Cutting currants: those who pick up the scissors after the harvest will be rewarded with magnificent berries
Created: 08/05/2022, 06:30
By: Andrea Stettner
Currants are easy to care for and are very popular in German gardens.
After the harvest in summer, however, you should definitely prune the shrub.
Currants
(ribes)
cut a fine figure not only in the kitchen thanks to their sour, nutritious fruits.
The bushes of the red, white or black currant are also interesting for hobby gardeners because they are easy to cultivate and bring rich yields.
However, you can only achieve the best harvest results if you cut back currants after harvesting in summer (June to August).
The same goes for summer raspberries or gooseberries.
How you have to proceed with the summer pruning again depends on the variety.
Red currants thrive when pruned after the summer harvest.
© CHROMORANGE/Imago
Instructions: How to cut red and white currants after harvest
Red and white currants form most of the fruit on the side shoots of the two to three-year-old main branches.
In order for the berry bushes to continue to produce magnificent fruits in large bunches, it is important to cut the oldest main branches every year after the harvest.
Otherwise, the harvest decreases significantly from the fourth year.
We explain how it works here:
After harvest, remove the two to three oldest main shoots close to the ground.
The shoots must be completely removed.
No butts must be left behind.
Then it's time to cut back the younger branches: so that the shoots have enough light next year, you should thin out the currant bush until only two or three strong youngsters remain.
These serve as a replacement for the removed main shoots.
The rest of the new ground shoots are cut off or pulled out.
As a result, a maximum of eight to twelve main shoots that are no older than four years should remain.
Finally, it comes to the side shoots: Side shoots close to the ground are removed to a height of approx. 30-40 centimetres.
In addition, all side shoots that have already borne fruit are cut back to about one centimeter long cones.
This stimulates fruit formation in the new year.
Pruning shears or a small pruning saw are best suited as tools.
The old branches of the currant are probably too strong for garden shears.
Cut black currants
Cut back black currants after harvesting in summer.
However, the procedure is different: Here you first remove all weak shoots at the base and on the main branches.
The main branches are clipped above the second or third long side shoot.
Proper pruning is therefore particularly important for currants.
However, avoid the most common mistakes, otherwise the currant harvest will fail.