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Gooseberries fruit on old wood that has formed spurs. I leave the pruning until quite late in case the birds take any buds. I prune all the new growth way apart from extending the main branches a few inches. They do make excellent cordons provided the variety is not a lax variety. They can be grown as arrow of cordon apples in which case they are easy to pick. I prefer a high potash feed like Vitax Q4 rather than a completely balanced fertilizer but we all have our own thoughts.
I have taken another load off my two bushes and also got out my secateurs and small saw. I have 7 bushes, 5 are small and just starting. I learnt a lesson this year ie I am drowning in gooseberries and have decided to make the legs a lot longer, so yes (not the right time I know) I took a large 4 year old bush apart and cut off every branch apart from one that I will train to carry the leg upwards, it will be a wonky leg but a longer leg it will be. I will get the stakes in when the ground softens this winter and they will be taller than I need for the leg as gooseberry branches are so brittle and the site is very windy. I have pruned gooseberries in the wrong season several times and they are such tough plants, always surviving the pruning. I will tackle the second large bush in a couple of weeks, just seeing first how the first bush copesI love the idea of standard, easy picking, gooseberry plants
Mine have had sawfly very badly this year - I've picked off some caterpillars but have evidently missed most. Has anyone got a remedy, preferably not chemical?
re sawfly. Gooseberries need space around them and an open goblet shape. I haven`t had any sawfly this year or last. The ground below is clear of litter and weeds and I have the leg which is at least 15 inches high off the ground. It gives the birds a chance of getting in to eat the blightersAnother 5 jars bottling as I speak, there is a reason ie I have to have the freezer empty by sept for a new kitchen. I googled the price of gooseberries and saw £3 for 125 g, unbelievable, that must be london organic prices but even say £4 a kilo pyo makes a home grown organic crop massively valuable4 more but small hinakari red to pick and then almost straight onto a huge blackcurrant crop, I am shattered what with harvesting garlic and shallots as well as weeding and watering