[brianc]

Hi all
       I have just purchased 2 blackcurrant bushes from an end of season sale.
       My question is should i prune them after planting as it states on the lable down to 2inches or leave
       till next year ? the stems are about 1ft long with buds on.
                                                                           

[Nobbie]

I think you usually plant them a bit deeper than they are in the pot so that you only have the branches poking through rather than the main stem, then prune to 2". This encourages strong new shoots.

[Liverpool Brick]

I pruned my new blackcurrrant bushes after planting last year down to about 4" and they came up lovely this year. I also planted the 8 cuttings I pruned off and 7 have survived so I now have a few spares should anything happen to the ones I planted. I'm told that 1 blackcurrant bush is usually enough so 9 is probably overkill! Hate to see things wasted though.  

[compostqueen]

They can take an age to get going so be patient 

Blackcurrant jam. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 

[Growster...]

We cut each fruiting stem and gathered the blackcurrants from each of them, sitting comfortably at a table!

There are about three stems per bush for next year, and that should be enough...

[Ivor Backache]

Prune blackcurrants after three years. Fruit grows on young stems so only cut the oldest branches and no more than a third.
Your new plants will develop into bushes. Avoid branches crossing one another and keep the centre clear. Then take out the older branches (They will have the darker bark) Do it in mid winter when the plant is dormant.
Have a look at the RHS site.

[GrannieAnnie]

I pruned my new blackcurrrant bushes after planting last year down to about 4" and they came up lovely this year. I also planted the 8 cuttings I pruned off and 7 have survived so I now have a few spares should anything happen to the ones I planted. I'm told that 1 blackcurrant bush is usually enough so 9 is probably overkill! Hate to see things wasted though.

My blackcurrant bush is about 12 years old now, and after a really drastic prune 2 years ago, with hardly any fruit last year, I picked over 16lbs from it this year!

Like you, I hate throwing things away, so when I prune, I plant the bits in pots and once they've rooted, find new homes for them!