[mashbintater]

Hello everyone,
Another good harvest from my self maintaining blackcurrant bush. Not as good as previous yrs as I usually prune it early spring, for some reason this yr I didn't, I think it's cos it didnt die back fully and started sprouting early on.
Anyway, 6lb of blackcurrants no less from 1 bush, not counting the ones I've already given away/ eaten or fell off the bush.
I originally bought it from poundland to promote wildlife into my garden, Insects & such love it, and bluetits love the grubs, great for the baby birds in spring lol.

Would it be a bad idea to prune it now? It's very straggly and in the way for my DH & son to get past.

Thanks

[blackisgreen]

if its in the way then youll have to trim it but id live it till a bit later when its gone into sleep mode but thats just me.
mind you if you leave it later you can propagate those cuttings into new canes as a back up  or as more canes

[gobs]

Getting in the way canes off an established bush, should not hurt.

There is also summer pruning...

[mashbintater]

Thanks blackisgreen & gobs,
I have since read somewhere (RHS maybe) that someone removes the trusses the blackcurrants are on, & therefore prunes the bush that way at harvesting.
The bush is established, 4 or 5 yrs old gobs so I'll prune the offending canes and leave the others be for now. It'll get a proper pruning between Nov & Feb.
Thanks again

[GrannieAnnie]

My volunteer blackcurrant that we found growing next to the old patio is the same age, and I got 10lbs off it this year.  and last year I got Brian to prune it for me, and almost all the prunings took and I gave them all away!!!

Will have to take more cuttings this year.

[mashbintater]

Blimey Grannie Annie I never thought of that! Must look up how that's done, I've wasted the last few yrs prunings not knowing that I could've done that. Thankyou!

[GrannieAnnie]

Well, I just dipped the ends of the cuttings in hormone rooting powder, stuck them all (24) in a BIG pot of soil and watered them as necessary!!!!  And I only lost a couple of them!!!

So that wasn't rocket science.  I said to my Brian, they've got 2 chances, and what have I wasted if they don't grow?  a bit of rooting powder!!

[Porffor]

Wow.. having planted a blackcurrant bush this year I'm hoping I'll be as busy in the fruit dept as you all! lol

Any tips on pruning gratefully received. My bush is tall rather than wide at the moment and obviously a baby.

Can't wait for next year now! lol  

Great tips about planting up prunings..

[mashbintater]

I've pruned the offending canes so we can get past the bush now and I've put the prunings in a bucket of water for now. I've no compost at the moment, will buy some soon.
Thanks again for the advice