When Should You Prune White Currants?

Pruning Whitecurrants & Redcurrants Most pruning is done in the late winter or early spring when it is not freezing. A bush, grown on a leg which is 10-15cm of bare stem from the ground up, with an open centred, bowl shaped plant is the best form when grown in the open.

How do you prune white currants?

Pruning established cordons

1. In early spring, cut new growth on the main vertical stem by a quarter of the previous year’s growth, or by half if growth is weak.
2. In early summer, once the cordon has reached the required height, cut to one bud of new growth each year.

When should you prune currant bushes?

Currant pruning requires the removal of the oldest wood annually in very early spring. Fruits are produced on three-year-old wood, which needs to be preserved. Broken and dead wood are removed annually and some thinning needs to take place to enhance air and light penetration.

What month do you prune blackcurrants?

Pruning of blackcurrant bushes is very simple. The time to prune is when they are dormant, mid-winter to early February is a good time for this garden job. Don’t prune for the first year of their life.

How do you trim currants?

Each year, prune all the previous year’s growth back to a single bud. Remove any branches that have become unproductive, and replace them with a new shoot that will help to keep the shape of the bush. Remove any branches that hang low to the ground, as the fruits on these may rot or be eaten by pests. And that’s it!

How big do white currants grow?

Description. It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1 m (3 ft) tall and broad, with palmate leaves, and masses of spherical, edible fruit (berries) in summer. The white currant differs from the red currant only in the colour and flavour of these fruits, which are a translucent white and sweeter.

Are white currants good for you?

Nutritional Value
White currants are the least nutritionally dense currant in comparison to red and black, however, they are still an excellent source of vitamin C.

How do you take care of a currant bush?

Quick facts

1. Currants and gooseberries will grow in full sun to partial shade.
2. Space plants at least 3 feet apart.
3. Most currants and gooseberries are self-fruitful.
4. Prune annually to remove weak or dead canes and to open up the canopy.
5. Expect to get fruit 1 to 3 years after planting.

Do I need to prune blackcurrant bushes?

Just as is the case with pruning shrubs, it’s essential to prune blackcurrant bushes regularly to keep the plants healthy and help increase their yield. If you have a mature plant then pruning will be slightly different to new plants.

Do Blackcurrants grow on old wood?

Blackcurrants are grown as a ‘stool’, with most shoots arising from ground level or close to it. One-year-old shoots are the most productive. Two-year-old wood will produce some fruit but older wood becomes non-productive, so each year some stems need to be removed to make space for younger ones.

Can I prune blackcurrants in January?

Pruning young blackcurrants bushes
For the first three years after planting, prune lightly in autumn or winter if growth is strong, just removing any weak or low-lying shoots. But if growth is weak, prune hard, cutting at least half the shoots back to near ground level.

Can I prune blackcurrants after fruiting?

Blackcurrants carry their fruit on the previous summer’s growth. Pruning couldn’t be simpler, remove the old fruited branches. Ideally pruning should be carried out immediately after harvesting or more practically, September.

What do you feed blackcurrant bushes?

Blackcurrant bushes need plenty of watering and feeding – particularly if container grown. In spring, feed with pelleted chicken manure or other high potash fertiliser, and add a thick mulch. Keep weed-free during the growing season and when the fruits start to mature, net your plants to protect from the birds.

How tall do currant bushes get?

Three to five feet tall
An Edible Plant with Pearl-Like Red Berries

Common name	Red currant
Botanical Name	Ribes rubrum
Family	Grossulariaceae
Plant Type	Fruit
Mature Size	Three to five feet tall, three to six feet wide

How do you know when a currant is ripe?

Fully ripe currants possess the characteristic color of the variety (red, white, or black), are slightly soft and juicy. For jellies and jams, harvest currants before the berries are fully ripe. Fruit harvested for jellies and jams should be well colored, but still firm.

Should you prune redcurrants?

Pruning established bushes
In early summer, prune new growth back to two buds to keep plants compact. Leaders should be pruned to outward-facing buds unless the branches are bending, in which case they should be cut to upward-facing buds.

Can you eat white currants raw?

Redcurrants and whitecurrants, while still tart, are sweeter. Both can be eaten raw, when properly sun-ripened, but they do best with other fruits.

Do white currants turn red?

Appearance and flavour: White currant berries are slightly smaller and sweeter than red currants, and they turn a delightful light pink colour when cooked in jams or jellies.

Do currants need a trellis?

In Wisconsin and adjacent states, currants and gooseberries (two closely related fruit crops) are generally grown without trellises, as extension publications recommend.

Can you freeze white currants?

Rinse your destemmed currants under cool water to remove any bugs, leaves or other debris. Then spread them out on a tea towel to dry. Once the berries are fully dry measure them into freezer bags. Remove the air from the bags and then place them in the freezer in a single layer until frozen solid.

How do you eat white currants?

You can cast handfuls of the raw berries over a cheesecake or over breakfast yoghurt. Or you can scatter them over a knickerbocker glory or into fruit salads, where they contrast beautifully with sweeter fruit such as melon and nectarines.