Pruning redcurrant bush advice

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Goosegirl

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Pruning redcurrant bush advice
« on: August 25, 2009, 12:59 »
I have a five year old redcurrant bush that has become unproductive this last two years despite me pruning it to develop fruiting spurs as advised in RHS and other books. It is in a raised bed and, because I have added compost etc, it isn't on a single leg any more and now looks the same shape as my blackcurrant bush. It has its main framework of old branches plus plenty of new growth from the base and some on the stems too. I have assumed that the side stems from the main branches is the bit you prune back to develop the spurs but I could have got it wrong and maybe it's the side growth from these side stems that you prune back. Help much appreciated as my OH didn't have any berries to make his redcurrant jelly for Crimbo - disaster!  :ohmy:
I work very hard so don't expect me to think as well.

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Greengirl

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Re: Pruning redcurrant bush advice
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2009, 16:48 »
It sounds like you are doing the right thing in pruning the side shoots, so it's a bit of a puzzle as to why it's not fruiting. Could frost or pests be destroying the flowers so that they don't produce berries? Also, if it is producing lots of new wood, maybe it is at the expense of flowers - try treating it a bit meaner & lay off the extra compost for a while(don't know if it'll work though :wacko:)

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SG6

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Re: Pruning redcurrant bush advice
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2009, 19:14 »
Redcurrents bear on "old" wood. Just wondering if you have pruned out the old wood to leave new growth that will not bear for a year or two.

The bush should have a mix of old and new wood, I guess that when the older wood ceases being productive that it is pruned out and a new brach is allowed to grow to replace it. Meanwhile the other brances will be producing.

I have 2 redcurrents and (being idle) rarely prune, they are full of berries, but it is all on old wood not new growth.

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Goosegirl

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Re: Pruning redcurrant bush advice
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2009, 17:28 »
I have kept the main framework of old branches and pruned back any sideshoots from these in winter to leave one bud as in the RHS picture. I think that I will just prune back any long, whippy growth from the sideshoots and cut off any low growing branches as they trail on the soil and leave it at that. Thanks for the advice.


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