The start of something new: how to propagate fruit bushes from cuttings

Now is the perfect time to start pruning your fruit bushes and take cuttings to create new plants. Here's how to do it Last spring, I did some spontaneous pruning of the rampant blackcurrant bush in my veg patch. Instead of putting the cuttings on the compost heap, I placed them in a vase of water because I find the Ribena-like scent of the leaves just delightful. Within a few weeks, the little branches had started to sprout roots and, eventually, each were poised to grow into a bush. These blackcurrant cuttings' admirable determination to grow can be taken advantage of now, even before the new growing season is under way.As winter's end approaches, and before buds start to break, is a good time for pruning your fruit bushes. This happily coincides with an ideal time to take hardwood cuttings so you can create new plants from your existing plants - an approach that works for blackcurrants, redcurrants, white currants, gooseberries and figs. Continue reading...