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My ribes Sanguineum

anoble4147wfqUuDaGanoble4147wfqUuDaG Posts: 26
in Problem solving
So, not sure if this is a ribes sanguineum or a ribes bracteosum or another one. It never flowers or does anything really other than grow very fast in summer. 

I do cut it back but it grows back quickly. Should I be seeing flowers? 

If it doesn’t flower (it never has) should I dig up and replace? Or is there a way to encourage flowers? 

Not sure what to do with it really.

would appreciate any ideas/thoughts. 


Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited May 2022
    What time of year do you prune it? Ribes sanguineum flowers in spring on wood that has grown and ripened over the previous summer and autumn. The time to prune is immediately after flowering (or when it should flower) in spring, then leave it alone. If that means that it gets bigger than you want, then it would be better to take it out and plant something more suitable to fit in the space that you have.
    PS welcome to the forum :smile:
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • anoble4147wfqUuDaGanoble4147wfqUuDaG Posts: 26
    Thank you for your response. It could be a pruning issue. Although would that stop it ever flowering? Or could it be another ribes variety? 

    Would I be ok heavy pruning now? Or is it too late to do that? 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I think you could prune it now if you want to, but I think I'd be inclined to leave it alone and see if that results in flowers next spring. When I used to have one, I didn't prune it hard at all, just took off any branches that were flopping over too much.
    The only other Ribes I know are the edible currants - you leave those to form fruit after the flowers fade, and prune out some of the oldest branches in winter to promote new growth, leaving the rest to flower and fruit the following spring/summer.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2022
    I've grown R. sanguineum and have R.odoratum aureum in this garden.  What I do is,  if the plant really needs pruning I do it by taking out whole branches at the base of the plant as soon flowering is over.  Otherwise  I leave well alone .

    Do not prune by shortening the tips of branches  later in the year, or you'll be cutting away the wood that will carry flowers the following year.

    Hope that helps :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • anoble4147wfqUuDaGanoble4147wfqUuDaG Posts: 26
    Thanks both. Yeah there have never been flowers so maybe I’m pruning wrong. I usually prune when it gets out of hand in later summer- so maybe if I go a bit harder now and then let it grow I’ll get something next year 🤞
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Let us know how it performs next year  :)

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • anoble4147wfqUuDaGanoble4147wfqUuDaG Posts: 26
    I clipped back my red robin recently- looking so sparse and woody. I’m in that - leave it or take it out. Pruning is where I always struggle. 🤯
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