Raspberries and ?currants...how to identify?

[jas163]

First time posting here so go easy on me!
We recently moved to a house with a wonderful but neglected garden. As well as tackling the veg plot I want to create a soft fruit area, I have come across two or three bushes that I think are currants (not thorny) and dozens of raspberry canes that have run riot. Is there anyway of identifying whether they are summer or autumn types and whats the best way of transplanting and pruning? They still had a few leaves on when we moved in November, some I have left as they are...about 6' high and some I cut down, all have buds appearing on them...help!

[rustylady]

I would leave them strictly alone this year and see what happens. The currants you will be able to identify by their fruits (e.g. black white or red) and then you can google for pruning advice. As for the raspberries, cut out any canes that are obviously dead and wait and see.

[shirlthegirl43]

Hello and welcome to the vine.

I would suggest (if you can) leaving the garden pretty much to itself this year - spend the time identifying the different plants. It will make it easier to plan what should be moved where in the long run. Obviously tidying up and getting stuff under control can still be achieved. Good luck with it.

[southlondongardener]

First time posting here so go easy on me!
We recently moved to a house with a wonderful but neglected garden. As well as tackling the veg plot I want to create a soft fruit area, I have come across two or three bushes that I think are currants (not thorny) and dozens of raspberry canes that have run riot. Is there anyway of identifying whether they are summer or autumn types and whats the best way of transplanting and pruning? They still had a few leaves on when we moved in November, some I have left as they are...about 6' high and some I cut down, all have buds appearing on them...help!

Autumn raspberries should be pruned now but summer raspberries only after they have fruited.

You could leave half and prune half or wait until someone here says a way of finding out.

[jas163]

Thanks for the advice so far, what I didn't say is we're renting so at maximum expect to only be here 5 years (by which time we may have sorted our French ruin to be fully habitable!) hence the impatience to get things sorted to reap some benefit!
The 'currants' are already in the area I plan to dedicate to soft fruit and so I may just dig up the raspberrys that are too unruly and, as suggested, for the remainder prune half and leave half of the lucky canes that fall within the permitted boundary to see what happens