Why is pruning currants in spring recommended?

If you grow black currants, you know that pruning currants should be done in the spring. The previous season is of great importance here, since the bush bears fruit on them. It is no secret that a large number of berries will prefer strong (30-40 cm) growth at the levels of the first and second branching.

How pruning currants in spring will help

The blackcurrant harvest is especially abundant on branches four to five years old. Older ones are a poor basis for growth. Let's look at the statistics:

• During the first four years of the planting stage, you need to grow a bush, including 15-20 branches of different ages;
• On such a bush from one to five years, the branches include 3-4 annual branches, the same number of biennial branches, and the like;
• Then you need to give the bush support and keep it in this condition for 10-12 years.

How to prune a currant bush in spring

A blackcurrant bush is formed from the moment of purchasing a one-year-old seedling that has 2-4 branches. When planting, each branch is left with three or four well-developed buds that are not cut off.
The number of the strongest annual branches that have sprouted from the soil, known as “zero” branches, should be kept at 3-4, the rest should be cut off.

The bush should have 2-4 branches for each age. The process starts from the stage of full fruiting. Every year, branches that are unsuitable for development are removed, as well as those that no longer bear fruit as before.

• Pruning neglected bushes is not done in one go. To avoid provocation and imbalance in the development of parts - above-ground and root.
• During the first year, work is carried out on all branches of five to six years (they are outwardly thick, the growths are shortened);
• Next, branches of other ages are brought into the required ratio;
• It is also necessary to remove stumps from eliminated branches; make cuts in the soil area.