Moving large red currant bush

[Rob G]

This is/was a large bush that needs to be moved 5 feet or so. Last summer it was 6 feet puls in all directions but was heavily pruned as we picked it and now has 4 youngish long branches and four pruned older branches on it - the latter being in the centre of the plant.

The root ball I've got is large (in the order of 30 inches round) and the move will just be a drag from one hole to the other - inevitably the digging up has done a bit of root pruning.

The question to the Collective is what opinion / experience there is on whether I need to prune the bush down as you would with a young bush or whether with such a large root ball, I can leave 4 or even the 8 branches on it and reckon on getting some fruit this year.

Thanks

Rob

[greendean]

hi rob

it would be better to allow the plant to settle in first and the roots establish themselves.
if you prune at the same time the plant will put all its energy into producing branches and not eneough energy into the roots

hope this helps

[poly]

I had a bit of a re-structure to my fruit bed last year, I moved several current bushes and gooseberries. Like you they all had a large root ball, all went on to crop well. No extra pruning was done but I did need to keep them well watered early on. I'm not sure what the approved method of moving bushes is, but this certainly worked for me

[kentvegplot]

You've also just about got time to take some hardwood cuttings if you do decide to prune any further. That way you've some insurance in case the long hot summer(!) means the red currant doesn't like the move......