moving goosberry and rhubarb

[gwynnethmary]

Have been having a reconnoitre of my new plot today-sadly can't tackle it yet as am recovering from surgery-but I found what I think is a gooseberry.  Am very happy about this but it's in the wrong place.  Would I be foolish to move it next month-by then I hope to have a nice spot for it ?  Or should I leave it where it is and wait until autumn?  Also, can I move rhubarb?  It's just where the compost bin needs to stand.

[gwynnethmary]

[chriscross1966]

I'd leave the gooseberry until autumn or even winter.... and remember to give it a fiar old prune when you move it too... rhubarb I don't know.... I kill too much rhubarb to honestly give advice on it :D

[Flighty]

Yes move the rhubarb later in the year once it's died back. Put plenty of compost, or manure, in the hole and over it once planted.
Don't pick any, or just a handful at most, next year to give it a chance to settle and grow.

[Jeannine]

Funny to see this.

We did the same thing just last week. We aquired a very large gooseberry bush and popped it into a spot for a few days, then shifted iot agin toi a permanent spot, is seems to quite happy .

I also moved my rhubarb, it all moved well and didnèt even droop for a minute.

In both cases we dug very large holes and when we lifted the plants we took a huge spadeful of earth with us. The gooseberry was big and it came with a rootball on it about 2 feet.

I know it is the wrong time but ours went off OK, I also often moved my rhubarb in the UK as we were remodelling and it never blinked. I think it was shifted about three or fours times.

XX Jeannine

[gwynnethmary]

I must admit It would be hard to leave them where they are for any length of time- I'm one of those people that once I start a job I like to finish it, and I know that once I'm fit there'll be no stopping me.  The whole plot needs clearing of broken glass and other rubbish as well as being dug over thoroughly to remove roots etc.  The council came in with a digger and dragged away a lot of rubbish, including the old, broken-down shed, but also skimmed the top soil away in places.  There'll be a lot of work to do to get it ready to plant anything, but I think by next month I should at least have a couple of areas ready.  Maybe I'll just go for it!