Prune Blackcurrant bushes in my way and get an enviable Berry Harvest next year

In order for the black currant bushes to be healthy and bear fruit abundantly, they must be well looked after. Only wild currants do not need this, but we are not talking about it! And pruning is one of the most important activities, it can provide the most abundant, luxurious harvest for the next year.

I am used to acting in the same way and I think it can be useful for you too!

The procedure is carried out in the second half of the summer, following the harvest. The day should be dry and clear. Garden tools will require:

· Garden shears, often called pruners;

· Lopper for thick branches.

All this should be sharpened and disinfected - with vodka, medical alcohol, kerosene or 3% copper sulfate solution.

First of all, all obviously sick, broken, dried and moss-covered branches growing strongly inclined and lying near the ground are removed, that is, sanitary pruning is performed. It is not only important for the harvest, but also helps prevent various crop diseases.

Black currant has a peculiarity - it bears fruit only on young shoots not older than 4-5 years, so that old branches are cut under the base, at ground level.

Annual shoots can also be superfluous - almost everything is subject to removal, you need to keep literally 3-4 of the strongest and thickest ones. The tops of the remaining annual shoots are cut off by 15 cm. Young shoots differ not only in less thickness, but also in shade - they are light beige or light green.

As for the zero young shoots of replacement, to improve branching, they should be shortened by 1/3 of the length above the buds.

Then you need to pay attention to the branches that are 2-3 years old. Lateral branches are cut off from them, keeping only 2-4 healthy buds on each branch.

And it is important to emphasize that if a black hole is found in the center of some pruned branch, then it is struck by the glass. In this case, no matter how old this shoot may be, it must be completely and completely removed.

In total, as a result of summer pruning, no more than 25% of all branches can be removed from the bush - neglect of this rule can easily lead to the fact that the currants will get sick and even die.

Since the sap flow in July-August is still active, the sections on thick branches must be immediately covered with garden varnish or an analog tool.