Pruning Gooseberries and Currants. – Chudleigh Knighton Allotments

February or early March is the best time to prune berry bushes before buds will burst, Many gardeners dread fruit pruning for fear it is complicated but there are a couple of simple rules that make things easier. Arm yourself with sharp bypass secateurs, and some sturdy gloves if you’re pruning gooseberries, to protect your hands from their spines.

The best fruit is produced on branches that are 2-3 years old, so the first step is always to take out any wood that’s older than this. If you do this every year, in theory your gooseberry or red or white currant should never have any wood that’s more than four years old. Blackcurrants are pruned in a similar way, but they fruit on wood that’s 1-2 years old, so any branches that are older than this can be removed.
If you follow this regime, you should be removing about one third of the total number of the bush’s branches each year. Always cut them right down to the base, which will encourage the bush to produce strong new fruiting stems from the bottom of the plant.
The best fruit is produced on branches that are 2-3 years old, so the first step is always to take out any wood that’s older than this. If you do this every year, in theory your gooseberry or red or white currant should never have any wood that’s more than four years old. Blackcurrants are pruned in a similar way, but they fruit on wood that’s 1-2 years old, so any branches that are older than this can be removed.
Also cut out any dead, diseased, damaged or dying wood.