Cutting redcurrants: The best tips

Cutting redcurrants: The best time

It does not matter if it is high stems or currant bushes: Currants like a sunny and sheltered spot.
The soil should be moist, rich in humus and slightly acidic.
A pruning of currant bushes is after every harvest in summer required.
The planting can be done all year round, in fact spring is especially recommended.
The proper care of currants not only mulching, but also regular pruning of the shoots.

Cutting redcurrants: differences in the pruning of red and black berries

Those who cut back the shrubs can look forward to many fruits next summer. While most berries of red and white currant bushes grow on two-to-three-year-old shoots, black berry bushes produce the most fruit on the long one-year-old shoots. Therefore, the shrubs are also cut back differently.

Cutting redcurrants: This is how the summer cut of white and red berries works

Cutting away old main shoots: Most fruits are formed on the side shoots of the two- to three-year main branches. Generally, a maximum of eight leading gears should stop, the remainder of the oldest main drives must be completely removed after harvesting. For this purpose, a pruning shears or a saw is suitable.
Make berry bushes: During the clearing cut, excess branches are removed so that young shoots can regrow and the berries are exposed to good light in the next year. The number of new rods that remain standing can coincide with the torn out main gears (usually around three to four pieces).
Remove side shoots: One-year runners should not be touched, while older, ground-level branches (ground shoots) must be completely removed, since they do not get enough light anyway. The other side shoots, which have already borne fruit, we can cut back to one centimeter and thus promote the fruit shoots.
Generally applies to fruit shoots: Better to cut more than too little, because the more fruit wood is available, the less new ground shoots are formed? Of course we do not want that.

Cutting redcurrants: This is how the summer cut works for black berries

A black currant bush needs to get a radical all-round cut, as it has a higher water requirement and nutrients should not be delivered to useless branches. Advantage: Cutting back is easier and we can keep the shrubs in good shape. Already in the first year, the shoots can be shortened.
Shorten main drives: The black berries should generally stand a maximum of six to ten main branches and of which three to four should be selected annually for new shoots and the other accordingly be cut off after harvest. The branches should never be older than three years.
Complete section: After harvest, all old and weak shoots should be cut off in the neck and the main shoots over the third runner. Too close young shoots and diseased shoots must be removed.

Cutting redcurrants: winter cut for white, red and black berries

The summer cut after the berry harvest is more useful, as it is apparent on which shoots something grows and which can be removed. Alternatively, cut between February and March (as explained above), here the branches are more recognizable. Nonetheless, currant should be checked before winter:

Dried and sick branches should be cut away.
Too old shoots that are no longer fertile are rejuvenated with the winter cut and cut close to the ground.
Fruit shoots, on which column rust has formed, should be completely removed. So we also have room for new branches.

Popular currant varieties:

Redcurrants (Ribes rubrum): 'Johnkeer van Tets' are easy to harvest, are productive and suitable for further processing. So-called 'Rovada' hang on a long grape and have a sweet and sour taste.
White currant (Ribes sativa)The 'White Versailler' has a slightly acidic aroma, is robust and wonderful for further processing.
Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum): Especially the variety 'Titania' is suitable for local cultivation, as it is less susceptible to diseases and is particularly suitable for juices.

Fruit or especially berries in the garden are just great.In addition to one or the other gardening tip to plant strawberries, plant blueberries or plant raspberries, there are great decoration ideas for garden and balcony on our Pinterest pin board. Let yourself be inspired.