North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <ginda@concentric.net>]

I've never had to prune my red currants beyond removing dead wood -
typically, a branch would only live 3 years or so.  But for whatever
reason, not much died last year, and it looks like most of the bushes
made it through this winter, too.  So my oldest currants have gotten
very bushy.

1)  Should I thin them out?  How much?  Older branches?  Little twigs?

2)  What's the best time to do this?  They're just beginning to break
dormancy now.  (In the past, I've just waited until they started to
sprout, and cut off any branches that weren't sprouting.)

Finally, any theories on why the branches are surviving longer?  Mild
winters?  Something that eats currant borers?  Better nutrition?  (I
kept them in pots for years, and recently planted them permanently in
the ground.)

Thanks,
Ginda Fisher
eastern MA, zone 6
Where lots of buds are swelling

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