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Blackcurrant care

gwpn61PnPVaS_Egwpn61PnPVaS_E Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
I have some lovely healthy single stem Blackcurrant cuttings that were given to me but once planted what do I do to them to encourage further growth and them to develop a bush form ? should they be pruned in some way to encourage side shoots ? 

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If you take off the top three inches, they will form more shoots from lower down. Then for about three years, you will have to do nothing, apart from feed , water, and pick.  After the third or fourth year you prune after you have picked the blackcurrants, sometime end of July. What you do then is each year take out a third of the stems. You take out any crossing or rubbing, and then cut some of the thickest oldest stems down to the ground.  Then all it needs is a feed in Spring and some watering if it it too hot and dry. You may need to net it to keep the birds off, although I seem to get plenty enough without.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    @fidgetbones  Our blackcurrants already have blossom on them, is it too late to do the three inch prune?

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    If they are blossoming, I would leave any pruning until after you pick any fruit.
  • gwpn61PnPVaS_Egwpn61PnPVaS_E Posts: 2
    edited April 2021
    @fidgetbones Thank for the comprehensive and informative answer much appreciated 
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