Propagation of Red, White, and Golden Currants

3.1. Propagation by Hardwood Cuttings

This is the simplest and most reliable method for red and white currants. It does not require special conditions—rooting occurs directly in open ground (Buckingham, 2010).

Timing: The best time for preparation and planting is early autumn (second half of September) or early spring (before bud break). In regions with mild winters, autumn planting is preferred. For spring planting, cuttings are prepared in winter and stored in a snow pile, cellar, or refrigerator (Dankov et al., 2015).

How to prepare cuttings:

1. Selecting the shoot. Use mature (lignified) one‑year‑old shoots from the mother bush. The shoot should be healthy, without signs of disease or damage, and at least 6–8 mm thick (ideally pencil‑thick). (Dankov et al., 2015).

2. Cutting. With sharp secateurs or a knife, cut the shoot into cuttings 15–20 cm long.

3. Cuts. Make the top cut straight, 0.5–1 cm above a bud. Make the bottom cut slanting, at a 45° angle, directly below a bud. This facilitates water uptake and accelerates root formation. Remove all leaves if present (Kurennoi et al., 1985).

Planting:

1. Soil preparation. Dig over the bed and remove weeds. To improve soil structure, incorporate humus or compost.

2. Planting scheme. Plant cuttings in furrows 10–15 cm apart, with 30–40 cm between rows. They can also be planted at 70×10 cm or 80×20 cm for more spacious development (Dankov et al., 2015).

3. Planting technique. Insert the cutting into the soil at an angle (45°) or vertically, burying it so that 1–2 buds remain above the surface. For autumn planting, bury the cutting almost completely, leaving only one bud above ground.

4. Watering and mulching. After planting, water the bed generously and mulch with humus, peat, or compost in a layer of 3–5 cm to retain moisture and protect against frost (Dankov et al., 2015).

Care: In autumn, the main task is to preserve the cuttings until spring. With spring planting, care consists of regular watering in dry weather and weed control. By autumn, the cutting will have grown into a sapling with one or two shoots and a good root system. In autumn of the following year, it can be transplanted to its permanent location.

3.2. Propagation by Softwood Cuttings

This method allows propagation of valuable varieties with a high multiplication rate, but it requires special conditions—high air humidity, for example, in a greenhouse or a mist propagation unit (Tarasov et al., 1981; Potapov et al., 2000). In amateur conditions, you can use a cold frame or simply cover the bed with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle to create a mini‑greenhouse.

Timing: The optimal time is the second half of June (in the middle zone), when the current year’s shoots have reached a length of 10–15 cm, are in active growth, and have not yet fully lignified (semi‑hardwood) (Dankov et al., 2015).

How to prepare cuttings:

1. Selecting the shoot. Choose strong, healthy current‑year shoots.

2. Cutting. Cut cuttings 7–15 cm long with 2–4 internodes (leaf pairs). Ideally, the cutting should have a “heel”—a small piece of last year’s wood. However, for red and white currants, this is not a strict requirement (Dankov et al., 2015).

3. Preparation. Remove 1–2 lower leaves. Shorten the upper leaves by half to reduce evaporation. Make the bottom cut slanting, directly below a node (bud).

Planting and rooting:

1. Substrate. Plant cuttings in a light, moisture‑retentive, and air‑permeable substrate, e.g., a mixture of sand and peat (1:1) in a 3–4 cm layer.

2. Scheme. Plant vertically, burying 1.5–2 cm deep, at 5×5 or 7×4 cm spacing (Dankov et al., 2015).

3. Conditions. The main condition for success is constant high air humidity (90–100%) and adequate substrate moisture. For this, misting systems or regular spraying are used. The substrate temperature should be 22–25 °C. Under these conditions, roots appear within 10–20 days (Dankov et al., 2015).

4. Hardening. Once the cuttings have rooted and started to grow, gradually accustom them to fresh air by removing the cover first for short periods, then for longer ones.

Further care: Rooted softwood cuttings are left on the bed until the next autumn. They are fed with nitrogen and complex fertilizers, watered, and weeded. For winter, the bed is mulched or covered to protect against freezing. By the next autumn, they become full‑fledged saplings.

3.3. Propagation by Combined Cuttings

This is a relatively new and promising method that combines the advantages of hardwood and softwood cuttings. It is particularly good for red currants. The essence of the method is that the cutting consists of the current‑year green growth with a part (base) of the previous year’s lignified shoot, 3–4 cm long (Tarasov et al., 1981).

Timing: Same as for softwood cuttings—mid‑June to early July.

Preparation and planting:

1. Selecting the shoot. From a current‑year shoot 5–7 cm long, cut a “heel” of 3–4 cm of last year’s growth. Such a cutting has a larger reserve of nutrients, which promotes better rooting.

2. Preparation. Remove 1–2 lower leaves from the green part.

3. Planting. Plant in a cold frame or on a bed with loose, moist soil, burying the lignified part (the “heel”). Water generously. Maintain high air humidity until rooting (Tarasov et al., 1981).

4. Care. After rooting, care is the same as for softwood cuttings.

Combined cuttings often give a higher rooting percentage and more vigorous saplings than ordinary softwood cuttings.

Important tips for all types of cuttings:

• Rooting stimulants. To improve rooting, especially for golden currants, treat the lower ends of the cuttings with rooting stimulants (e.g., “Kornevin”, “Heteroauxin”) according to the instructions (Potapov et al., 2000).
• Cleanliness. Use only clean, disinfected tools to avoid introducing infection.
• Mother plant selection. Take cuttings only from absolutely healthy, high‑yielding bushes.

4.1. Horizontal Layering

This is the most productive of all layering methods. From one branch, you can obtain several new plants. It is ideal for propagating red and white currants, as well as for obtaining clonal rootstocks (Trunov et al., 2012).

When to do it: Early spring, before bud break, as soon as the soil allows.

How to do it:

1. Selecting the branch. Choose a strong, healthy one‑year‑old or two‑year‑old shoot from the base of the bush.

2. Preparing the branch. With sharp secateurs, shorten the chosen shoot by 1/3–1/2 of its length. This stimulates the awakening of lateral buds, from which vertical shoots will later grow. For better rooting, you can make a shallow cut in the bark on the underside of the branch at the point of the future bend, or make a light notch (Tarasov et al., 1981; Potapov et al., 2000).

3. Laying in the trench. Next to the bush, dig a shallow (5–6 cm) trench in the direction of the future row. Gently bend the shoot down to the ground and lay it horizontally on the bottom of the trench. The branch should not arch into a curve.

4. Fixing. Pin the branch to the ground with wooden or metal pegs in several places.

5. Covering. Without completely covering the laid branch with soil, sprinkle it with moist soil only in a few places (at the pinning points) or simply keep it in a moist environment. The main task is to ensure the branch lies tightly against the moist soil.

6. Care. During the summer, vertical shoots will begin to grow from the awakened buds on the horizontal branch. When they reach a height of 10–15 cm, they must be hilled with loose, moist soil or humus to a depth of 5–10 cm from the base. As the shoots grow, repeat hilling 2–3 times, forming a small mound up to 15–20 cm high. This stimulates root formation at the base of each young shoot. In dry summers, abundant watering is essential (Tarasov et al., 1981).

7. Separation. In autumn (or the following spring if the root system is weak), the rooted shoots, together with a piece of the old branch (the “base”), are separated from the mother bush and divided into individual saplings. Each rooted shoot is cut off with a piece of the horizontal branch. The resulting saplings are grown on for another season (Tarasov et al., 1981).

Advantages: Very high multiplication rate, with the possibility of obtaining up to 5–8 saplings from one branch.

4.2. Vertical Layering

This method is more often used to obtain clonal rootstocks, but it also works well for propagating one’s own currant and gooseberry bushes (Trunov et al., 2012). It is particularly suitable for plants with brittle or poorly bending shoots that cannot be bent to the ground.

When to do it: Early spring, before growth begins.

How to do it:

1. Preparing the bush. The donor bush (mother plant) is heavily pruned, leaving stumps 2–5 cm above soil level.

2. Hilling. From the remaining stumps, young shoots will start to grow. When they reach 15–20 cm, hill them with loose, moist soil or humus to one‑third of their height. As the shoots grow, repeat hilling several times over the summer, bringing the mound height to 20–25 cm. The soil in the mound must be kept constantly moist (Trunov et al., 2012).

3. Care. In dry weather, water regularly. It is also recommended to give 1–2 feedings with complex mineral fertilizer in the first half of summer.

4. Separation. In autumn, the mound is carefully removed. Each rooted shoot will already have its own root system. They are carefully separated (cut out) from the mother plant and planted for further growing or placed permanently.

Advantages: Simplicity and reliability. This method is well suited for obtaining golden currant saplings.

4.3. Arched (or Simple) Layering

This is the simplest and quickest method when you need only 1–2 additional saplings from a valuable bush.

When to do it: Early spring.

How to do it:

1. Selecting the shoot. Choose a strong one‑year‑old or two‑year‑old shoot from the base of the bush.

2. Bending and laying. Bend the shoot to the ground in an arch so that its middle is in a pre‑prepared shallow trench (10–15 cm deep) and the tip points vertically upward. Tie it to a stake (Tarasov et al., 1981).

3. Fixing and covering. Pin the bend point (in the trench) to the ground and cover with loose, moist soil. The tip of the shoot remains above the surface (Trunov et al., 2012).

4. Care. Keep the soil at the covered point moist. During summer, roots will form at the base of the tip and at the bend.

5. Separation. By autumn or the following spring, the rooted layer with part of the tip is separated from the mother bush and transplanted for further growing. It already has 1–2 shoots and a root system.

Advantages: Minimum effort, ideal for obtaining a small amount of high‑quality planting material.

How to Choose Rootstock and Scion?

• Best rootstock for red and white currants: seedlings of red or golden currant, or own rooted cuttings.
• Best rootstock for golden currant: seedlings of golden currant.

Important! The scion and rootstock should be of the same species or close relatives. Roughly speaking, grafting black currant onto red is not recommended—plants will be weak and short‑lived due to incompatibility (Trunov et al., 2012).

When and How to Graft?

In amateur gardens, two simple methods are most often used.

7.1. Watering and Moisture Maintenance

Young currant plants are very sensitive to moisture deficiency, especially in the first 2–3 months after planting or rooting. Their root system is in the topsoil and cannot draw water from deeper layers (Buckingham, 2010).

• Frequency: In dry weather, water saplings at least 1–2 times a week. Watering is especially important during active shoot growth (May–June) and in hot summer months.
• Amount: Pour at least 5–10 litres of water under each sapling.
• Method: It is better to water not directly at the root but into the root‑zone circle, so that water soaks in slowly and does not wash away the roots.
• Mulching: This is an essential technique for moisture conservation. Mulch the root‑zone circle with a layer of 5–8 cm of humus, compost, peat, or even mown grass. Mulch also prevents weed growth and soil overheating (Potapov et al., 2000; Trunov et al., 2012).

7.2. Loosening and Weeding

The soil around the saplings should be loose and free of weeds.

• Loosening: Regular loosening (after each watering or rain) ensures oxygen supply to the roots. Loosening depth—5–8 cm, to avoid damaging surface roots (Kurennoi et al., 1985).
• Weeding: Weeds compete with young plants for moisture and nutrients. They must be removed in a timely manner, especially in the root‑zone circle.

7.3. Fertilisation

In the first year after planting, if the soil was well prepared with organic matter, additional fertilisation may not be necessary. However, on poor soils or with weak growth, 1–2 feedings can be done.

• First feeding: At the start of growth (May), give nitrogen fertiliser (e.g., 10–15 g of ammonium nitrate or urea per 10 L of water, applying 1–2 L per bush) to stimulate shoot growth (Potapov et al., 2000).
• Second feeding: In July–August, to improve shoot ripening and winter preparation, give phosphorus‑potassium fertiliser (e.g., 15–20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate per 10 L of water).
• Organic matter: Instead of mineral fertilisers, you can use manure slurry (1:10) or chicken manure solution (1:20).

Important: Do not overfeed young plants with nitrogen in the second half of summer, as this will cause prolonged shoot growth and reduce their winter hardiness.

7.4. Formative Pruning (First Pruning)

Correct first pruning lays the foundation for a future compact, well‑lit, and productive bush.

• When planting in autumn: Immediately after planting, carry out pruning. On each shoot, leave 2–3 well‑developed buds and remove the rest. If the shoot is weak, cut it almost completely, leaving a stub with 1–2 buds (Kurennoi et al., 1985; Dankov et al., 2015). This stimulates the growth of basal shoots.
• In the second year: Leave 3–4 of the strongest and best‑positioned one‑year‑old shoots on the sapling to become the skeletal branches. Remove the rest of the basal growth (Tarasov et al., 1981).
• In the third–fourth years: Continue to shape the bush, leaving 3–4 strong replacement shoots each year, and remove weak, diseased, and overcrowding branches. By the 4th–5th year, the bush is considered formed (Kurennoi et al., 1985).

7.5. Protection from Pests and Diseases

Young plants are more vulnerable, so prevention is crucial.

• Prevention: Regularly inspect the saplings. At the first signs of disease or pests, apply permitted biological products or folk remedies (e.g., spraying with garlic decoction, tobacco dust).
• Main threats: Among pests, young currants are threatened by aphids, bud mites (especially for black currant, but they can also spread to other species), and among diseases—powdery mildew and anthracnose (Buckingham, 2010). Timely weed control and proper pruning (ventilation) are the best prevention against fungal diseases.
• Bird protection: Birds may peck buds in winter and early spring. In autumn or late winter, it is advisable to use nets or protective materials to cover the bushes, especially if they are located in open areas (Buckingham, 2010).

7.6. Winter Preparation

In the first year of life, saplings are particularly sensitive to frost, especially if the root system is still weak.

• Root protection: Mulch the root‑zone circle with a thick layer (10–15 cm) of peat, humus, or dry leaves. This will protect the roots from freezing in snowless winters (Tarasov et al., 1981).
• Above‑ground protection: In regions with harsh winters, young bushes (especially those obtained from softwood cuttings) can be covered with spruce branches or non‑woven material (e.g., spunbond) for the winter. Snow cover is also beneficial.

Summary:

The first year of a sapling’s life is a time of close attention. The main tasks are: regular watering (especially in drought), maintaining loose, weed‑free soil, correct formative pruning, and protection from diseases, pests, and frost. By following these simple rules, you will lay the foundation for a healthy, productive, and long‑lived currant bush.

Typical Mistakes in Propagation

1. Incorrect timing for cuttings.

• Mistake: Taking hardwood cuttings too late in spring, when buds have already started to grow. Or, conversely, taking softwood cuttings too early, when shoots are not yet mature.
• Solution: For hardwood cuttings, strictly observe the timing (autumn after leaf fall or early spring before bud swelling). For softwood cuttings, wait for the semi‑hardwood stage (second half of June), when shoots are no longer herbaceous but not yet fully lignified (Dankov et al., 2015).

2. Insufficient or excessive moisture during rooting.

• Mistake: Forgetting to water cuttings, especially in hot weather. Or, on the contrary, overwatering them, especially in cold weather, leading to rotting.
• Solution: For hardwood cuttings, moderate but regular watering. For softwood cuttings, maintain high air humidity (spraying, mist) with moderate substrate moisture. The soil should be moist but not waterlogged (Tarasov et al., 1981).

3. Poor soil preparation.

• Mistake: Planting cuttings or saplings in heavy, poor, or unstructured soil without adding organic matter.
• Solution: Before planting, dig the area, remove weeds, and incorporate humus or compost. For cuttings, use a light, loose substrate (mixture of sand and peat) (Potapov et al., 2000).

4. Incorrect planting depth.

• Mistake: Planting cuttings and saplings too shallow (roots dry out) or too deep (root collar rots).
• Solution: When planting hardwood cuttings, leave 1–2 buds above the surface. When planting saplings, bury the root collar 5–8 cm below soil level to encourage adventitious root formation (Kurennoi et al., 1985).

5. Overcrowding.

• Mistake: Planting cuttings too close together, causing competition for light, water, and nutrients. As a result, saplings grow weak and leggy.
• Solution: Follow the recommended planting schemes: 10–15 cm between cuttings in a row and 30–40 cm between rows (Dankov et al., 2015).

6. Omitting pruning after planting.

• Mistake: Sapling is planted but not pruned. This causes it to expend energy on growing all shoots instead of developing the root system.
• Solution: After planting, always carry out the first pruning, leaving 2–3 well‑developed buds on the shoot (Kurennoi et al., 1985).

7. Inadequate care for young plants.

• Mistake: Young saplings are left without watering, not weeded, and not mulched.
• Solution: In the first year, saplings require regular watering, soil loosening, weeding, and mulching. This is critically important for their establishment and subsequent growth (Potapov et al., 2000).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question: Why do my cuttings not root?

Answer: There may be several reasons: incorrect timing for cutting preparation (especially for softwood), insufficient air or substrate humidity, using a diseased or too old shoot, or not treating with rooting stimulants (for difficult‑to‑root varieties). Check all these points and try again.

Question: Which propagation method is the fastest?

Answer: The fastest is bush division. You obtain ready‑made, large saplings in the same season. However, the number of such saplings is limited. For obtaining a large amount of planting material, cuttings work fastest (especially softwood), but the saplings themselves will only be ready in a year or two.

Question: Can currants be propagated by seeds?

Answer: In amateur horticulture—no. Seed propagation (sexual) does not preserve varietal traits (large fruit size, taste, yield). From seeds, wildlings with small, sour berries will grow. The only exception is breeding work to develop new varieties (Trunov et al., 2012).

Question: What is the best time of year for propagation?

Answer: It depends on the method:

• Hardwood cuttings — in autumn (immediately after leaf fall) or early spring (before bud break).
• Softwood and combined cuttings — in late June to early July.
• Layering — in early spring.
• Bush division — in early spring or autumn.

Question: Which method is best for golden currant?

Answer: Golden currant propagates well by hardwood cuttings, but treatment with rooting stimulants may be needed to increase the rooting percentage. It is also often propagated by vertical layering. Moreover, golden currant itself is an excellent rootstock for other currant species (Krivko et al., 2014; Trunov et al., 2012).

Question: Can a rooted cutting be transplanted directly to its permanent location?

Answer: As a rule, no. A rooted cutting (especially a softwood one) is still very weak. It is better to grow it on for a year in a special nursery bed (“school”), where it will develop a good root system and above‑ground part. The sapling is transplanted to its permanent location only the following year, in autumn (Dankov et al., 2015).

Question: Should a bush be pruned when planting a sapling?

Answer: Yes, absolutely! The first pruning (to 2–3 buds) is one of the most important rules. It stimulates the growth of basal shoots, the formation of a strong root system, and lays the foundation for a future productive bush (Kurennoi et al., 1985).

Question: Can I simultaneously propagate a bush by division and use its branches for layering?

Answer: No, if you dig up the bush for division, you cannot simultaneously make layers. Choose one method. However, you can combine different methods on different bushes of the same variety.