After the next currant harvest has been harvested, the bushes must be processed in a timely manner in order to obtain good quantity large and juicy and berries. Pruning currants after harvesting allows the plant to form correctly and not get sick. The enemies of unkempt currants are also insect pests. To reduce the risk of infection, excess and old branches are carefully removed.
Tool preparation and processing methods
Proper pruning of currants is the key to a wonderful harvest!
It must be remembered that pruning branches is very stressful for currants, so this process must be approached with special care. You usually have to trim a lot of branches, so the result directly depends on the condition of the tool you have to use. The hacksaw or pruning shears must be well sharpened so that the cuts are neat and small.
When is the best time to prune currants? For this important event, it is better to choose a sunny and dry day at the end of October, at the beginning of November.
The process is simplified if the bush is young and has not yet bear fruit. In this case, you will only have to cut off unnecessary root shoots. For the harmonious formation of a bush, three or four shoots are enough.
If the age of the bush is more than 4 years, then every year in the fall all dry and diseased shoots are carefully removed, which the plant no longer needs, but only gives them its vital juices and strength. These branches will no longer be of any use - they will no longer bear fruit. And for insects, they become a favorite habitat, which is why the entire currant bush gradually becomes sick.
How to distinguish diseased currant branches from healthy ones?
Before you start processing the plant, you must carefully inspect all the branches. The color of the bark of young and old shoots is very different. Young ones are covered with light greenish bark, while old ones are covered with brown bark with a grayish coating. Branches with weak growth, poorly developed buds, visible signs of damage various diseases– the plant no longer needs them, and they must be removed to keep the bush in excellent condition. Pruning your currants will help the plant stay healthy.
But if the branch still looks strong, and the flower buds on it are healthy and large, it can be left on the bush for several more years. It happens that young, seemingly healthy branches also do not bear fruit from year to year. Such shoots will also have to be removed.
Which branches are urgently removed?
How to prune currants correctly? Without any hesitation, you can cut down the lower branches of the currant bush, which bend down to the ground under the weight of the berries. Such fruits are still not suitable for consumption, because they quickly rot when in contact with the ground and are often covered with dirt.
Shoots that disrupt the normal growth of the bush must also be removed. Crooked branches growing in the wrong direction only prevent currants from developing normally. They come into contact with other shoots and, during bad weather conditions, easily throw berries off the bush and tear off the tender bark from young branches. It's like tearing off a piece of skin. Open wounds are tasty for insects, and any infection easily affects the plant.
Removing leaves and fertilizing currants
After pruning black currants in the fall, all leaves on the bushes must be torn off. Why do this? The fact is that yellowing, rotting leaves become a good breeding ground for pests.
The ground near the bush is slightly loosened and mixed with fertilizer: 1 bucket of manure per 1 bush. You can feed the plant with a urea solution to which a small amount of ash has been added.
What does a processed currant bush look like?
Typically, pruning of a bush is completed by the fifth year of its life. When the autumn pruning of currants is completed, the “skeleton” of the formed bush should consist of 10-15 main branches. These are both young and old shoots. U healthy bush there must be a strong and wide base, thanks to which sunlight falls on all branches. Such a plant becomes covered with buds and then with berries from the middle of the bush. If the currants are not processed, the berries are small and ripen only on the outer shoots, and they may not be present at all in the center of the bush.
Processing Features
Autumn pruning of currants occurs in several stages:
- When pruning, it is important to leave 3-4 shoots, which bear fruit well this season. After a few years, the bush will consist of up to 20 branches of different ages.
- When the plant reaches the age of 7-8 years, the shoots that appeared in the first year of life should be removed. It is also advisable to trim off weak, diseased, broken branches that are growing in the wrong direction. A fully formed bush will consist of 20-25 branches, the age of which ranges from 1 year to 8 years.
Spring pruning of currants
When is it better to prune currants: in spring or autumn? Except autumn pruning, amateur gardeners can carry out spring treatment plants. This procedure should be started after the period of frost ends and the thaw begins. But it is important not to miss the period in which the plant has not yet begun to form buds and is in a “dormant” state.
How is this process carried out?
- The branches are shortened by one quarter at the edges so that the bush resembles a bowl.
- The crown needs to be thinned out, getting rid of unnecessary thickets that interfere with normal lighting and take away the plant’s energy.
- At the first spring pruning young bush It is recommended to leave the 10 strongest shoots.
- In subsequent seasons, one third of the old shoots are removed from the bush.
- It is advisable to carry out spring pruning annually, and at least once every 2 years.
Many inexperienced gardeners, not knowing the rules for caring for currants, prefer not to prune old shoots at all, believing that the forces of nature will correct everything themselves, and the currants will always bear fruit beautifully. But that's not true. Simple recommendations will help preserve the plant and receive annually a large amount of tasty and healthy berries.
How to properly prune blackcurrant bushes - video
How to prune currants correctly in the fall, to be good harvest, will be discussed in this article. After all, currant branches must be pruned in autumn period. The harvest next season depends on this procedure for caring for the plant. If pruning rules are not followed, the result may be poor fruiting.
Purposes of bush pruning
Before you begin the operation, you should understand the purpose of this procedure. The pruning technique will vary depending on the tasks:
- Create correct form bush.
- Free the plant from diseased and broken branches.
- Create optimal conditions For normal development branches.
- Rejuvenate an old plant.
How to prune currants in autumn so that it grows and develops correctly, we’ll talk further. The formation of the bush must begin in the first years after planting the seedlings. The quality development of the plant and its fruitfulness will depend on this.
At sanitary pruning remove all branches that are throughout summer season were damaged harmful insects and various diseases. As a result, a healthy bush will have increased productivity.
After the procedure anti-aging pruning an adult bush produces new shoots and its productivity increases.
With any pruning method, mistakes should not be made, otherwise this will lead to bush diseases, uneven development and poor harvest.
Which branches should be deleted?
Many young gardeners are interested in when is the best time to prune currants - spring or autumn. As practice has shown, the best time to prune a plant is autumn. However, this work must be done before the onset of frost and precipitation.
Usually, the procedure for pruning currants begins in the last ten days of October and the first ten days of November. At this time, the plant is not so prone to disease and calmly accepts various interventions. It is important to remember that the shoots that have grown from the ground are the zero row, on which shoots of the first, second level, etc. will subsequently begin to appear.
In the fall, the following branches are removed:
- thin and broken;
- not bearing fruit;
- sick and damaged by insects;
- dry;
- shoots that block the sun's rays.
How to prune currant bushes in autumn
Fall pruning is not that difficult, but it should be done every year. Treatment of the bush should begin after the end of the summer heat. When the air temperature drops, the plant slows down its growth.
At this time, the leaves have already dried out or fallen off, but there is no frost yet. For pruning, it is best to choose a warm, sunny day so that it is pleasant to work. Is it possible to prune currants? in rainy weather? Of course not. Let's consider diagram annual pruning of blackcurrant bushes.
First year
It is better to plant a two-year-old plant. You can also plant on permanent place rooted cuttings. In this case, it needs to be cut off, leaving only 10-15 cm.
Second year
With the onset of warm spring days, several branches appear from the ground - zero order. During the autumn pruning period, you need to select 4-5 strong branches from which a bush will be created, skeletal branches; there is no need to trim them. The remaining shoots are cut to the ground.
Branches formed last year are left unpruned. The only exceptions are those shoots that are damaged by diseases or pests.
Important! Don’t worry if in the first year there are only 2-3 branches among the developed branches. This is normal for a currant bush and further development won't hurt.
Third year
By autumn, the blackcurrant bush already has branches formed over the past two years, as well as numerous shoots. It is necessary to select the strongest shoots that have appeared this year.
Do I need to trim currants? this year? It is enough to leave 4-5 shoots zero order for further creation of the bush. These branches must have the correct direction of growth - outward, so that they do not touch each other and do not interfere with each other's development. All remaining ones should be cut off at the root.
In this case, all branches will be able to receive enough light and air. The pruning procedure is not complicated and even a young gardener can do it. It is necessary to ensure that the cut is closer to the main branch, being careful not to damage it or leave a stump.
The tops of fresh growth are not shortened this year. Only those that have matured to full strength need to be trimmed, as well as the wounded and sick. Pruning should be done with clean tools to avoid infection of the plant.
Important! When pruning branches, cuts are made at a distance of 0.5-1 cm above the bud.
During the growth period, be sure to provide the bush with proper care so that the plant develops properly. To do this, treat throughout the season using chemicals or folk ways. Timely prevention will eliminate the risk of currant infection with certain diseases and pest attacks.
Fourth year
This year, caring for currant bushes is no different from last year. But now there will be more work, since the bush is already mature. If there are several bushes growing in the garden, then it will be more difficult to cope, but in three years you can get used to all the procedures.
Fifth year
This year, the fruiting of the bush begins to decline. Therefore, in addition to sanitary pruning and removal of excess growth, several more plant care operations will be added. It will be necessary to remove some branches with poor productivity. This work can be done using pruning shears or loppers. In addition to unnecessary shoots of the second and third order, all broken, weak, diseased, and intersecting branches are removed.
Now, every year it will be necessary to remove old branches five years old, leaving the strongest shoots of zero order. This type of care is necessary for the plant throughout its life. Adults currant bushes, formed according to these rules, have from 15 to 20 branches of different ages.
Anti-aging pruning for 5-6 years is necessary in order to increase currant yields. At the same time, old branches are cut off at the root to stimulate the growth of young shoots. The cuts are made with a sharp device 0.5-1 cm above the kidney. A cut made on the kidney will destroy the shoot.
It is worth noting that pruning currants in the fall both experienced and novice gardeners.
Scheme for beginners
- During the first 5 years, currant branches are not pruned.
- On the 5th autumn, you need to cut off almost half of the branches of the bush: dry, affected by diseases and pests, broken, shading the crown. After the procedure, it is necessary to carry out good feeding for the bush so that it gains strength for further development.
- After a year, about 20 new shoots are left, and all other shoots are removed.
- Next year you can remove the second half of the old branches, leaving 10 young shoots. Branches 5 years old and older are cut off.
- After pruning, garden varnish should be applied to the cut areas.
How to prune red currants in autumn
Despite the fact that red and black currants belong to the same crop, the approach to growing and caring for plants is slightly different from each other.
- Before planting in the ground red currants cut similarly to black.
- In autumn, shoots of the zero row are cut off, except for the 3-4 strongest shoots. If the plant does not branch well, the root shoots are only cut off to 1/3 of the length.
- It is necessary to ensure that the bush consists of branches of different ages. Each branch bears fruit for 8–10 years. Red currants should have 15-20 shoots.
- For pruning this crop it costs less strength. The bush is not processed so carefully, since it has less moderate growth. Therefore, excessive pruning is not necessary here. Otherwise, the berries may not appear on the bush for some time or may not bear fruit well.
Watch the video! Pruning red currants in autumn
How to increase bush productivity
To increase the yield of currants, not only pruning the bush is required. There are other factors on which the quality development of a plant depends:
- ability to create young shoots;
- timely awakening of the kidneys.
In order for the plant to be able to produce new shoots, the top of each branch should be cut off. Typically, pruning is done by half or a third of the branch. The cut is made sharp object 2–3 mm above the kidney. At the same time, it is important to choose the bud that is directed towards the outside of the bush.
Care after pruning
Immediately after pruning, the currant bush requires additional food in order to gain strength. To do this, the soil around the bush is carefully loosened, and then fertilizers (mineral or organic) are applied.
It is recommended to apply fertilizer in the form of:
- fresh manure;
- potassium;
- superphosphate.
Before the onset of frost, the ground around the currant bush is well covered with sawdust, and also better with peat up to 10 cm thick. To do this, you need to stock up on 10 kg of mulch.
In order to prevent various diseases, the plant is treated with karbofos, but it can also be treated with a solution of colloidal sulfur. The procedure must be performed under normal conditions. weather conditions, no wind or rain.
Proper pruning of currants in the fall is part of the task that leads to high-quality development of the bush, as well as a high harvest of berries. At good care The plant will delight you with delicious fruits for many years.
Watch the video! Proper pruning of currants
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A beautiful, well-kept garden is the dream of every gardener. It is doubly pleasant if he pleases with a bountiful harvest. This is not easy to achieve. It is necessary to constantly work, paying attention to every plant, tree and bush.
Each plant in the garden requires a special approach. This also applies to currants. The main thing in caring for this shrub is correct pruning. It not only helps to give the bush the correct shape, but also helps to increase productivity, increases illumination, and helps the plant to ventilate.
Every gardener strives to get high yield from your site. In order for a currant bush to bear fruit well, it must be pruned regularly. Otherwise on large harvest It's better not to count. As a rule, most of the berries are set on mature branches that were renewed last year. In order for new shoots to form, it is necessary to get rid of old, dried and pest-infested branches. Then new branches will grow that will bear fruit well. If the rejuvenation procedure is carried out in time, black currants will bear fruit for 25 years, and red currants for 15 years.
This variety of currant is especially loved because of its excellent taste qualities And medicinal properties. Black currant is a very healthy berry, it contains a large amount of phosphoric and ascorbic acid, it contains many vitamins and other useful substances. It is used for colds. This is an excellent remedy for strengthening the immune system. It is especially useful for children.
Black currant is a spreading bush that consists of large quantity branches. The task of every gardener is to form a bush, which will consist of 15-20 branches of different ages. In this case, it is necessary to leave shoots up to 5 years old. Branches that are six years old will not bear fruit; they are useless and must be disposed of.
Pruning currant seedlings when planting
Currant care begins with its planting. In order for the bush to form correctly, you should start pruning immediately. The best time to do this is when landing. Before planting the plant, it is necessary to trim off the tops of all shoots. There is no need to worry that only 2-3 buds will remain on each branch. After a year, 5-6 new shoots will grow.
Pruning second year currants
In the second year, pruning is done differently. Zero shoots must be pruned. The gardener must correctly form the skeletal branches of the bush. To do this, you need to leave 3-5 good shoots. They must be healthy and powerful. You should not leave puny shoots. Shoots that hinder the development of others will not be beneficial. To form side shoots, in mid-summer it is worth shortening the young branches. They pinch the top of two buds. This will increase the number of small branches that will bear fruit well.
Pruning third and fourth year currants
Currant bushes that have reached 3-4 years of age are pruned according to the same principle as in the second year. All unnecessary shoots are removed, leaving 3-6 most developed shoots. You should avoid thickening the bush by destroying shoots growing from the middle of the bush. Otherwise, they will block the light from the fruiting branches. Lack of light has a detrimental effect on the development of the bush. The tops of the branches that were left last year are, as always, shortened. There should be 2-4 buds left on each branch. By the end of 3-4 years of life, the bush finishes forming, acquiring the correct shape.
Pruning currants in the fifth, sixth and all subsequent years
Upon reaching 5-6 years of age, old branches form on the currant bush. At this stage, the first anti-aging pruning is carried out. Old branches are cut out along with the tops. It is also necessary to get rid of all dry, frozen, broken and drooping branches. You should not leave branches lying on the ground. Sick and infected shoots will not bear fruit, so they are completely cut off.
After rejuvenation, pruning is carried out according to the scheme that was used before. Branches that have reached the age of 2-4 years are shortened, leaving up to 4 buds. Last year's shoots are shortened. Of the new shoots, up to 5 of the most successful ones are left, the rest are cut off.
When to prune currants
Regardless of the type, currant bushes pruned every year. It is best to start this procedure late autumn when the bush sheds its leaves. Additional pruning is carried out in early spring when the buds have not yet bloomed. After winter, cut off frozen and broken branches. Dry branches can be removed every year. Mid-July is a favorable time for pinching the tops.
Features of pruning red and white currants
Pruning of these varieties differs significantly from bushes black currant. The right bush white or red currant consists of 20-25 branches. The best time to prune red and white currants is early spring or midsummer after harvest. I form the bush in the same way as with black currants. However, there is no need to pinch the tops of last year's shoots. There is also no need to shorten shoots 2-3 years old. Branches that have reached the age of 7-8 years are considered old.
Pruning red currants includes removing old branches and excess young shoots. You should not leave diseased, broken branches. To stimulate the growth of side shoots, old branches are shortened to a lateral branch. Thanks to this, the life of the bush will increase and the berries will become larger.
If you have started currant bushes, you need to prune them gradually. First, lifeless and diseased branches are removed. Then they deal with old shoots. After a year, a bush is formed, leaving 6-8 skeletal branches.
Pruning is part of currant care. To get a harvest of tasty and healthy berries, you need to water the plant in a timely manner, loosen the soil, destroy weeds, and renew the bushes. To protect the bush from pests, experienced experts recommend planting onions and garlic nearby to repel insects.
If currants produced a good harvest for many years, and then suddenly stopped bearing fruit, you need to take emergency measures. Radical pruning will save the bush. In two years it will bring an excellent harvest.
If you do nothing with a diseased bush, the infection will spread to other plants. Radical pruning is carried out in spring or autumn. At the same time, absolutely all branches are cut to a height of 3 cm. The cut areas are treated with varnish. The remains of the stump are covered with humus and new soil.
Currant belongs to unpretentious crops, But specific care she still needs it. Pruning currants in autumn and spring is considered the main activity for caring for shrubs. Using this procedure, you can not only maintain the health of the plant, but also extend its fruiting period.
In this article we will look at the purposes for which the procedure is carried out and what features it has depending on the season. The article will also provide detailed diagrams with photos and videos for beginners.
Annual thinning in the spring should be carried out early, before the buds awaken. This is necessary so that the plants do not experience stress from the procedure.
By removing old branches, fruiting shoots receive much more nutrients, become more resistant to diseases and bear fruit better. Let's consider what features spring pruning of black currants has.
What is it for?
Every novice gardener should understand that cleaning bushes after winter is a necessity on which the harvest will depend. The main goal of this procedure is to maintain the health of the bush, because during it all frost-bitten and dry parts, as well as shoots, are removed. damaged by diseases or pests.
In addition, during the process of sanitary cleaning, the crown is thinned out, the berries become larger, and their number increases.
Peculiarities
U spring pruning crops, regardless of variety, there are several important features. Firstly, it should be carried out only during vegetative dormancy, that is, in early March or September, after harvesting.
Secondly, during the procedure you need to use only a sharp, disinfected instrument so that the wound does not accidentally get infected.
In addition, after thinning the bush must be fed. nitrogen fertilizers to stimulate the awakening of buds and the growth of young shoots.
Deadlines
Spring is not considered the most the right time to carry out the formation of the crown, so most gardeners prefer to limit themselves to sanitary measures.
Note: This is due to the fact that this shrub is an early growing season crop, so after winter it is easy to miss the time suitable for thinning. Moreover, if dry or damaged shoots are found on it, the procedure cannot be postponed so that the plant does not become a source of infection for other garden crops.
As a rule, spring sanitary cleaning is carried out in early March, before sap flow begins. It is important to choose a windless and warm enough day so that the wounds are not damaged.
Pruning rules
In spring, dry and damaged branches are removed first. You also need to carefully examine the bush for symptoms of disease. If shoots with signs of fungus or infection are found, they must be removed immediately (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Scheme of spring thinning of shrubs If time permits and the buds on the bushes have not yet begun to swell, you can carry out light thinning by removing all three-year-old branches. It is better to leave more thorough crown formation for September.
Pruning currants in spring: video for beginners
Beginning gardeners are often interested in how to prune a crop in such a way that the procedure is not harmful to the bush. To clean the plant from excess shoots correctly, we recommend that you watch the video for beginners, which shows in detail all the stages of this process.
Scheme for pruning black currants in spring
There is a certain scheme for thinning blackcurrants in the spring. The procedure depends not only on the season, but also on the age of the plant. So, in the first years of a crop’s life, the main task of the gardener is to form a healthy spreading bush that will bear fruit.
In the future, thinning and formation of the bush comes down to removing old branches, which only thicken the crown and deprive the fruit-bearing shoots of nutrients. Let us consider the main features of this procedure in more detail.
Peculiarities
The main feature of the procedure is that it is carried out differently for shrubs different ages. For the first time branches young seedling shorten immediately after planting, leaving 2-3 healthy buds on each shoot (Figure 2).
In the second year, cleaning is carried out only on the shoots of the current year. Last year's ones are left to form strong skeletal branches. To do this, only 3-5 of the strongest shoots are left on one bush, and the rest of the young shoots are cut out.
In the third and fourth years the procedure is repeated. Last year's shoots are left untouched, and from 3 to 6 shoots are selected from the young growth. The rest are deleted.
Note: Dry or damaged branches must also be destroyed, and they must be cut out regardless of the season, since such shoots can become a source of infection or fungus.
When the bush reaches five years of age, its formation is stopped. At the same time, branches older than two years of age are removed annually, since they do not bear fruit, but only consume nutrients. All shoots that thicken the crown or grow close to the ground are also cut out.
Deadlines
Crown formation can be carried out after winter, although autumn is considered the best time for this. Do not be afraid that the wounds on the bush will not heal before the onset of cold weather: the crop grows very intensively and will have time to fully strengthen before the temperature drops.
Figure 2. Scheme of formation of productive shrubs If you nevertheless decide to carry out the procedure after winter, you should complete it before the kidneys begin to awaken. Otherwise the bush will experience severe stress and can reduce fruiting or even die if it has been weakened after wintering.
Pruning black currants in spring: video
Details of spring pruning are shown in detail in the video. With the help of its author’s advice, you can independently carry out sanitary cleaning, crown formation or rejuvenation.
Pruning red currants in spring
As in the case of black currants, it is better to free red currants from excess shoots not with the arrival of heat, but after harvesting. This way the gardener will have much more time to correct formation crowns and feeding of bushes.
But this does not mean that you cannot remove branches immediately after the snow melts. First of all, you need to inspect all the bushes and remove damaged branches on them, in other words, carry out sanitary cleaning. If you have enough time, you can also form the crown, the main thing is to fit it within the period of vegetative dormancy of the crop.
Peculiarities
Externally, red currant bushes are practically no different from black currants, so the pruning features of these crops remain the same. Since planting is best done in the fall, the first procedure is also carried out soon after planting (Figure 3).
Note: For planting, select seedlings with three strong skeletal branches, which will be used in the future to form a bush.
Immediately after planting, the branches of the seedling are shortened, leaving 2-3 strong buds on each. Next year they not only carry out sanitary cleaning, but also begin initial formation crowns To do this, leave 3-4 of the strongest root shoots, and remove all the rest (weak or incorrectly located).
In the future, the procedure is repeated: several strong shoots are left annually, and the rest are cut out. These manipulations are carried out until the age of five. From this moment on, the work scheme is slightly changed: every year two-year-old shoots and weak young growth are removed, leaving only strong branches capable of bearing fruit.
Timing of pruning
The best time to carry out the procedure is September, when the air is still warm enough and there is no threat of frost.
Figure 3. Scheme for pruning red currant bushes At the same time, spring cleaning cannot be ignored. After winter, some parts of the bushes may be damaged: dry or frostbitten. They must be removed immediately so that such branches do not become a source of infection for garden crops.
Pruning red currants in spring: video
Since spring primarily involves sanitary cleaning, the video below shows how to properly clean a bush of dry and damaged branches so that the plant gets the maximum benefit from this procedure.
Autumn - best time for pruning crops, regardless of variety. At this time, the harvest has already been harvested, and the plants begin to prepare for the dormant period in winter.
Since the plant belongs to crops with an early start of the growing season and fast recovery, a correctly carried out procedure will not cause any harm to the plants. The main thing is to carry it out in early autumn, when there is still no threat of frost.
Peculiarities
If in the spring pruning has primarily sanitary purposes, then in the fall it is best to form the crown of young shrubs and rejuvenate old ones (Figure 4).
Shrubs that have not reached five years of age are thinned out according to a certain pattern. First of all, all the growth of the current year is removed, leaving only 3-6 of the strongest branches. In addition, branches that thicken the crown or grow parallel to the ground are cut out. You also need to carefully inspect the bush for diseases and, if necessary, remove and burn all damaged parts.
Figure 4. Formation of the bush crown in autumn If the bush is older than 5 years, it is rejuvenated: all shoots growing inside the crown or thickening it are removed, and branches older than two years are also cut out. The peculiarity of the culture is that only shoots younger than this indicator bear fruit, and old branches only consume nutrients, but do not bear fruit.
Timing of pruning
Unlike spring pruning, the timing of this procedure in the fall is more flexible. You can start removing excess branches immediately after harvesting, but it is better to postpone this procedure until September, when the plants gradually begin to enter a dormant period.
IN southern regions it can even be carried out in October, when there is no threat of frost yet. After removing the branches, the bushes are watered generously and mulched trunk circles so that the bushes receive enough moisture and nutrients during the cold season.
How to properly prune currants in the fall: video
Autumn pruning is carried out according to a certain algorithm, which you can familiarize yourself with in the video.
Timely and correct blackcurrant pruning
– this is an important and responsible stage in this wonderful berry bush, the results of which determine whether currants can long time to delight us with rich harvests and quality of fruits.
Pruning should be done regularly, i.e. Remove outdated, dried out and diseased branches in a timely manner so that new, more fruitful ones grow to replace them. By timely and regularly forming a currant bush, you can get bountiful harvests:
- With black currant
— for 25 years;
- from red currants - for - 20 years.
When is it better and how shape black currants which ones are available differences in the methods of pruning black and red currants – this is the topic of our story today.
Blackcurrant pruning
Black currant It is a spreading bush with many branches of different ages. A well-formed bush usually has up to 25 branches different ages not exceeding 6 years. On branches older than 6 years, almost no fruit is formed, so leaving such shoots in the bush is pointless. And the formation of a bush should begin right from the moment of planting.
Pruning blackcurrant seedlings when planting
How trim black currants in the first year
When planting a currant seedling should trim each shoot, leaving only 2 - 3 buds. If you do not do this, then in the spring numerous, but weak and unproductive shoots will grow from long unpruned branches, and so, by the end of the first year of life, the young bush will form 5-6 new shoots.
Pruning blackcurrant seedlings in the second year
In the second year of life, the (zero) shoots of the currant bush are pruned, leaving only 3-5 of the strongest and healthiest, which will become the first skeletal branches of the emerging bush. AND mandatory We remove all weak, underdeveloped shoots that shade others.
Scheme for pruning black currants in the second year
To enhance tillering of the branches left as the skeleton of the future bush, we shorten the tops by 2 buds.
Blackcurrant pruning third and fourth years
How trim black currants 3-4 year
In the third year, from the newly appeared zero shoots, 3-4 of the strongest and healthiest shoots are left, all the rest must be removed, especially from the middle of the bush, to prevent the bush from “thickening”. All diseased, broken, and dried branches are also removed.
The tops of last year's branches are pinched. Examining the bush, we see that it now consists of branches of different ages: several two-year-old and several one-year-old shoots.
IN next year on the shoots of the second and third years we leave 3-4 buds on each branch.
By this time, formative pruning is completed, because The blackcurrant bush is considered fully formed.
Blackcurrant pruning in the fifth-sixth and all subsequent years
Trimming old branches black currant
Rejuvenation of the bush, removal of the oldest branches:
- the oldest branches at the age of 5-6 years are cut off completely, cutting close to the ground;
- remove all dry, diseased, frozen over the winter, broken branches lying on the ground, interfering with each other;
-remove unnecessary zero shoots, leaving 4-6 of the most powerful and correctly located;
- pinch off the tops of last year’s branches;
- on branches of the second, third and fourth years, each branch is shortened, leaving 2-4 buds;
— from the current year’s shoots, 3-5 of the most promising ones are left, and all the rest are removed.
Video: How to prune currant bushes correctly
We cut everything off and don’t regret it. If you want a good harvest of black currants, use the advice of the staff of the polar experimental station on caring for these bushes.