Author Topic: Redcurrant cuttings  (Read 2416 times)

samela

  • Not So New ...
  • *
  • Posts: 47
Redcurrant cuttings
« on: March 20, 2009, 11:29:41 »
Hi All,

I took some cuttings from my friends redcurrent bush and, I'm pleased to say, they have now started to sprout some leaves and are looking good. However, I'm not sure when I should plant them out.  I have three cuttings in a smallish plastic pot, each stick is about 6 inches long.  Also, any ideas on when they will fruit?

Thanks
Sam

saddad

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 17,894
  • Derby, Derbyshire (Strange, but true!)
Re: Redcurrant cuttings
« Reply #1 on: March 20, 2009, 11:53:35 »
If you cut them last year October (ish) they should be ready to plant out this fall. Personally I'd pot them on into at least 6" pots each or if they have roots already developed you could plant them out properly now...   :-\

jennym

  • Hectare
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,329
  • Essex/Suffolk border
Re: Redcurrant cuttings
« Reply #2 on: March 20, 2009, 12:02:29 »
First, check carefully whether they actually have roots yet. Sometimes, cuttings will bud and come into leaf without a root system having been formed. If they pull out of the pot easily, they probably havent got many roots! But if you tip the pot to one side and gently edge them out, you will see if there's roots without tugging. If the roots of several cuttings are all tangled up together, dunk the whole lot in a bucket of water for an hour or so, then they'll come apart easier.
When a root system has been formed, they can be planted out but avoid the plant drying out at this time of year. Allow 1.5 metres minimum between each plant.
They like a well drained site, not dry though, but they don't like soil where water stands on it over winter. Manure in the early stages of growth, i.e. first couple of years, but then feed with something withg a high potash content.
They fruit a bit like a teeny tree - on little. hardly visible fruiting points along the branches. It may take 3 to 4 years before you see any significant crop.
Pruning is best kept to late summer for encouraging fruiting, just snip about a quarter or less off the ends of freshly grow shoots. Also, at that time of year, cut out any shoots that grow up in the centre of the bush (when it becomes a bush!) i.e, cut them out right back to the main stem. I assume you want to grow it in a bush shape, with a central stem and the branches making a sort of wineglass shape. They can be grown in a cordon style, with one or more main stems rising vertically and trained up against a fence or wire.
If you do pruning in winter, that will be the time to encourage new growth to come, so if there aren't many branches, and you want more to grow, prune in winter.

hello

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Re: Redcurrant cuttings
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2009, 06:54:06 »
Dear Sam,

They should fruit next year I think!
Plant out after the frosts say end May but harden off next few weeks.
Place outside on decent days!
Would love to swop emails mine jamescaversham@googlemail.com
I'm James 38yrs a gardener/cook in Berkshire.

Laters James

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal