Black currant bush - too late too prune

[newspud9]

My black currant bush looks like it's about to produce a bumper crop, first time in living memory which is probably why I've neglected it. If anything, it is too crowded with branches and fruit.  Do you think it would be appropriate to prune heavily to get more sun (ha!!) and light in to a reduced, but better cared for, crop.  Or should I just let it go wild and do its own thing.

Many thanks for all the helpful responses.

[newspud9]

[woodypecks]

Greedy old me would go for the lot !    I would harvest the ripe fruit on the outer branches and prune those down , letting the sun get to ripen the currants  on the next branches and so on .   I,m always surprised at the amount of ripened fruit hidden further inside the bushes anyway . I usually prune after I,ve harvested all the fruit anyway . I love blackcurrants ,it is the Queen of our English fruits I think anyway . Someone else might disagree with me . Also you can stick those pruned branches into the ground and they often take root ...or into a bucket of water .  I,m really greedy when it comes to blackcurrants  !   

[Tee Gee]

If anything, it is too crowded with branches and fruit.

Or should I just let it go wild and do its own thing.

Feed it lots of Potash and the plant should be able to ripen ALL the fruit.

If the barances are bending down because of the weight of fruit then support them by tying them in to canes/stakes.

Once the fruit is harvested then do your pruning aiming for a goblet shaped plant.

[Bill Door]

As Tee Gee but currants only form on young branches.  So when you go to pick the currants cut out the branches with fruit and pick the berries when sitting down.  Don't cut out all the branches as they will help support the new ones growing.  If it looks over crowded don't worry leave pruning until winter when the bush is dormant.  Then only cut out the old branches not any new growth.

Enjoy the black currants but remember it takes a bit to get the purple stain out of clothes and off lips.

Bill

[brownthumb2]

Does this apply to all currant bushes ?

[galina]

This is exactly what I do.  Prune, take away and pick - so lazy.  Seems to work.

As Tee Gee but currants only form on young branches.  So when you go to pick the currants cut out the branches with fruit and pick the berries when sitting down.  Don't cut out all the branches as they will help support the new ones growing.  If it looks over crowded don't worry leave pruning until winter when the bush is dormant.  Then only cut out the old branches not any new growth.

Enjoy the black currants but remember it takes a bit to get the purple stain out of clothes and off lips.

Bill

[Tee Gee]

Does this apply to all currant bushes ?

Prune established Blackcurrant plants by cutting out branches that have just fruited, leaving the strongest young shoots which will carry next year's fruit.

Annual pruning increases yields and keeps plants manageable.

Cut back laterals (side growths) of Red & White currants to leave three or four dormant buds on each.

Shorten leaders by about one third of their length.

[johhnyco15]

i prune my black currant bushes using the clock method look at you plant find north on your plot that is 12 on  a clock face take out all old wood untill you get to east  ie 3 on the clock face the next year take out old wood from east to south 3to 6 on a clock face  do this all the way each year untill you arrive at north or 12 then start again  it works well when you get the hang of it

[Deb P]

My Nan used to prune off all her blackcurrant bush branches
that were fruiting as a way of picking the fruit, just leaving the young stems for next year. A lot less fuss and it worked brilliantly!

[Borlotti]

I have no black currants this year, only plenty of leaves.  Maybe the bushes are too old or perhaps I wrongly pruned them last year.  My raspberries are rubbish too, and my strawberries all gone soggy. We need some 

[newspud9]

Many thanks for all the excellent advice. Very helpful.

[Digeroo]

I like to prune, pick and feed.  So much easier picking the fruit off the branches sitting down instead of bending down.  Or pick prune feed.

Hopefully the feed will stimulate the plant and so get lots of fruit next year.  The the wet weather seems to have got them growing well all ready.   

Mine have just had a good mulch of manure to keep the moisture in the soil.  The previous mulch a couple of months ago has completely disappeared.   

I also try and be more brutal with 1/3 of the plants.

[johhnyco15]

black currants are ready  yum yum