[SimonWray]

Can anyone please offer some advice as to when (I assume about now) and how to prune these currents?

The first is a red current, not sure about the second, but I think white.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3EZkQYdAevI6YNsz6-pPiw?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NYzkaJqDXQVY6qSTF3Pqgg?feat=directlink

Thanks
Simon

[Trillium]

Red and white-currants both carry their fruit on two or three year old fruiting spurs. The best time to prune is in February or very early March just before the buds begin to swell on a day when no frost is expected for 24 hours.

First, take out all wood that is over three years old (very dark) at ground level. Then thin out the wood that remains so that each bush has a total of nine strong canes - three canes of three year old wood, three canes of two year old wood and three canes of one year old wood.

[SimonWray]

Thanks for the advice Trillium.

I had a good look at them this weekend just gone and the buds are well and truly opening up, so I've not pruned the currents.

I'm assuming that though not ideal, leaving them alone for the remainder of the year and pruning them again next Feb will be ok? though it may result in less yield...?

Thanks
Simon

[Trillium]

You'd still get a good yield with some pruning, but you'll definitely get better behaved bushes with pruning. I've neglected mine for 3 years and it's a jungle out there. I'll have to do it this year for sure. If you feel uncomfortable with pruning out so much, then prune out a little, just the darkest oldest wood this year (or next). You'll eventually get the hang of it.  If you want more bushes, then do a layering of the old wood.  You simply bend a longish branch to the ground and peg it down in several places. By fall, you'll find many new rooted spots which can be separated and moved. Mine have done this on their own and I'll have to throw out at least a dozen bushes as I've far too many now.

[mr Isaccs]

Is it the same for blackcurrants "fruit from three year old wood" because I planted some blacks out late summer last year that I'd grown from seed.
  I didn't think they'd survive out in the cold being so young but there's lots of green leaves all over them now (only 3" tall).
  Until I read this thread I was hoping for at least a blackcurrant and apple crumble off them or am I now going to be dissapointed this year

[Trillium]

Blacks are a bit different from reds. Reds produce best on 2 and 3 yr old canes, while blacks currants produce the best fruit on one-year-old wood. Strong one-year-old shoots, and two- or three-year-old shoots which have an abundance of strong one-year-old wood, are the most productive. Keep a total of 10 to 12 shoots per mature bush, with about half being one-year-old shoots. A few more shoots may be kept if plant vigor is very good. Remove all shoots which are more than 3 years old. Make pruning cuts close to the ground.
Propagating by layering is the same as for reds.

[mr Isaccs]

Thanks Trillium, the crumbles not out of the question then
If no fruit appears though I shall have to see the original donor of the blackcurrants and beg some more

[gardener247]

Instead of starting a new thread con i just ask, i have a new redcurrant bust with 3 stems should i reduce it to one main stem or leave it grow kinda like Simon's redcurrant bush

[Trillium]

I'd leave it for now as it's still a young bush.