How to prune your currant bushes
When should I prune my currant bushes?
Currant bushes should be pruned either in autumn or late winter, when all the berries have been picked and the leaves begin to fall from the bushes. It is most advantageous to prune the currant bushes according to the season, i.e. in autumn. If you are going to prune the bushes in late winter, it is important to make sure that the buds have not started to swell.
How to prune currant bushes
How often you should prune your currant bushes depends on the variety and colour of your currants. Currant bushes should be pruned quite heavily – this will help ensure a bountiful harvest with large and dense bunches of currants. The goal of pruning is to create an airy shrub with branches that grow upwards.
Remove old branches – make room for new shoots
Currant bushes usually produce currants on branches that are 2-5 years old. Therefore, it is a good idea to remove an old branch every two years, so that the bush can be rejuvenated while still producing berries. If you have large currant bushes, a rule of thumb is to keep 25-30 branches and leave 7-8 new shoots. If the currant bush is smaller, aim to leave 20-25 branches and 5-6 new shoots.
How to prune white and red currant bushes
White and red currant bushes should be pruned either in late winter or in autumn, according to the season. Cut off dead, diseased, and weak branches. Prune the branches as close to the ground as possible.
- For your bush to be as compact as possible, you should prune back new shoots that have appeared during the season to about half of their length.
- Prune your currant bush as close to the ground as possible.
How to prune blackcurrant bushes
Even blackcurrant bushes thrive best if you prune them in late winter or later in the autumn when it has stopped producing currants. Blackcurrants form new buds on both the current year’s shoots and the older branches.
- If your currant bush is older and looking sad, you should to rejuvenation prune it vigorously, as far down as 5-10 centimetres above the ground.
- But make sure to leave a strong bud on each stem, so that it can recover and grow again.
- Cut off diseased, dead, and drooping branches.
- Also cut off damaged and intersecting shoots that block light from entering the bush.
- As a rule of thumb, you should prune one-third of the oldest stems each year.
Tools for pruning currant bushes
Currant bushes can sometimes grow really big, so you should use loppers to prune them and to reach the branches deep inside the bush. A pair of sharp secateurs is also essential for cutting the outer branches. And it’s also always a good idea to wear a pair of gardening gloves.
