The berry bushes need the right treatment to ensure that currants, gooseberries and co. bear lush fruit every year. Read how to do it here.
Berry bushes such as currants, gooseberries, raspberries or blackberries bear their fruit on newer shoots that are only a few years old. Since older branches become woody and no longer develop flowers from which the berries will later grow, it is necessary to remove the old shoots regularly.
Pruning berry bushes
In contrast to other fruit trees, the fruit shoots of some berry bushes such as raspberries and blackberries must be cut back completely. This is because the rods of such berries will only bear fruit in a year and would only rob the plant of unnecessary energy afterwards. In addition, you can make sure that the shrubs do not grow too densely and get enough light next year.
You can prune old plants that have been neglected for a long time down to the ground to rejuvenate the plant. In this case, leave only last year's shoots on the ground. If there are no new shoots, the plant can be preserved without them.
Pruning and rejuvenating berry bushes
Rejuvenation in a radical form, i.e. by cutting back down to the ground, should take place in winter if possible. If the sap has risen during radical pruning, the plants may lose too many stored substances and thus be prevented from driving through. Even old and very neglected plants experience a true rejuvenation through rigorous pruning and will thank you for it in the following year with rich berry growth.
You should also remove crossing, too close together, diseased or dead shoots once a year.
Young berry bushes: pruning is usually unnecessary
You don't really have to prune young shrubs. Let them develop strong main shoots first. However, you can thin out the plant a bit so that the individual tendrils have enough space. To do this, cut off the excess tendrils close to the ground.
Tip: I use Bosch shrub shears to cut back my berries.