How tall will my fruit bushes grow?

josusa47

Three years ago I planted blackcurrant, white currant and gooseberry, which I bought from a reputable grower.  They are only knee high.  I remember picking a disabled neighbour's currants for her when I was a child, maybe four feet tall, and the bushes were taller than me.  Can I expect mine to get much bigger?  Might it be that I don't feed and/or water them enough?  I've never had more than a handful of fruit off them.

pansyface

BLACK CURRANTS FRUIT BEST ON WOOD THAT GREW THE PREVIOUS SUMMER SO YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THEY ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE IF YOU PRUNE OUT A THIRD OF THE STEMS NOW. NEXT AUTUMN, PRUNE OUT A DIFFERENT THIRD AND THE YEAR AFTER TAKE OUT THE THIRD THIRD. AND SO ON. BLACKCURRANTS ALSO LIKE A GOOD MULCH OF HOME MADE COMPOST EACH SPRING AND PLENTY OF WATER THOUGH THE SUMMER. MY BLACK CURRANTS STAND ABOUT FIVE FEET TALL.

GOOSEBERRIES ARE SLOWER GROWERS. THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR SIDE SHOOTS PRUNED TO FOUR LEAVES EVERY SUMMER, AFTER FRUITING, AND HALF THE CURRENT YEAR'S GROWTH REMOVED FROM THE MAIN LONG STEMS NOW. THEY ALSO LIKE PLENTY OF MULCH AND PLENTY OF WATER. MY GOOSEBERRIES ARE ABOUT THREE FEET TALL.

josusa47

Thanks, this is very helpful.  I really need to learn a lot about pruning, and write myself a year-round schedule for what to prune when.