[Carollan]

Is it too late to take cuttings from a bush I forgot about in the Autumn?
It is a lovely plant grown from a very cheap £1 almost dead specimen that I saved from the pound shop.

If you think it`s too late,should I also not prune the bush at all ,since the buds are looking very spring like and ready to `go`

[Trillium]

Much easier than cuttings is to just 'layer' the branches.

You simply take a lower branch that has buds, and somehow pin it against the soil. You can use a heavy stone, brick, or make a metal 'hairpin' to keep the branch touching the soil (important part). Leave it for a few weeks and you'l find that the spot where the branch touches the soil has new roots. When the new bit has a few shoots of its own you can cut from the parent plant, dig it up and move it to a better location.

If you can keep a whole branch against the soil, it will root along several spots and you can do the same as above.

[Carollan]

Thanks Trillium,I`ll give it  a try.I`ll report back!

[Paul Plots]

I've heard of layering before - hadn't realised blackcurrant could be treated the same way.

Thanks Trillium from me too. Nice to learn something new. 

All I need now is some patience as I planted my first two last autumn. 

[Trillium]

I rarely get around to pruning my red currants and they've layered themselves. I'm swamped in red currants these days and really must dig out plants as I've far more than I could ever use. A friend had the same thing happen with her blackcurrants but her OH sent them to the tip without realizing I'd liked to have had some.

[Paul Plots]

I rarely get around to pruning my red currants and they've layered themselves. I'm swamped in red currants these days and really must dig out plants as I've far more than I could ever use. A friend had the same thing happen with her blackcurrants but her OH sent them to the tip without realizing I'd liked to have had some.

I've had similar results with raspberries springy up all over the place - not complaining though as they are lovely.

Sorry to hear about the lost blackcurrants. Isn't it always the way when someone tries to help

[pottyaboutgrowing]

Wow I have learned something new too.. I took cuttings from mine last year and the 4 that I took now have buds on them. I will be trying the layering thing on my new raspberries too LOVE them.. thanx. 

[DD.]

You don't need to do that.

Raspberrries will put up suckers without any prompting. These can be simply transplanted, ready rooted.

[dig4victory]

Our blackcurrant has been growing for a couple of years without pruning but needs so now.  Is it too late now to do it for this year? I don't want to spoil the crop at all...and how much should we prune it?  We're pruning virgins...

...also a small gooseberry bush...