Take cuttings from currants

Grow new redcurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries for free by taking hardwood cuttings now. They’ll root over winter and spring, then grow on ready for planting next winter.

Select thick, straight shoots of this year’s growth and cut them 15-20cm long with a bud at the top and the bottom. They will root outdoors in pots or free-draining soil, in a sheltered spot. Insert them vertically, so a third of the length is below the surface, and space them 15cm apart. There will be signs of growth in spring, but they won’t have a strong root system until later in the season, so leave them in place until next year.

Remove 15-20cm from the end of healthy young shoots, to use as cuttings