Topic: Can I plant gooseberry bushes now?

[Crystalmoon]

Hi everyone, I've just been given some very tiny gooseberry bushes that a neighbour bought last Autumn & didn't get around to planting. They look totally dormant, like dry twigs  :o think they were from a pound shop originally. I'm just setting up a mini plot of raised beds in my back garden as sadly I will be giving up my large allotment this Winter. Can I plant the gooseberries now? Or should I wait until Autumn? Would they be ok in raised beds filled with multi purpose compost? (my old ones are growing in heavy clay at my lotty).
Sorry to be so dim where gooseberries are concerned but I inherited my old ones with my plot so have no experience of starting them off xJane

[goodlife]

Yes..you can plant them...but....as they are just 'sticks'..I would pot them up first and wait until they've formed good rootball and then plant them. They've got better chance of surviving and making quicker growth when potted. In ground there is always competition agains pests, deseases and weather too can cause its own challenges.. ::)
This time of the year gooseberries should not be 'dormant' anymore.. :-\..I just wonder if those 'sticks' still have life left in them.. :-\

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Goodlife, yes I'm wondering the same thing but as my neighbour has kept them in a dark cupboard I'm hoping that's  hwy they aren't showing any signs of life yet. I will plant them in large pots first thanks for the tip xJane

[powerspade]

Personally I wouldn't bother as they are probably dead. I`m doing exactly the same by giving up my allotment and making a mini allotment at my home garden. I have blackcurrant red currant  bushes and gooseberries, Instead of moving them I took cuttings last October which have all taken. I couldn't move them because I got Club root on my allotment plot.

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Powerspade  :)  hope your at home mini allotment is coming on well....now mine is starting to take shape I am feeling less sad about giving up the large plot (mind you I haven't actually done it yet so I know I will shed a few tears when I give the keys back).

I have never taken cuttings so would really appreciate any advice you can offer me....would it be worth taking cuttings from bushes that are very old?

The redcurrant is only 5 years ols & I was wondering about digging it up & moving it but I would hate to kill it & I wouldn't want to risk bringing anything nasty from the allotment into my garden plot....(blackcurrants next to red currant have strange curling leaves this year???).

I expect you are right about the twig fruit bushes.....I am thinking about buying some really healthy ones instead as I want my garden mini lotty to be healthy xJane

[Digeroo]

Another vote here for scrapping them.  A gooseberry should be covered with leaves at the moment.

I got some cheapo ones and now year three they are fruiting, also got some barerooted from nursery and year one they already are fruiting. 

See if you can find someone to pin a branch down for you they root very quickly that way.

[powerspade]

If they are alive not only should they be in leaf but also should have produced fruit. I have picked 29 lbs in weight off my couple of plants. As to taking cuttings Blackcurrants are very easily done just take off a couple of stems and plant them in the ground also the same with redcurrants and gooseberries I am taking my cuttings around October. The last time I did this they had produced a very good root stock by March

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Powerspade, I think I will try some cuttings from my existing bushes & also buy a couple of new very healthy established plants for a good mix  ;) The poor dead twigs will be composted. I've left the ancient raspberries on my allotment to go mad with new growth this year rather than thinning to get the better fruit so I will take some fresh new plants with me at the end of the season. My blueberries are in pots anyway thank goodness so they just have to be moved once the fruit has been harvested.
This dreadful weather we've had really forced my decision to give up my allotment....had no peace from arthritis this year, last year where it was so dry I had quite a few months virtually pain free so that gave me an unrealistic belief that I could carry on with the allotment being so far away, walking back & forth many miles a week ::) silly me! I have to admit the raised bed mini plot that is developing outside my back door is a million times easier to manage. I hope we both really enjoy our mini plots next year xJane