When to Prune Gooseberries. Instead, they are grown on a short ‘leg’. Remove any buds or shoots sprouting from the first 10cm (4in) above the soil to maintain the leg. Most black currants (Ribes nigrum) and white pines (Pinus strobus) are extremely susceptible, and red currants and gooseberries exhibit varying degrees of susceptibility. They do not fruit on spurs, as do red currants and gooseberries. Pruning can be mechanized using specialized mechanical harvester attachments. The blackcurrant is seldom grown as a cordon because the pruning and growing method is different to other currants and gooseberries. It is rather detailed so always remember that simply pruning the bush first, then digging it up and replanting will succeed in the majority of cases. We are almost in February, and before we know it, the start of the new growing season will be on us (Hooray!) Pruning blackcurrants Initial Pruning – Immediately after planting prune all shoots to a bud approx 2 inches (5cm) above the soil surface. Gooseberries and red or white currants are pruned in the same way. Blueberries also need little winter pruning: simply remove a quarter of the old wood at the base. Also, prune out any shoots that are older than 3 years of age. I've also been pruning the redcurrants, whitecurrants, worcesterberry and blackcurrants. If you want to keep your blood to yourself, you do need to prune quite severely, so … Rows can be as close as 2 m (6.5 ft) apart, but 3 to 3.5 m (10 to 12 ft) is preferable for mechanical harvesting. Shorten all the branches by a quarter, cutting to an outward-facing bud. Pruning and Training - The best fruit is borne on 2 and 3 year old wood, and wood should be pruned out after 4 years. Luckily, it’s also pretty simple. As with gooseberries, blackcurrants offer two harvests: the first is the leaves. Currants and gooseberries are very forgiving, and if you did not prune them at all, they will still produce, but not as much. How to grow blackcurrants. Setting Plants Prune out congested, unproductive growth to improve airflow and light penetration How to Prune Red and White Currants. In simple terms no part of your fruit bush should ever be over 4 years old, the complete structure is constantly being renewed by annual pruning. As with blackcurrants, first remove any dead, diseased or weak branches, then reduce new growth by half to encourage branching. Winter Pruning - Gooseberries and Blackcurrants. If you have blackcurrants, blueberries, gooseberries, or redcurrants growing on your property, those should be pruned in the winter. Special Considerations. Remove 1/4 to 1/3 of all two year wood, as well as older and weak wood. Strong one-year-old shoots and two- and three-year-old stems that have an abundance of strong one-year-old shoots are the most productive. In order to keep your blackcurrants producing berries at their maximum capacity, you’ll need to prune the bushes while they are dormant to remove old growth, encourage new growth, and help shape them. Here’s my jostaberry plant on the right. Blackcurrant bushes need constant renewal … Watch this expert RHS video on pruning soft fruits including redcurrants, white currants and gooseberries when growing in a restricted space A few small differences. Although the federal ban was rescinded in 1966, some northern states still prohibit the planting or cultivation of black currants. Gooseberries bear fruit on 2- to 3-year-old branches. Some people prune blackcurrants right down alternate years (some bushes this year, some next) and find it works for them. Picking . Black currants are more vigorous and should be spaced about 0.6 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 ft) apart. Pruning gooseberries. Established gooseberry bushes are easy to transplant to a new location. Choose 5 of the strongest and thickest-looking stems coming off the main stem of the bush. This hard pruning is the secondary stage of the deep planting process and has the same effect of increasing the number of fruiting stems.  For Blackcurrants. Growing a Jostaberry.What is a jostaberry? The gooseberry itself can vary in color from green to red to black and look translucent or solid-colored, depending upon the variety. When pruning, a good rule of thumb is to keep a ratio fruit bearing limbs by leaving 2-4 shoots each of 1-, 2- and 3-year-old wood. There always seems to be something attacking them that you really have to get up out of your hammock to treat and I don’t want to be… A Jostaberry is very easy to grow. Prune out the clutter using thinning cuts (the removal of shoots or branches at their point of origin), to keep the currant open. I've tied in the climbers like the tayberry, … Many training systems have been developed over the years, and continue to be developed. Prune in autumn. Photo: www.epicurious.com I don’t grow currants or gooseberries and haven’t for ages. We have had the freeze and now the rain, but these adverse conditions won’t last for ever! This article aims to describe the process in detail with the best chance of success. To control this tendency, pruning is necessary. I froze gooseberries for smoothies and the rest I made into jam with blackcurrants. Pruning. Black currants produce better with 2 or more varieties. Black currants produce best on one- and two-year-old wood. Most of mine are about ¾-inch in diameter. It’s actually a cross between a gooseberry and a blackcurrant. Gooseberries and redcurrants fruit on short spurs on 2-3 year old wood. Start pruning year-one gooseberry bushes in the early spring. Branches that grew this year are where next year's crop will form. Blackcurrants (BC) (Ribes nigrum) are small dark berries that originated in Northern Asia and Central and Eastern Europe . As a child, I remember going to a summer camp where there was a very old and large patch of black currants that had probably not been pruned in decades. I also had to repair some of the supports on the boundary after the high winds that hold up the tayberry and some of the gooseberries. So it’s time to think about finishing of your winter pruning jobs. Grow blackcurrants in moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Gooseberry upkeep: Pruning should be done initially in March, removing all crowded, unwanted, very old or damaged growth My son gave me a standard gooseberry two years ago … I also had to repair some of the supports on the boundary after the high winds that hold up the tayberry and some of the gooseberries. Gooseberry canes normally produce a spine at each leaf node and bear roughly grape-sized berries singly or in groups of two or three. It is for this reason that 4 year old wood is removed for gooseberries and redcurrants, and 3 year old wood removed for blackcurrants and jostaberries. Even so, some kind visitors went out and picked a few kilos of fruit last week for me. Two year wood is gray and older wood is … No idea about gooseberries, but with blackcurrants, ONLY prune branches that have fruited. I've also been pruning the redcurrants, whitecurrants, worcesterberry and blackcurrants. See pruning guides for specific techniques. A gooseberry bush becomes tangled and unhealthy without pruning. Video Guides Jump To Table of Contents. They fruit on one year old and older wood, and you control vigour by pruning back to a strong fruiting spur. Black currants in various stages of maturity . Plant gooseberries and red currants 1.0 to 1.25 m (2 to 4 ft) apart in rows. Gooseberries, [Ribes uva-crispa], are treated like red and white currants. It’s a big plant and requires a lot of space. Hardy and thornless, the jostaberry bush tends to spread out as it grows. Currant canes lack the spines and bear 8 to 30 pea-sized berries in clusters. Black currants (Ribes nigrum) and white pines (Pinus strobus) are extremely susceptible, and red currants and gooseberries exhibit varying degrees of susceptibility. The jostaberry is a wonderful little berry, a cross between a black currant and a gooseberry. Unlike blackcurrants, red and white currants are not normally grown as stools. Another optional cost-saving practice is to renovate (mow to the ground) a part of the field every fourth year. Doing so leaves behind the healthy, young branches to produce large harvests each year. Although closely related, you can easily distinguish currants and gooseberries by examining the canes and fruit. Other berry fruit such as redcurrants, whitecurrants and gooseberries only need light winter pruning. One alternative for black currant is to prune plants to the … Blackcurrants and jostaberries fruit at the base of 1 year old wood and on spurs on 2 year old wood. Black currants have different pruning needs from red currants and gooseberries. Sever back to the point of healthy, intact wood just 1/4 inch above a branch spur or down to the crown of the plant, if needed. ... Pruning and picking down in a snip. Black currants and gooseberries. Always cut away to an outward facing bud. In November to February . Pruning Black Currants. There are some commercially available cultivars of black currant that are highly resistant (immune) to infection by C. ribicola. I chose my varieties of gooseberry based … Prune away any crossing shoots or branches. The blackcurrants are ripening but without sun the goosberries are soft but still vert tart. Black currant (Ribes nigrum) is a species of edible currant fruit that grows from bramblelike bushes and is related to gooseberries as well as red and white currants. Q How do I prune gooseberries, white currants and red currants? New shoots are pale and tan. Even with pruning, allow a 2 m x 2 m by 2 m. The good thing is, it’s thornless and self-pollinating. Black Currants – Ribes nigrum Plant Black Currants 5-6 feet apart.. Pruning: Black currants bear fruit on one year old wood, and spurs arising from two year old wood. For bush-grown plants: cut all the side-shoots back to one to three buds from their base. Blackcurrants are pruned in a similar way but fruit on 1 and 2 year old wood. I've tied in the climbers like the tayberry, … You may consider netting the fruit against birds. Red Currants/Gooseberries. Use a pair of sterilized hand shears to cut away the other growth to the main stem of the plant. Your goal with your winter pruning of fruit bushes is to remove old wood and create the best shape. I just find them too much work for the results you get. ... Pruning blackcurrants. As can be imagined, a bush that needs it’s old stems removing regularly to keep it invigorated and encourage a fresh supply of fruiting wood, isn’t really going to be much use as a cordon. As in other plants, pruning also encourages fruit production. Prune out old wood rigorously, as close to ground level as possible. Why Should I Prune My Jostaberry? Gooseberries. Feed with a high potash fertiliser weekly during the growing season and mulch the soil around the plant with well-rotted manure, leaf mould or compost. A These soft fruits are all pruned in the same way..