To grow a healthy bush of currant, pleasing with the harvest, is an overwork.
Each variety needs specific care, mainly pruning.
Why prune currants
Pruning currant bushes is used not only to form a bush, but also to improve lighting, ventilation and increase productivity.
The crop quality of healthy berries depends on the correct pruning. You need to start caring for the bush from the moment of planting. Currant development and growth rate depend on early care. Pruning contributes to the formation of strong shoots on which good large berries ripen.
If pruning is carried out incorrectly and untimely, then the shoots are formed weak, many die, without giving the crop.
It is impossible to grow currant bushes altogether without pruning. This is bad for plant health. It becomes susceptible to pests, in particular the kidney tick. Pruning is a preventative measure in pest control, helps to restore the strength of the bush for proper development.
Timely pruning of currants gives a new planting material, with which you can expand your plantation of currants.
Of course, not only young seedlings need pruning. Along with this, soil loosening, fertilizer, irrigation and mulching are used. Such care increases the survival rate of seedlings, provides a good harvest.
Basic rules for pruning currants
Trimming is carried out according to different rules, depending on the purpose.
Sanitary pruning is performed to remove diseased and damaged branches. It helps to thin out the crown, improve lighting.
Forming pruning helps form the right bush. Cut unnecessary shoots.
Anti-aging pruning helps to renew the bush, get rid of non-fruiting branches, stimulates the growth of new young shoots.
Nipping is done to remove the tip of the shoot.
Currant pruning in autumn
The main goal of this crop is to achieve a better crop. The procedure should be carried out so that branches of different ages remain on the shrub. Cut all shoots that cease to bear fruit and are older than six years.
Spend autumn pruning every year after the leaves fall. In the first year after planting, all shoots are cut off above the third kidney. After pruning, the bushes consist of 5-6 branches.
In the second year after planting, extra zero shoots are removed, leaving no more than 5 pieces. These are future skeletal branches of a bush. The thicker the planting of bushes, the fewer shoots we leave.
At the end of the third year, the formation of the bush ends. No more than 5 zero shoots are left, the rest are cut. The tops of annual branches are shortened by 3 buds, and three-year-old shoots are also cut.
After the fifth year of planting currants, you need to rejuvenate the bushes. Old branches are cleaned under the root. The remaining shoots are pruned according to age.
Proper pruning of currants in autumn increases its winter hardiness. Young branches accumulate enough nutrients for a good winter.
How to prune currants in spring
In the spring, sanitary cutting of the bush is carried out. Molding trim set aside until the fall. In spring, branches damaged by frost, dry and twisted shoots growing inside the bush are cut.
Pruning is necessary before the buds open and the sap flow begins. The air temperature should not fall below zero.
You need to trim all creeping shoots that grow at the bottom of the bush, as well as shoots that emerge from the ground.
Why prune currants in summer
Black currants are recommended to be cut in the summer before flowering. This contributes to the laying of more flower buds. In early July, the tips of the shoots need to be pinched. This technique contributes to a good harvest, early ripening of berries and good branching of the bush.
Michurin currant pruning
Many gardeners take a completely different approach to growing currants. The Michurin Institute offers different rules for pruning black currants.
1. In the first five years after planting, currant bushes are not pruned. Harvest from the second year of cultivation.
2. In the sixth year of cultivation, cut off under the root 50% of all bushes. The remaining bushes are left for fruiting.
3. In the seventh year, the remaining currant bushes are also cut under the root. The remaining plants carry out pruning and thinning of the crown.
4. After such rejuvenation, another three seasons are harvested. Further, all the bushes uproot.
It is possible to apply such a growing technology only on an industrial scale and in large areas for planting currants.
Sanitary pruning of black currants
Sanitary pruning is carried out only with sharp tools and nail files. It is impossible to break out shoots, this leads to infection of the plant with fungal diseases.
When pruning, you need to remember that blackcurrant bears fruit on the branches of three years, all other shoots can be safely removed.
When removing shoots under the root, you cannot leave a stump, otherwise the bush is affected by rot.
Thinning needs a very thickened crown. In poor light and airing, the bush is attacked by pests, pollination is reduced, yield decreases.
Radical pruning of black currant
If the currant bushes ceased to please the crop, then it is necessary to conduct a radical pruning, which stimulates the growth of new shoots. This is the cheapest and most effective way to rejuvenate the bush.
It is better to carry out such pruning in spring or autumn. Cut off all branches at a level of 3 cm above the ground. The soil under the bushes is well fertilized with humus. After such pruning, the bush will begin to grow well again next season, and in a year it will please a high harvest.
Useful tips for pruning black currants
1. The laying of the blackcurrant crop occurs on two-year-old branches. When pruning, you can safely remove all branches older than 4 years. Cut them to the base.
2. Old branches differ from young ones in the color of the bark. The older the shoot, the darker the bark on it.
3. Too thickened bushes thin out not immediately, but for several years.
4. To increase productivity, pinch the tops of the shoots into six buds. Only 4 strong shoots are left each year.
5. After harvesting, it is necessary to remove the deflated branches, making room for young shoots.
6. In hybrid varieties, fruiting is more intense in the first year, then you need to regularly clean the seedling shoots. In ordinary currants, only part of the shoot is removed. Fruiting is on the shoots of two years.
Pruning black currants is necessary not only taking into account the age of the shoots, but also focusing on varietal characteristics. Varieties with weak branching of shoots need to be pinched and shortened by 1/3 of the length.
The yield of black currant directly depends on the pruning. You can achieve abundant fruiting and rejuvenate the bush by conducting a planned pruning of currants.
Sap flow in blackcurrant begins quite early, in March young leaves may already appear. Pruning a bush is carried out in two stages. Most of the bush is cut in the fall, then in the spring it remains only to carry out sanitary pruning and correct the identified deficiencies.
