Topic: Gooseberry

[garyp]

Looking for some help in growing of gooseberries. You know, the normal stuff growing conditions, variety, looking after, time to plant out etc.

Cheers for now

[tim]

I KNOW it's not the same but, while you're waiting for others to finish their dinner/supper, try -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/growing_fruit_and_vegetables/growing_gooseberries/growing_gooseberries1.shtml
Lovely things, but take up a lot of room?? = Tim

[The gardener]

An extract from my website;

 http://www.thegardenersamanac.co.uk

    *   Week 12; Apply Sulphate of potash at a rate of 20gms (3/4 oz) per sq metre

    * Week 16; Apply fungicide  at flower bud stage onwards, to prevent mildew.

    * Week 19; Deter infestations of Gooseberry sawfly larvae (maggots) by spraying the plants with a suitable pesticide after flowering.

    * Week 29; Check for ‘gooseberry sawfly’, and spray with a suitable pesticide if necessary

    An application of a systemic fungicide will help to combat mildew infections.

    Remove any suckers springing up from the roots, and prune back side-shoots to leave five pairs of leaves.

    * Week 32; Dont neglect gooseberries after fruiting for they can come under sudden attack from pests and diseases.

    Up to four broods of sawfly larvae (caterpillars) can hatch in a year, so continue spraying with suitable products

    Treat powdery mildew infections with a systemic fungicide.

    Other jobs that can be tackled now include removing any suckers growing out from the roots or main stem.

    Summer prune by shortening all sideshoots made this year back to five leaves to allow in more light and air to centre of plants.

    * Week 35; Gooseberries may be increased by means of hard wood cuttings inserted into the ground.

    * Select sturdy prunings of ripened (firm) current years growth 300-400mm (12”-15”) long

    * Trim the top, just above a leaf bud and bottom below a leaf bud and rub off all but the top three or four buds at the top.

    Insert 150mm(6”) apart in a sand lined slit or trench so that the lowest bud is positioned 50mm (2”) above soil level,leaving two buds above soil level.

    To assist the rooting process dip the cutting in a rooting powder or gel.

    Inserting cuttings through black plastic sheeting will also help.

    * Week 44; Cut back shoots of two-year old gooseberries by about a half, pruning them back to a suitable bud.

    Cut back to an inside (upper) bud if the variety has a drooping habit, or to an outside (lower) bud for erect growers.

    Slightly older bushes can be treated similarly, but here the laterals (side shoots) may also need shorting back to about 75mm (3”).

    Established bushes may benefit from having weak shoots and a proportion of older branches pruned out to avoid congestion.

[garyp]

thanks for your replies, What triggered things off was that I had gooseberries the other day for the first time in a long while and they were delicious. So I thought wouldnt be good to be able to grow some of them!!!! :)

[Joolieeee]

Useful tips - thanks Gardner - can you tell me what I might do about powdery mildew organically?  We have 4 bushes that are very overcrowded so not much air circulation - is it too late to prune them?), and so far I've just been picking off little bits that have mildew on them - is there anything else I can do?
Thank you in advance

[The gardener]

A bit catch twenty two here, if you prune now you will reduce this years fruit potential, then again if you don't you might still lose it to the mildew.

I think you might be best carrying on as you are, i.e. removing affected parts, then really thin the plants out at the appropriate time. In fact have you considered moving them to where the air circulation is better?

Sorry about being so vague, but I am not fully organic, so I would have probably used a fungicide in such a case.

[gavin]

For Joolieee - I've not had mildew on my gooseberries.  Mind you, I've not had any gooseberries yet, either! ???  (Not sure if I spoiled them when I put them in, or if frost got the flowers).  

I've read of people spraying milk to control mildew - a google search on "milk mildew" throws up lots of references.  Worth a try this year?

All best - Gavin

PS Add a little custard powder ;D :D :D ?

[kenkew]

There is a half-way solution. Cut out all the old woody stems you have regardless of leaf growth. (Which should already have been done,) Also cut out lateral and upright stems from the centre to allow more air into and around the rest of the plant. Mildew loves calm warm atmospheres but doesn't do to well when the air has more access.

[Joolieeee]

thanks both - took on an additional allotment (idiot!) and found the bushes, so realise we should have done some pruning long ago but didn't have access then.
Kenkew - I was worried if I take some of the stems out now it might not fruit at all - what do you reckon?

Thanks

uhmmm, gooseberries and custard, can't wait! :P

[trevody]

Here is an organic way of controlling sawfly that I devised for my worcesterberry bushes.
It is my understanding that the sawfly larvae over winter as a cocoon in the soil, emerging in early summer. So I use a barrier of corrugated plain cardboard, the thicker the better to prevent the fly emerging. Covered in a good layer of well-rotted horse manure, as mulch, this helps prevent the fist infestation of grubs and reduces the likelihood of later infestations through the year.
I have used this system for the last eight years and have not had a problem with sawfly on any of my bushes in all that time and it’s a dam site easier than picking the blighters off. ;) :)

[Joolieeee]

sounds good - I'll try that - ta!