[ClaireMc]

The gooseberry, black, red and white currant bushes we inherited are now looking a bit wild and in need of attention.

My book is just not basic enough for me and talks about 'laterals' and leaders', which just made me stand next the bushes with my secateurs scratching my head an feeling daft. Can anyone tell me about pruning in beginner's language?

[splodger]

i wrote a few easy to follow instructions for pruning gooseberries etc - use the search facility with my name as author -

if the instructions are too complex - post again and i'll see if i can make it easier.

[WG.]

i wrote a few easy to follow instructions for pruning gooseberries etc - use the search facility with my name as author -

if the instructions are too complex - post again and i'll see if i can make it easier.

I've added pruning to the Glossary of Terms & have included links to two of your postings splodger.  Do feel free to post others & I will update accordingly.

All please feel free to vote in the poll & to contribute further terms (with or without definitions) for the Glossary

[richyrich7]

Best place to start is to remember the 3D's remove Dead, Damaged, Diseased.

Currants are generally pruned to remove the oldest & least productive third first so after three years you should end up with the oldest being just 3 and so on, this keeps them vigorous. And they only fruit on old wood so you get a continual rotation between young non fruiting wood and older fruiting wood,.

[ClaireMc]

Thanks for all the excellent advice. One more thing - some of the blackcurrant's leaves are strangely distorted, with red distended patches.  Is this a disease?

[richyrich7]

Sounds like aphids to me, have a look at Currant blister aphid this may be what you have or had.