Black currant

[MissPea]

Can any one advise on how to prune my black currant? I bought a ‘tree’ like black currant bush from b&q last year I didn’t trim it at all in winter as didn’t know how where to cut it to. Also leaves have died back already is that normal?

[Scarlet]

I'm very surprised the leaves have died back already? I have several early fruiting bushes ( to extend the fruiting season) and they still have leaves.
When you say "tree" do you mean a cordon?

I have bushes. They are easy to prune. Black currants fruit on younger wood. So you are looking at keeping wood no older that 3 years old.
Cut old wood out completely. To ground. Also cut spindly weak stems or any obvious crossing branches out.

[Jimny14]

What scarlet said.
On a further note though, if your prunings are taken and can be kept about 9" or longer you can plant em and get more bushes. They are so easy to root. I often plant up pruned bits of my black currants, about 9" to a foot long piece of stem, in to any old soil just make sure there are 3 buds or more above the soil and at lease 2/3 of cutting in soil, they should root and take off no problem.

[MissPea]

I think it’s best if I get a picture to explain the tree lol, I’ve never known them to be like this (which is why I purchased it) but could possibly be a little dark at the moment but I’ll try...

[MissPea]

Blackcurrant tree

Here is the tree 🤣 the new shoots from this year haven’t grown more than a few inches from the middle of the ‘v’ part do I cut these and the big branches or what do I do?

[veggiechicken]

Are you sure its a blackcurrant? Has it fruited?

[MissPea]

Yeah it had only a handful of blackcurrants. It’s strange isn’t it?

[veggiechicken]

Stranger than strange!!
What would you like to do with it? Grow it tall, cordon it, or cut it back to the fork?

[MissPea]

I want it to grow as much fruit as possible �� so whichever would do that, I only got a small handful and I was thinking like a normal one these might need cut right back? But genuinely wasn’t sure as not much growth has happened since I bought it a year ago.

[Scarlet]

I know what I would do with it! You may nit like the idea




Cut it to ground and let some new shoots grow up and then treat as a Bush.
No one grows blackcurrants like that do they?
Would love to know if they do and if they get fruit....

[Mark_Riga]

I would probably take 3 9inch cuttings from the top of the 'bush' to propagate new plants from. Then replace it with the best one that grows in a couple of years time, but only if the black currants you got this year were good to eat. You should still get a crop but it may not be much different to what you got this year. You could give it a mulch with home grown compost if you have some or some organic feed like blood and bone or whatever is your favourite.

[ameno]

Personally, I'd cut the whole thing right back to the ground this winter, then give it a good feed in the spring.
It won't fruit next year, but it should grow lots of new stems, which will fruit the year after.
While you're at it, cut the prunings into 12 inch lengths push them to two-thirds into the ground somewhere. They should root.

[ansiogrocery]

blackcurrant

They fruit best on younger wood, so when pruning aim to remove older wood, leaving the younger branches. Up to and including the fourth year after planting, remove weak, wispy shoots, retaining a basic structure of 6 to 10 healthy shoots.

[muck lover]

I’m in agreement with the folks here. Never heard of a tree shape for black currant. Cut it back and grow as a Bush. It’s had this year to concentrate on root growth. Give it a tasty mulch as blackcurrants love fertility and manure. It will be great.