowering until the berries fill. Avoid both prolonged drought and permanently saturated soil.
Shape & airflow
Keep 8–10 upright stems as a bush or tie three main arms to two wires for a narrow row.
Feeding
In early spring add mature compost and a balanced fruit-shrub feed according to its label. Stop nitrogen-rich applications early in summer.
Heat & moisture
In regions with very hot summers choose morning sun and afternoon shade. A lasting mulch and deep watering protect the shallow roots.
Prevent problems
Thin a crowded centre, remove low branches and cover blossom with light fabric only on nights when frost is forecast.
From flower to basketFruiting & harvestSimple guidance on pollination, ripening, picking and protecting the crop.
Pollination
It is self-fertile and crops alone. A second early redcurrant provides more pollen when weather restricts insects.
When it ripens
Harvest usually starts from late June and continues into early July.
How to harvest
Wait until the whole string turns bright red. Snip the central stalk with small scissors without squeezing the berries.
Fruit protection
Place taut netting over a frame as colouring begins and leave clear access for frequent picking.
After planting: water deeply, retain a few strong upright stems and let the first fruiting laterals form without hard shortening.
Clear pruning planHow to prune this fruiting plantLate winter, before very early bud break
When to prune
Late winter, before very early bud break
‘Jonkheer van Tets’ fruits mainly on short laterals carried by one- to three-year-old wood. Prune early, retain vigorous middle-aged wood and gradually renew old stems without removing the stout fruiting spurs.
01
Build
Vigorous establishment
Action: Choose 5–6 upright basal stems and remove only very thin, broken or inward competitors.
Retain: Keep natural length so short laterals can form.
02
Train
Early production
Action: Remove crossing branches and shorten only overlong non-fruiting laterals above an outward bud. Leave short swollen spurs intact.
Retain: Keep 8–10 well-lit stems aged one to three years.
03
Renew
Gradual renewal
Action: Cut 1–2 of the darkest ageing stems at ground level and retain the same number of strong new replacements.
Retain: Keep an open centre and ample middle-aged wood for early strings.
New / productive — retainOld or exhausted woodCut point
Clean tools
Use sharp, clean tools suited to the diameter of the wood.
After harvest
Remove only broken or very low laterals. Remaining foliage ripens the buds for next spring.
Do not do this: Do not delay major pruning until early buds open, and do not cut the short stout fruiting spurs.
Development over timeHow the plant developsA realistic path from establishment to mature form.
Upright new stems
Strong green shoots quickly build a tall narrow framework.
Early flowering
Short laterals open greenish flowers before foliage becomes fully dense.
Long red lines
Strings hang beneath the leaves and colour almost together in early summer.
Mature habit & dimensions
Mature form in 4–6 yearsHeight 1.5–1.8mSpread 1.2–1.5mVigorous upright bush
Upright main stems carry short side shoots and fruiting spurs. Long red fruit strings hang between lobed leaves within a relatively open crown.
Form through the seasons
Very early flowers · fruit late JuneDutch classicVery earlyLong strings
Early springGreen-white flowers open in hanging racemes on the short fruiting shoots.
Early summerElongated strigs fill with translucent red berries, each held on its own small stalk.
Its early start is the key advantage and the reason frost pockets should be avoided.
What to expect after planting: Strong green shoots quickly build a tall narrow framework.
History & originCultivar originThe 1931 Dutch selection that established the standard for very early redcurrants.
‘Jonkheer van Tets’ was created at Schellinkhout in North Holland by grower Jurie Maarse. In 1931 he singled out an exceptional seedling descended from the American cultivar ‘Fay’s Prolific’.
The new plant stood out because it flowered and ripened earlier without losing berry size or bright-red colour. Long strings and vigorous upright growth made the selection especially practical for the early Dutch market.
After several years of observation the cultivar entered commerce in 1941 as ‘Jonkheer van Tets’. Its aristocratic Dutch name became associated with earliness, and the cultivar spread across Europe as a classic benchmark.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forBotanical detail behind the plant's appearance and behaviour
Early dormancy release
Buds complete their chilling requirement quickly and respond to the first mild temperatures. The same physiology that gives an early harvest exposes flowers to late frost.
Spurs and wood age
Flower buds are concentrated on short laterals carried by one- to three-year-old wood. Gradual renewal maintains this zone without removing all mature wood.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers for choosing, growing, harvesting and pruning this exact cultivar.
01Does it need another plant?
No. It is self-fertile, while another early redcurrant may enhance fruit set.
02How large does it become?
Approximately 1.5–1.8m high and 1.2–1.5m wide as a vigorous upright bush.
03Is it suitable for a container?
Yes, in a large deep container with even watering and protection of early blossom from late frost.
04When is the fruit picked?
From late June into early July, when whole strings turn bright red.
05Why does frost need attention?
It flowers very early. Temporarily cover open blossom only when night frost is forecast.
06When should it be pruned?
In late winter before its very early buds open, gradually removing old wood.
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