I know/knew this was/is not the approved method but with a large,
practically weed free, walled garden, only the blackcurrants were home to
brambles, twitch and nettles. No way to clear them.
As a trial, I planted a row of disbudded cuttings with a 12" leg to
the top buds [terminal bud removed]. They all took, and each plant gave a
1/3 reduced crop BUT three times as many plants in the row~~and not a weed
between them!
I have replaced the row at about ten year intervals as the legs gets a
little elderly and woody.
The currants are much easier to pick, at waist height, and usually
combined with pruning to the aerial cluster and taking those laden branches
to a 'stripper' sitting in a comfortable chair at the end of the row! Those
she doesn't eat [I can't stand them raw] go straight into the freezer with a
good shake-up after a few days. A few green in with the blacks are of no
consequence.
October is the best month to start. I would use no other method. Well
worth a try.
Best Wishes Brian.