How to make currant cuttings for propagation

If you want to get a new currant plant (red, black and white), you can simply go to a garden centre and buy it. Or, you can save your money and use cuttings to propagate your current bushes. Cuttings are the cheapest ways to propagate currants. Well, you need someone who already grows currant and is willing to give you a few cuttings, of course, and we shall tell you how to do it properly.

Avoid old cuttings

One-year shoots with a length of 20 to 25 centimetres are best for cuttings because older cuttings may not be able to take root. Make cuttings during the dormant season – that is, in autumn or early spring, when buds did not form yet. . If you took cuttings in autumn, place them in a moist sand box and in cool room, for example in a cellar. If you took cuttings in the spring, they may start growing buds too soon so, keep them at lower temperatures to prevent buds from forming.

Photo: Pixabay

Cuttings need high-quality soil

Choose the best quality soil you can get and get rid of all weeds. If you want to plant cuttings into a regular soil (where you previously had regular field crops), you should definitely work in a good manure in advance. The worst thing for cuttings is drought, so choose a soil that retains moisture well.

When and how to plant cuttings?

Plant cuttings in autumn or early spring and make sure that the soil is a little bit dry so you can work it well. No standing water when planting. The distance between individual cuttings should be from 15 to 20 centimetres, and individual rows should be about 80 centimetres apart. The depth of planting actually depends on the soil and climatic conditions. If you have light soil in your garden, leave one cutting bud sticking out of the soil. But if you have a heavy and rather moist soil, plant cuttings deeper – at two-thirds of their length and at 45° angle.

Preview photo: Pixabay