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Ginda Fisher wrote:

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?
I would thin out the bushes that are getting too thick, the berries will be smaller

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.)
I do some pruning all year long. Remember that dormant pruning stimulates growth
and summer pruning inhibits growth. I tend to prune most of the smaller branches that 
growalong the main canes (makes picking easier)

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.)
Maybe all of the above, they will definately do better in the ground than in pots unless 
the pots are very large

Ed Mashburn
Northumberland BerryWorks
707 Front Street
Northumberland, PA 17857
(570) 473-9910
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