Currant pruning: when and how to do it correctly so that there is a good harvest, scheme

Currant pruning is called the most important agricultural technique that is carried out for the proper development of bushes. Before removing currant shoots, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this process in more detail.

Appropriateness of trimming

First you need to figure out what the pruning of shrubs with berries is for. There are two main types of this procedure, which have different purposes:

Forming. Gardeners are advised to carry out formative pruning of bushes so that they do not have many shoots and their crown has the correct shape.If you periodically remove old branches, younger and more fertile branches will begin to appear on the plant, which contribute to increased fruiting. The procedure is carried out in the first half of spring, before the first buds swell.
Sanitary. Proper plant care should be accompanied by sanitary pruning. It is carried out to clean the shrub from dried leaves and dry branches, to which the plant gives part of the nutrients. Experts advise immediately getting rid of dried branches with leaves, as they contribute to the reproduction of fungi and attract pathogens. Most often, powdery mildew develops because of this, which leads to the death of the planted currant.

What tools are needed

Before removing shoots from currant bushes, you will need to prepare your inventory first. To do the job, use the following tools:

garden shears for cutting leaves and thin twigs;
brush cutter;
bypass or regular pruner;
lopper.

Some experts advise using a hacksaw if you need to cut thick dried branches. All inventory items must be sharp, and therefore, if necessary, they are undermined.

Terms and regulations

It is recommended to determine the timing of the procedure in advance in order to figure out when it is better to get rid of old branches.

Autumn pruning

In order for the shrub to endure the winter normally, it is pruned in autumn. In this case, the procedure is carried out 1-2 weeks after all the leaves fall from the plant. The main advantages of pruning in the fall include:

increasing yields;
strengthening immunity;
activation of shoot development.

Summer bush formation

Some prefer to prune bushes in the summer after picking berries. Most often, the procedure is carried out in August or July, when the crop is fully ripe.

In summer, young green shoots are pinched on the bushes and dried branches are cut off.

Spring

Experts advise pruning shrubs in the spring before the vegetation process begins. Pruning is done after the frost disappears outside, and the temperature will always be above zero.

When is it better to prune currants: in autumn or spring

Some gardeners can't figure out when to prune. To have a good harvest in summer, it is better to cut the shoots in the middle or early autumn.

Does regionalization affect timing

When determining the timing of cutting currant bushes, pay attention to the region in which they are grown. For example, Siberian gardeners should do this only in spring or summer, when there are no hard frosts. It is much easier for residents of the southern regions, since the climatic conditions of their area allow them to independently choose the timing of pruning.

Step by step instructions for trimming

It is not easy to prune plants without preliminary preparation, and therefore gardeners will have to familiarize themselves with the features of such work in advance. In preparation, the trimming scheme is studied, as well as step-by-step instructions for performing the procedure.

Preplanting

Many gardeners are planting currant seedlings a month and a half before the first frost. It is during this period that the preplant pruning of the plant is carried out.From all the shoots, the tops are carefully cut off, after which three buds remain on the branches. Already next year, at least five young shoots will form on the bushes.

The simplest sanitary

When carrying out sanitary cutting of bushes, the following sequence of actions is performed:

remove dried and broken branches;
cutting shoots that grow slowly;
cut shoots that have a deformed shape;
eliminate branches intertwined with each other;
pruning shoots that are infected with infectious diseases.

Radical

Radical pruning is done if it is necessary to completely cut off the central stem with all side shoots. This method is used when old shrubs 10-15 years old are rejuvenated.Rejuvenation is carried out in early spring or late autumn before the onset of frost. After cutting the bush, the remaining stump is mulched with sawdust or straw.

Michurinskaya

The Michurin method is used by people who plant currants to sell ripe berries.

If you cut currant bushes correctly, over time their yield will increase significantly.

The procedure is carried out no earlier than five years after planting the berries on the site. The plant is cut at the root, after which the soil near the cut is fertilized with organic top dressing. In a year, young fruit-bearing branches will appear at the cut site.

Stamp forms

When growing standard currants, you will have to periodically cut the bushes so that their root system develops normally. To do this, all shoots are shortened so that no more than three young buds remain on them.

How to rejuvenate an old bush

Without periodic rejuvenation, currant bushes will begin to bear fruit worse. Therefore, you need to figure out how to properly rejuvenate shrubs during cultivation. When rejuvenating, you need to get rid of:

weak growth that grows poorly;
barren branches without berries;
broken shoots or branches that spread out on the ground.

When pruning, care must be taken to ensure that the branches are cut to mature wood, from which powerful and fertile branches will grow.

What is the difference between pruning red, black, white currants

It seems to some inexperienced gardeners that there is no difference in pruning different types of currant bushes, but this is not so. The rejuvenation of white and red currants is slightly different from the rejuvenation of black currants. The differences are related to the characteristics of fruiting and plant growth.

In white and red varieties, fruit buds form near the bases of the shoots or near the annulus. Thanks to this, their old branches bear fruit as well as new ones. Therefore, experienced gardeners do not advise frequently cutting such shrubs. Old blackcurrant branches, on the contrary, bear less fruit and have to be cut.

The nuances of pruning different varieties

There are certain nuances of pruning shoots in different varieties of currants. You need to familiarize yourself with them in advance in order to properly rejuvenate the shrubs.

Altaic

The main feature of the Altai currant varieties is that they bear fruit only in the middle and upper parts of the stem. Therefore, if they are cut, the amount of the harvest will drop several times.

Gardeners who have been growing Altai berries for several years are advised to cut off old branches, as they bear fruit worse than others. You can also get rid of diseased and drying shoots.

Shrubs with active shoot formation

Berries with active fruiting are popular among gardeners, as they are the most productive. A distinctive feature of such bushes is the high rate of emergence of new shoots in the lower part of the plants. They branch poorly, and therefore some of them are completely cut out. Shoots longer than 35 centimeters are shortened to get rid of young and weakened buds.

With passive shoot formation

Plants with passive shoot formation are planted much less often than other varieties, as they grow slowly. Gardeners advise cutting off branches over six years old because they stop bearing fruit.

Do I need to feed the plant after the procedure

Some gardeners are wondering if currants can be fertilized after pruning. Top dressing is mandatory, as it saturates the soil with nutrients that are needed for the development of currant bushes.

Sometimes, after rejuvenation, the bushes are depleted and weakened. In this case, they are fed with nitrophoska and other mineral fertilizers. You can also add fertilizing mixtures that contain nitrogen to the soil. To prepare them, add a tablespoon of urea to ten liters of water, after which the mixture is poured under the currant.

Do not forget about organic top dressing, which is also needed for berries. Fertilizer made from bird droppings is considered effective. To create it, litter with mullein is added in equal amounts to a barrel of water. The mixture is infused for a week and a half, after which it is poured under each bush. In order not to waste time creating feed mixtures, you can add compost to the soil.

The main mistakes made when molding a bush

The correct formation of the bush is very important, as the yield depends on it. However, not all people manage to perfectly prune plants due to mistakes made. Common mistakes include:

Failure to meet deadlines. Some gardeners are engaged in the removal of shoots at the wrong time. This can lead to the death of currants.
Inattention. There are times when people inattentively prune bushes, and dry or diseased branches remain on them.
Using unsharpened tools. All equipment used when cutting branches must be sharp.
Cropping violation. It is necessary to cut out old and dry shoots annually. If this is not done, the bushes will quickly thicken and begin to develop more slowly.

Conclusion

Many gardeners plant currant bushes in their summer cottages. During their cultivation, it is recommended to periodically trim the shoots. However, before that, you need to familiarize yourself with the purpose of deleting branches, as well as with the main features of this work.