How to turn black currant shrubs into high-yield berry trees

Black currants often grow aggressively, turning shrubs into dense thickets where berries remain small and only develop on the outer edges. To prevent this, gardeners can use a pruning method attributed to Oktyabrina Ganichkina, which transforms chaotic growth into structured "berry trees." This approach aims to create an open framework that ensures each branch receives maximum sunlight and nutrients, potentially increasing yields up to 10 kg per plant. Shaping the Currant "Tree" The process begins at the moment of planting. To establish a productive foundation, only 3–4 of the strongest root shoots are selected; all other excess growth is cut out completely at the base to avoid leaving stumps. Alexey Danilov, open-ground vegetable crop specialist: "Many people hesitate and leave branches as they are, but this is a mistake. Pruning must be radical: remove everything that lies on the ground or grows inward toward the center of the bush. Only then will you get large berries rather than small ones."