[fletch]

I've done a search, but just want to double check.....

My black/red and white currants, I remove one third of all branches?

What do I do with the other 2 thirds?

And can I do it now? (I know now isn't really "winter" but they've dropped all their leaves).

Many thanks

[muntjac]

the remaining 2 thirds you leave in the ground .cut back to a leaf node .then add manure around the base

[richyrich7]

Remember before you remove anything, remove any Damaged, Diseased, Dead material first.

Try to remove the oldest third which will probably the thickest, Currant's fruit best on their 2nd year growth so If you remove a different third every year you will get the most productivity out of them.

[spinny]

Try to remove the oldest third which will probably the thickest,

And will be the darkest wood....

[fletch]

Well, I pruned them today and it didn't go quite as I thought. They were a real mess so I ended up removing nearly all the branches!

So............

[/QUOTE]cut back to a leaf node

Does this mean that the few remaining stems I have I prune right down to a couple of leaf nodes then? Or did that apply to the ones I've already removed? If so, too late I guess.

What's the worst that will happen, no fruit next year?

[spinny]

one way of rejuvenating old bushes is to cut them right back. i.e. all branches to about 4" from the ground with the cut diagonally just above a leaf node, then shape them as they regrow.  

It would seem a bit pointless to leave just one or two branches if you've removed the rest, so you might as well take those off too, it won't harm the plant but it will mean that you get far less fruit next year than you were hoping and personally, if I'd cut them that far back, I wouldn't let them fruit next year but would give them a year to recover.

spinny

[gobs]

Hi Fletch,

Yes, that's the worse that can happen, that you don't get much fruit.

Black currants are traditionally pruned diff to the other two, but you can do otherwise. I like to keep what soft fruit I can off the ground as most are quite rampant.

The key is that you are able to identify fruiting spurs and diff between 1 2 3 year old wood. Red and white currants fruit on 2-3 year old wood, if you cut those out, no fruit.

I was trying to get a good picture for you on the net, but couldn't find one. It is hard to explain without you seeing, could you try and get a good pruning book from library? with drawings in, so you can identify branches and will give you a choice of pruning shapes and regimes for next year.

But then probably,  they needed rejuvenating, and as Spinney says, that's fine.  I would just well manure them and leave alone now. I also like to prune mine a bit later. But they'll be OK!

[fletch]

Ah, thanks for that.

I'll finish 'em all off this afternoon then!

 

[gobs]

I'll finish 'em all off

 

Easy, now!