How to prune black currant

Late autumn after leaf drop through late winter while fully dormant. Use loppers to remove the oldest, darkest-barked stems (3+ years old) at ground level, leaving the youngest, greenest canes. Aim for an open goblet shape with 6–9 healthy canes of mixed ages. Remove any dead, diseased, or rubbing stems as well.

Annually in winter — renewal pruning is essential, not optional. Black currant fruits almost entirely on one-year-old wood, so annual renewal pruning is essential — without it, yields drop sharply within a few seasons. Each winter, remove roughly one-third of the oldest stems at the base to encourage strong new replacement canes and keep the bush open and productive.

Use loppers to remove the oldest, darkest-barked stems (3+ years old) at ground level, leaving the youngest, greenest canes. Aim for an open goblet shape with 6–9 healthy canes of mixed ages. Remove any dead, diseased, or rubbing stems as well.