Pruning redcurrants

[@rachelschneider8705]

Thank you for this video. It is straight to the point snd so informative. I have been using your tips the last three years to prune my red currants and they explode with fruit every summer. When I first moved in my bushes were neglected and overgrown. Sending love from me and my beautiful happy bushes from Wisconsin, USA :-)

[@alisonbockh7428]

My pleasure Rachael and I'm glad you're getting a good crop. Got to have redcurrant jelly with that turkey!

[@alisonbockh7428]

My pleasure. Now is the time to start pruning - February. Nice job in the winter - as it's still to wet to dig anything!

[@mattstaveley]

Bravo. An excellent, clear and concise video. So much better than the American productions, where you have to learn about their life history before they start !

[@alisonbockh7428]

Well thank you - more than a few minutes and it gets too complicated and boring! Incidentally you can stick the shoot cuttings into the ground or a pot of compost and create new shrubs - ready to plant out in a year or two.

[@mattstaveley]

@@alisonbockh7428 No, thank you ! Will try that out. Cheers me dears

[@MrWookie21]

@@alisonbockh7428 Propagated black currant cuttings from february, that I pricked 1 month later in bottles. They were transplanted in the garden the following summer (between june & july) ; they are all very fine this year (february). But maybe red currants might need some more time to get more sturdy (had also less success rate with these cuttings : around 30 % vs 90 %). Will try 15 days earlier cuttings this year. Propagating cuttings is amazing :)

[@demelzacarne7255]

Hi Alison . I just looked up about pruning red currants and found this great video! Hope you are well, from Demelza (Duchy College alumni)

[@alisonbockh7428]

Hi Demelza - hope you found it useful! All well with you? Alison

[@chloerosenberg8466]

this is awesome, thank you for posting this video.

[@flemwad]

Thanks for posting this video i just got an allotment with established redcurrant bushes - It is late November at the moment. When would you recommend pruning?

[@GreytOutdoorsMedic]

When it is dormant, usually Nov to March.

[@ProfoundConfusion]

Thank You.

[@AnoNymous-ph4cd]

Why take half off of the new shoots?

[@jheslee4306]

NEW SUBSCRIBER HERE

[@CupcakeBaker1982]

Hi Alison, I have a question...I bought a red currant bush yesterday. It's a lot taller than my black currant and white currant bushes. It's leafing out now so I'm not sure if it's too late to prune it or not. What do you think? Am I too late this year to prune? Many thanks xx Kat xx

[@alisonbockh3456]

A bit late but it's unlikely you'll do any real damage. The point is that when you plant it make sure you soak the roots (I'm assuming it's potted) but either way soak in a bucket of water for an hour before planting . Once planted water it well in - a whole watering can full - and mulch well with compost or manure. Keeping it moist over its first season is important as it doesn't have a full root structure yet to absorb moisture and nutrients. Pruning it now you will take away some of the leaves that will only transpire water so probably not a bad thing. Don't expect too much fruit this year and net it to protect from birds in summer. Give it a go and good luck!

[@CupcakeBaker1982]

Brilliant! Thanks for the help xxx

[@elainedrainville8637]

I'm Confused! I thought fruits grew on old wood?

[@alisonbockh3456]

True, they do. But the aim is not to cut out all old wood just half of last year's wood. The plant will then put energy into producing larger better quality fruit and new wood for next year's crop. I know this sounds counter intuitive but not pruning will result in a big congested shrub too huge and unweildly to manage and lots of small poor quality fruit.

[@MrWookie21]

@@alisonbockh3456 Is there a difference between pruning everbearing and not everbearing redcurrant varieties? Fruit production depends also from the weather. During hot summers, production might fall drastically ; or when frost occurs during flowering periods.

[@davidcalderwood4131]

Thank you.