The currant has begun to bear little fruit? We are learning to properly rejuvenate the shrub and enjoy the bunches of useful Berries this year

For the fruiting of currants, it is necessary to properly prune. It depends on this procedure whether there will be a good harvest or you will have to forget about beautiful and large berries. The fact is that black and red currants should be cut in different ways.

When to prune

I do this work twice a year. In the fall, you need to do sanitary pruning so that the plant is prepared before winter. And in the spring I do a formative anti-aging pruning.

It must be carried out even before the formation of kidneys. Sometimes I do pruning in the summer after harvest. But I do it just to form a bush.

Then I slightly cut off the tops of the black currant. I do not do cardinal pruning in the summer, as there is a danger of introducing pests into open cuts.

How to prune black currants

A well-developed currant bush should have 10-15 shoots of different ages. The most productive shoots in black currant are the first, second and third years. Therefore, I cut out old branches without regret.

They are usually home to pests and other diseases that need to be eliminated. In the summer, when formative pruning is carried out, I pinch the annual shoots so that they branch out.

To determine what age the escape is, the following rules should be considered:

• zero shoot always grows out of the ground;

• the branches of the first year have a light bark;
• old shoots have thick and dark bark.

In the process of pruning, I definitely get rid of branches that reach the ground. I cut such branches as close to the trunk as possible so that there are no stumps.

This rule must be followed so that pests do not settle at the cut site. I process all cuts with garden pitch.

All diseased and dry shoots are cut out according to the same principle.

How red currant pruning is done

Red currant has a slightly different situation. On the bush, the shoots of the fifth and sixth years are still productive. Even in some cases seven-year-olds.

Therefore, I do the pruning of red currants differently. I do not touch annual shoots, if only they gave a large increase. In red currants, the berries are formed almost at the top of the head, so you can slightly pinch the shoots to a length of no more than 10 centimeters.

If the growth was weak, then it is better not to touch such branches at all. When pruning red currants, only very old and dry shoots should be removed. And also those that are close to the ground.

When pruning currants, you also need to be guided by the condition of the bush. With all the need to carry out this work, you need to focus on its age and the degree of growth. If there are few young shoots, then the old ones should be cut off in moderation.