Black currant in November: monthly care

Prune black currants in November or December, once the leaves have fallen and the bush is fully dormant. The fruit is borne on wood produced the previous summer, so your aim is to encourage a constant supply of young, vigorous stems while removing older, less productive wood. In the first winter after planting, you'll already have cut the bush hard back at planting time, so there's little to do. From the second winter onwards, remove about a third of the oldest stems each year, cutting them right down to ground level or to a strong low side-shoot. Look for dark, thick stems with few side branches and peeling bark—these are past their best. Use sharp bypass secateurs or a pruning saw for thicker stems. Also take out any weak, spindly growth, stems that are damaged or diseased, and any branches lying close to the ground or crossing through the centre of the bush. The goal is an open, goblet shape with eight to twelve strong stems of varying ages, allowing light and air into the centre. Black currants don't need summer pruning. If a stem breaks under the weight of fruit or after a storm, cut it back cleanly to a bud or to the base as soon as you notice. Don't be tempted to tip-prune the ends of shoots in winter—you'll remove the fruiting buds. If your bush becomes very congested or neglected, you can rejuvenate it by cutting the entire plant down to 5 cm above ground in winter; you'll lose one season's crop but the bush will regrow strongly.