RED CURRANT PRUNING - HOW TO?

[newspud9]

Would be pleased if some kind soul could give a clear and easy "how to" prune and feed red currants grown in pots.  The various web-sites I've looked at give mixed messages on when/what to do - either February or June - a complex liquid + slow-release feeding regime to just use compost -  and a pruning process that sounds like neuro-surgery.

Many thanks for all the responses.

[newspud9]

[strawberry1]

I prune like I prune my gooseberries ie aiming for a nice open goblet shape on a stalk and I feed with phosphate in march/april. I keep rubbing new growth off when it appears on the stem below the goblet shape

[goodlife]

Red currants will always be bit challenge in pots..the shrubs have tendency to grow big, so even in large pot and with 'clever' pruning to keep the plant size down you'll be putting some effort for its care.
Anyhow....enough of the negative...and now to the TLC.
I hope you have used soil/soil based planting medium rather than fluffy bagged compost for it. They will need good heavy soil around its roots and it will make the care much easier job.
Main issue is watering...it will need it plenty of it and constant moisture without drastic drying out is essential.
I would give something like blood fish and bone meal late winter/early spring..just as you see buds starting to wake up..that would keep it going for few weeks.
If you can replace top 2" or so of the soil from surface every year..or every other , it would be enormous boost for the plant...you could even mix the BFB meal into the new soil.
After that it is case of keeping up with watering and occasional feed with something that is for 'fruit and flowers'..organic or not..your choice. Occasional= depending of the mix with very diluted one;weekly-every other week or full strength ;every other week-monthly.
Liquid feed works quite quickly so is better to do it less often and see if the plant needs feeding...as soon as it shows signs of 'not being so lush/happy'..you can remedy it quickly.
Red currants are not excessively 'hungry' plants and will cope with less feed...water is the main thing! They are strong growers, so if you feed it lots...it will respond and you'll just end up doing pruning.
As for the pruning.....well...I always treat my currants (though they are in ground) that less pruning means more berries.. They don't have thorns so from picking point of view it is not vital thing to do every year...unless you grow it in some particular shape. Easiest way of pruning is...shorten strong new growth down to few inches (on older stems)..that would be in summer (I tend to chop few bits off while picking the berries..that would be end of June to during July).This new shortened growth will now ripen up and fruit following year.
This type of pruning will work for few years and then the bush will get thicker and demand more drastic actions with secateurs or you will have to plant it into ground for more room.
There is more 'proper' way of pruning...I'll leave it to others to explain..it is not difficult as such..just explaining it will sound like 'neuro-surgery' 
The option I gave you is just very simplified way of reducing the size of new growth and still keeping you plant productive...

[goodlife]

Just to add one more thing...
Don't be worried about the pruning....if its on your way, chop it off....
You don't kill you plant with pruning..worst is that you may not get as much fruit. But if you always leave some old 'wood' and some younger green stemmed growth behind and not go for 'short back and sides' cut..there is always some fruiting wood left to perform next year.. That's basically the whole idea...

[Ellen K]

A neighbour with a bed of vigorous currants prunes them every year, but this year she seems to have removed most of the fruiting wood and has been left with a mixture of old wood, green new growth but no fruit.

It has put me off - Mine have naturalised and need a bit of reining in but being clueless I'm worried about doing the same and ending up with a year of no fruit.

PS: Bought a Whitecurrant from Home Bargains fr £1.99 at the w/end and am pleased with it - they are supposed to be nice and you don't see them very often.

[grannyjanny]

I'm after a pink currant. I bought white one from Fothergills, it was red. They've sent me another. Hope this is s white one is white because they said they'd send another if it isn't. OH doesn't like redcurrants. Shame .

[newspud9]

Much-appreciated from all - goodlife, very helpful indeed and will be heading off today to administer to currant needs.
Thanks

[artichoke]

I might have mentioned before that a big advantage of white currants is that birds seem unable to see them. I never covered my fruit last year, and birds stripped gooseberries and red currants, but the white currant bush was outstandingly fruitful, rivers of glistening fruit pouring from every branch. I made "redcurrant jelly" with it, which came out pinkish and tasted very similar.

Has anyone else noticed that birds leave white currants alone?