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When & how do blackcurrents need to be pruned

Any help would be great
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  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    I prune out old wood after picking the blackcurrants. You can prune now though. Just take out oldest wood to keep an open shape. It will fruit on one year old wood, better on two year old wood ,but three year old is not as good . Take out the oldest wood, and renew on a three year cycle. I use loppers and cut down to the base.

  • That's great thanks so much image
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,065

    My method is to cut off the stems that have fruited and retire to the terrace with a cuppa or glass of wine and sit and strip the fruit in comfort without cricking my neck or squishing my knees.   This automatically prunes out the oldest wood and leaves the plant to ripen next year's stems and make new ones for the following season.

    Other than that, prune out any dead, damaged or frozen stems after the worst frosts of winter are over and make sure the plants have plenty of mulch to retain moisture and encourage good soil organisms.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • My thanks too to all of you giving advice.  I have a small blackcurrant bush which managed to sow itself in my front garden and for the last two years has produced enough fruit for a couple of crumbles.  This year unfortunately the birds started to find it, so I will have to try and net next year.  But I will have a go at pruning lightly this year and then do the cutting of fruited stems next year.

  • I have just logged back on after falling asleep early last night...thanks Obelixx and Verdun, I like both styles but this is very helpful. 

    So now is the best time to prune or shall I wait a bit longer 

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,065

    Pruning time is picking time and for me that's July when the fruits are ripe.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Krissy 2Krissy 2 Posts: 9

    That is a very clever way of pruning just cut the fruiting branch out, no need to break your back picking fruit, why didn't I think of that, got any smart ways to pick and prune gooseberry bushes lads. And how do I prune my summer fruiting raspberry bushes, and please don't start with leaders and lateral and all that malarkey haven't a clue what that means, please help me in plain English.????????

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,617

    Summer fruiting razzers. They will now be fruiting on last years canes, and the leaves on old canes go yellow. After all the fruit has gone, cut the old canes down to the ground. The new canes that are probably still green will go on to fruit next year.

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