By Patsygreen
United Kingdom 
i have a blacurrant bush in its first year, its grown to 5ft but no fruit.is this normal plus do they need cutting back for winter or just left,also have a thornless bramble in a tub can this be cut back
31 Aug, 2011
Fruit bushes should not be allowed to flower in their first year even if they try, so no worries on that score. They flower and fruit on the wood grown the previous year, so if you cut it back you will lose the fruiting branches. Blackcurrants are usually pruned right after fruiting, which gives the bush time to grow more wood to fruit the following year. As the bush ages a little of the old wood can be cut to the base each year to encourage new growth from the ground.
Brambles also flower on the previous year's canes, and the fruited ones can be cut out after the fruit is picked.
1 Sep, 2011