🍂 How to Prune Soft Fruit Bushes in Scotland in September

Scotland’s September weather can be unpredictable—cooler temperatures, increased rainfall, and early frosts in northern areas mean it’s important to prepare your soft fruit bushes for winter while avoiding damage to next year’s crop.

🌿 General September Goals:

• Remove dead or diseased wood

• Lightly tidy up growth

• Improve airflow and structure

• Avoid major pruning that could stimulate new growth before frosts

🔍 Bush-by-Bush September Pruning Guide

🍇 Blackcurrants

• What to do now:

  • Remove any damaged, crossing, or dead stems.

  • Avoid major pruning—save that for late winter.

  • If growth is dense, you can thin lightly to improve airflow.

• Tip: Watch for signs of big bud mite (swollen buds)—remove affected shoots.

🍒 Redcurrants & Whitecurrants

• What to do now:

  • Lightly tip back long straggly shoots.

  • Remove dead or diseased branches only.

  • Save hard pruning for winter (February/March).

• Tip: These bushes benefit from an open centre, so remove any crossing growth if airflow is poor.

🟢 Gooseberries

• What to do now:

  • Remove damaged, diseased or very low-growing branches.

  • Watch for mildew or aphid damage.

  • Tidy up any straggly growth, but leave main structure alone.

• Tip: Don’t prune too hard now—avoid encouraging tender new growth that could be killed by frost.

🌿 Raspberries

Summer-fruiting varieties

• What to do now:

  • Remove old fruited canes (brown, woody ones).

  • Tie in new green canes for next year.

• Tip: Space canes well and tie them in neatly to withstand wind and reduce disease risk.

Autumn-fruiting varieties

• What to do now:

  • These are likely still fruiting—do not prune yet.

  • Wait until late winter (February) to cut all canes down to the ground.

🧰 September Pruning Tools & Tips

• Use clean, sharp secateurs to make clean cuts.

• Disinfect tools between plants to prevent disease spread.

• Avoid pruning in wet weather—fungal spores spread more easily.

• After pruning, mulch with compost or well-rotted manure to nourish roots and retain soil moisture.

⚠️ What NOT to Do in September

• ❌ Don’t do major structural pruning—wait until winter dormancy.

• ❌ Don’t prune heavily right before a cold snap—new shoots won’t survive frost.

• ❌ Don’t leave diseased wood—it should be removed immediately.

Secateurs PremiumCut Pro​ Dry Wood, Anvil, 24 mm cutting diameter

Buy Now