Grow Your Own Magazine

I got three redcurrants and a blackcurrant from Lidl (~six months ago?). They are doing well and are potted up in 12" pots in the greenhouse.

Do redcurrants flower (and fruit) on new growth or old?

Black currants - do they flower on old or new growth?

How do you prune them and where would you plant them?

Off to prick out some alpine strawberries now will check back later for a responce.

Firstly, get them out of the greenhouse as they are fully hardy and dont need that sort of protection. Both are gross feeders so need planting in well prepared soil with added manure or compost.

Red currants need just new growth taking back by about a third and any badly positioned branches taking either right off or back to an outward facing bud to maintain an open "bowl" shape. You can also train them as cordons where you just have 1 long main stem and the side branches are cut back to 3 or 4 buds to keep it in shape.

Black currants should have the oldest wood (over 2 years) cut right off at the base leaving the younger more productive wood to fruit.

All pruning is best done in the winter when you can see the shape of each bush clearly

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Kindest regards, David.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/
updated - Sunday 19th at 2100hrs