Co habitant blackcurrants and blackberries

Posts

• Buttercupdays Posts: 4,546

  July 2020

  I have blackberries  and a Tayberry planted by a wall behind my currant bushes, and if I turn my back for 5 minutes in early summer, they  send out  new canes into the currants. These sometimes hide below the foliage and can get to 12 ft but they don't seem to affect the currants as the roots are not in direct competition. I just guide the canes back to the wall when they are older and more flexible.
  

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• Obelixx Posts: 30,090

  July 2020

  I always found the easiest way to prune our blackcurrants in our last garden - cooler and wetter than this one so prolific fruiters - was to cut out the entire stem with its fruit on and then sit on the terrace and pick the fruit whilst comfortable.   They then had the  rest of the summer to mature the younger tsems which produced fruit the following year.  Kept them vigorous and healthy and controlled the size.  We could have very cold winters too so in spring it was just a case of the 3 Ds - removing dead, diseased or damaged wood.
  
  You could try training the blackberries up a support behind the blackcurrants.   They fruit on stems produced the previous year so fan out this year's growth and remove what won't fit.    Next year, as new stems grow form the base, tie them in a loose column at the centre so that this year's canes get maximum sun.  A good feed in spring should help.   After they've fruited, remove the old canes and then release the new ones so you can fan them out.   Even opportunist brambles will fruit this way but if the fruit turns out to be poor or small, take it out and plant a good one.

  Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
  

  "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."

  Plato
  

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