Is it a suitable time of year to prune my blackcurrant bushes ?
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing with them, or when!
I think I read somewhere that the fruit appears on year-old growth,
so does that mean, if I give my blackcurrant bushes a shave now,
I will not see any yield this summer ?

Thanks.

: Is it a suitable time of year to prune my blackcurrant bushes ?
: I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing with them, or when!
: I think I read somewhere that the fruit appears on year-old growth,
: so does that mean, if I give my blackcurrant bushes a shave now,
: I will not see any yield this summer ?
:
: Thanks.

The way to prune blackcurrants is to take a third of the shoots straight off
to the base. If you trim back the shoots like a normal pruning you will lose
a lot of fruit this summer

Robert South West England

simon wrote in message ...
Is it a suitable time of year to prune my blackcurrant bushes ?
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing with them, or when!
I think I read somewhere that the fruit appears on year-old growth,
so does that mean, if I give my blackcurrant bushes a shave now,
I will not see any yield this summer ?


Conventionally you prune them as soon as the leaves are off,
but now is fine- I've only just done mine. As another poster has said, take
one-third of the stems off right down to the ground.
These should be the oldest (=darkest, thickest) stems.
Alternatively, if you have a few bushes, you can cut each bush
entirely down to the ground every third year in rotation.

--
Anton

Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:184123

In article , simon simonles@bonb
on.thisneedsremoving.net writes
Is it a suitable time of year to prune my blackcurrant bushes ?
I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be doing with them, or when!
I think I read somewhere that the fruit appears on year-old growth,
so does that mean, if I give my blackcurrant bushes a shave now,
I will not see any yield this summer ?

As others have said, take about a third of the existing stems out to
their base. Take out the oldest stems and any which look poor or
diseased first. This can be done any time after cropping has finished
and before new growth begins in the following spring, but it is best to
avoid frosty spells if you can. You can also take the opportunity of
tidying up the plants by taking out straggly drooping stems, or those
which are growing cross-wise etc.

Healthy cuttings can be used to propagate new plants, but burn any
mouldy or doubtful looking ones. Have a good clean up at the base of the
bushes - that's where aphids or their grubs like to over-winter, and
give the area a dusting of well matured bonfire ash or similar.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 05:58:58 +0000, Alan Gould
wrote:

Healthy cuttings can be used to propagate new plants, but burn any
mouldy or doubtful looking ones.

Thanks for your help. I'm glad you mentioned propagation, because
that was at the back of my mind.

Have a good clean up at the base of the
bushes - that's where aphids or their grubs like to over-winter, and
give the area a dusting of well matured bonfire ash or similar.

This is interesting. Never thought of that. I was going to spread
some manure around the base of the blackcurrant bushes and let it rot
down.

Are you suggesting using bonfire ash to deter aphid ?

Thanks

The message
from (simon) contains these words:

This is interesting. Never thought of that. I was going to spread
some manure around the base of the blackcurrant bushes and let it rot
down.

You'll deplete the nitrogen in the soil if you do that. You could add
some well-rotted manure in the spring, but never use fresh manure unless
the plant(s) you're feeding can cope with it. (Caulifowers - not the
'caulis' which are really broccoli - celery, marrows, etc. can.)

Are you suggesting using bonfire ash to deter aphid ?

(Speaking for myself No, it is a source of potash. Clearing the ground
will remove cover in which pests overwinter, and the ash certainly won't
make life easier for them.

Fresh ash is strongly alkaline, and can harm plants if used before the
alkalinity has been neurtalised by (mainly) carbon dioxide.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

In article , simon simonles@bonbon
..thisneedsremoving.net writes
This is interesting. Never thought of that. I was going to spread
some manure around the base of the blackcurrant bushes and let it rot
down.
Put your manure down as soon as you have cleaned up the area around the
bushes. It should not be fresh - use well matured FYM or stable manure.

Are you suggesting using bonfire ash to deter aphid ?
No, it is to provide potash - much welcomed by all soft fruit bushes.

--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.