Summer pruning in currants: the 6 rules

For a high-yield harvest, currants need an annual summer pruning. This is often referred to as rocket science, but a few basic rules ensure that even beginners can cut the bushes.

Currants (Ribes)

Currants, called currants in Austria, are a genus of plants from the gooseberry family (Grossulariaceae). Can be used as soft fruit sorts planted of white, red and black currants. Since they live for many years, it is worthwhile to rejuvenate the bushes regularly so that the harvest also works.

Summer pruning of white and red currants

Red and white currants bear most of the fruit on the side shoots of two to three year old main branches. Therefore, with the summer pruning of currants, the main aim is to renew the main shoots.

1. Cut older branches

The older main shoots include all branches that are over three years old. They still bear fruit, but the currants are smaller. In addition, the crop yield is lower. Proceed as follows:

• Remove two to three of the oldest main shoots annually
• cut directly on the ground
• leave no stumps
• Tools: loppers or small pruning saw

2. Reduce new ground shoots

New ground shoots ensure a good harvest, but too much offspring restricts the yield because too little light gets to the berries. Therefore, only two or three of the new rods remain. They serve as replacements for the older main shoots that you cut off. Cut off or tear out all other renewable ground shoots.

Note: After completing this measure, your currant bush should have between eight and a maximum of twelve main shoots, all of which are no more than four years old.

3. Cut off side and competition shoots close to the ground

Side shoots that grow below a height of 30 to 40 centimeters are considered shoots close to the ground. They are irrelevant for the harvest, as the berries get too little light to ripen. Competitive shoots are steeply rising branches of the main shoot. They do not bear fruit, so they condense the shrub unnecessarily. Therefore, both are removed.

4. Cut back fruit shoots

Shoots that bear fruit or It is best to cut back one centimeter of cones immediately after harvesting. This is how new fruit shoots grow that will bear berries in one to two years.

5. Let new side shoots stand

In order to ensure the harvest in the coming year, side shoots that have grown again will be preserved if they are not too close to each other. The rule of thumb here is:

• Distance less than ten centimeters: cut every second shoot on a short cone
• Distance more than ten centimeters: side shoots are retained

Note: If you are unsure about the distance, it is better to cut off one more fruit shoot than too little.

Summer pruning of black currants

In contrast to red and white currants, most of the fruits of black currants grow on the annual side shoots. Therefore, these shrubs need a different cut.

6. Cut black Johanna

For the summer pruning for black currants, do the following:

• Shorten main shoots annually over the second side shoot
• Remove the oldest main shoot directly on the ground
• cut off any weak branches
• let new shoots stand

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