Step-by-step instructions on how to prune currants in the spring for a good harvest

Garden currants are represented by 2 species - black (Ribes nigrum) and red (Ribes rubrum), which, with proper care, can consistently bear fruit for 15-20 years. In addition to the basic measures for caring for berry bushes (watering, fertilizing, loosening and removing weeds), annual pruning is important to increase productivity. The biological characteristics of the growth of branches are such that if this is not done, the plantings thicken, the berries become smaller, and the harvest volumes decrease.

Why prune currants in spring?

After the snow melts, all nature awakens. The bushes are budding, preparing for the new growing season. It is important for the gardener to assess the condition of the plantings after winter before the buds open. diseases and freezing. Spring pruning of currants is sanitary in nature: all dry, diseased and frozen branches are removed.

If the procedure was not carried out in the fall, formative pruning is added to the sanitary pruning (the bush is thinned out, its crown is given the correct shape).

Is this necessary?

Rehabilitation of the bush crown is a necessary measure. If you leave dry or frozen branches on the bush, pathogens of fungal or bacterial infections will settle on them.

Reference. Diseased branches must be removed when first detected, regardless of the season.

Advantages and disadvantages of spring pruning

Without crown formation, the shrub will bear fruit for about 5 years. Subsequently, its productivity decreases. Advantages of spring pruning:

• the cut areas are not susceptible to frostbite;
• it is easier to see shoots that are not capable of bearing fruit;
• it’s easier to assess how the currants overwintered;
• timely removal of diseased and pest-affected branches reduces the risk of damage to the entire bush;
• partial shortening of the shoots stimulates the active growth of dormant buds;
• regulating the number of branches in the crown of the bush ensures uniform illumination of the entire bush, which increases its productivity.

There are no significant disadvantages to spring pruning. If you skip the fall haircut and shift everything spring events, this will not bring the expected result, but will only improve the situation slightly.

Drastic removal of a large number of branches (more than 50% of all currants) can negatively affect the ripening time of berries. A plant preparing to grow and bloom will be forced to spend all its energy on restoration.

Timing for spring pruning

The time for spring pruning is chosen based on weather conditions - the time the snow melts, the soil warms up and the buds fill. It is important to carry out the procedure before the buds open and the sap begins to flow. It is advisable that the night temperature does not fall below -5°C.

In central Russia this is the middle - end of March. If the spring is abnormally warm, the pruning dates are shifted to mid-February.

Types of procedure

Depending on the goal pursued, pruning is carried out to improve the health of the bush and increase its productivity or rejuvenate old plantations.

Formative

It is carried out annually with the aim of giving a beautiful shape to the currants and uniform illumination of all shoots inside the crown. If the crop is grown from cuttings, a certain scheme is followed:

1. After planting, the shoot is pinched above the 4th bud.4-8 new branches will grow from it.
2. After a year, pinch all branches to 1/3 of their length.
3. In the 2nd year of life, all new branches of the current year and competing shoots of the previous year are removed.
4. In the 3rd year, young branches are pinched again by 1/3.

Having carried out such consistent pruning, by the 4th year of life we ​​will get a neat bush.

Rejuvenating

It is carried out in old plantings. This procedure requires the gardener to have certain knowledge about the biological characteristics of currant growth. The full cycle of shrub formation ranges from 5 to 8 years. The most prolific shoots of the plant are branches 1-3 years old. Other branches bear little fruit and take away nutrients and soil moisture from the currant. They are prone to pests and diseases. Therefore, when forming the crown, it is important to remove everything older than 4 years. The remaining branches are shortened by 1/4 of their length.

Attention! Currants that have been growing on the site for more than 10 years are cut to the stump. Absolutely all branches are cut off at the very base, leaving 3-5 cm above the ground. After this, it is useful to water the currants with hot (+60...+70°C) water to stimulate bud growth and protect against pests.

How to properly prune currants in the spring for a good harvest

Knowing the biological characteristics of various types of currants, the gardener will not make mistakes when pruning a berry plantation.

Required materials and tools

To make the operation of cutting currants easy, prepare the following equipment:

• pruning shears shorten thin and medium-sized branches;
• the lopper is used in hard-to-reach places;
• A brush cutter allows you to quickly, in a few movements, give the bushes the desired shape (a ball, a hedge of a certain height);
• A hacksaw is needed to cut out old and fattening shoots at the base of the plant into rings.

After pruning, the cut areas of thick branches are lubricated with garden varnish.

Important! The tools used must be sharp.

Step-by-step instruction

For bushes 2-4 years old, the following technology is used:

1. Use a hacksaw to saw off all large shoots at the very root.
2. Using pruning shears, completely remove all diseased, dry and frost-damaged stems.
3. Shorten all remaining stems by 1/3 of the height.

In order for the currants to recover faster after cutting, the plantings are sprayed with Epin solution (1 ampoule per 5 liters of water). The drug will help plants recover faster from stress and bloom flower buds faster.

The nuances of pruning black currants

Each type of currant has its own physiological differences in growth and bush formation. Black currant ages faster than the red one - already at the 5th year of life. This means that all shoots older than 5 years must be cut out. In addition, berries are formed on branches along their entire length.

Red

Red currant plantings are considered 7-8 years old. This species bears fruit on the tips of the shoots. The berries are formed on shortened branches called fruitlets. Beginners, by cutting all types of currants equally, deprive themselves of the harvest. Therefore, the red branch is shortened by 1/3 or 1/4 of its length only in autumn.

White

White currant is a variety of red currant with transparent berries of a beautiful honey color and sweet taste. Unlike red, its fruits are almost devoid of acid. Pruned similarly to red currants.

Features of pruning seedlings and old bushes

For 1- and 2-year-old seedlings, spring pruning activities should be aimed at stimulating the growth of lateral branches. All young growth is shortened by 1/3.

Anti-aging pruning is useful for those who do not want to part with their favorite bushes and plant new ones in their place. It is usually carried out at 7-9 years of currant life. All shoots are cut off completely, leaving 5-8 cm above the ground.

Post-procedure care

Any pruning slightly weakens the plant. At this time, currants become vulnerable to pests and diseases. To prevent this from happening, immediately after the procedure the bush is treated with copper-containing preparations (copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture). They protect the berries from most fungal diseases and simultaneously serve as a mineral feeding.

When the soil around the bushes warms up well, add a bucket of humus, potassium salt (50-60 g) and superphosphate (60 g) to the tree trunk circles (at each individual bush or around a group planting). This feeding promotes the active growth of new shoots. The bushes are watered and then the soil is loosened. For awakened plants, normal agrotechnical measures are resumed: regular watering with loosening, systematic feeding, treatment against pests and diseases.

Tips and tricks from experienced gardeners

Expert advice will help you avoid many mistakes.

Boris Alexandrovich, Kharkov: “I propose a way to trim currants that does not require effort. In a perennial bush, place 2 mutually perpendicular strips and leave them there. The sticks form 4 sectors and make it easier to determine the cutting boundaries. In the first year, cut out the contents of the first sector. In the second year, remove underdeveloped shoots of the first sector and everything in the second. Then repeat the process in a circle.”

Anna, Vladimir region: “Red currants grow here, planted back in the 50s. by my father. In one place, the yield is excellent.True, you can’t call it a bush. Powerful branches grow at a considerable distance from each other. Periodically I rejuvenate, I monitor the distance between the branches, because I have to climb inside the bush to harvest. Therefore, 15 years of age for red currants is not the limit.”

Conclusion

Spring pruning is aimed more at sanitation of the crown from old, sick and dried branchesto make room in the sun for young growth. In red and white currants, unlike black currants, shoots are not shortened in the spring for 1-3 years. Carrying out the procedure in stages every year will prolong the life of the plants and allow you to obtain a bountiful harvest of berries.