i think standards are the only way to grow gooseberries they are easy to pick lift the branch and harvest pruning is very easy light prune each winter take out any crossing damaged stems shorten any upward facing stems to 2 buds they do sell them in lidls every now and then hope this helps
That is very helpful, thank you so much. I have one question why do few places sell them?
The main advantage to a short standard is bloodless access to the fruit (or at least some of it). Cordons are the real answer if that's #1 priority.
Tall standards don't make picking that much easier than short ones do (unless you really can't bend). The main advantage is to keep weeds out of the branches (especially the climbing couch I call 'lesser' - dunno its real name). The latter is not so important initially - until the weeds creep in.
Speaking for myself (a 'careful' northerner who hates paying for often illusory 'convenience') I'd always buy a bush and prune it to a standard myself - it's much cheaper (partly because of a wider choice, partly because of the work done by the nursery - also they may have to wait until the reduced plant has regrown to saleable size).
Personally I much prefer cordons - I'd just prune back to as many main shoots as are splayed apart (or can be) - aiming for a single, double, or at most a triple cordon - but definitely creating bare 'legs' too.
Pruning a bare rooted plant before planting will help it to settle in. Any unwanted stems or branches can be slipped into a deep spade-slit to root for next year.
If timing means you have to have a pot-grown one (at 3x the price) I'd be tempted to just prune the lower branches off at planting time, and leave it like that until you can take a crop from it - just before removing unwanted main stems or maybe a few more lower branches (again use as cuttings - but give them a little shade). Prune more towards a full standard or leggy cordon(s) in the following seasons.
Cheers.