Allotments 4 All

 I am getting rid of my gooseberry bushes, I think there is about 4 or 5, Invicta and Pax.

Question is, if I shake off all the soil , prune them a bit and pack them, is it worth it to mail them to somebody if I offer them in swap shop

I planted them 3/4 years ago, so they will be 4/5 years I think.

They are good bushes but we have a gooseberry stealer on our lottie and he/she gets them every year so there is no point, many of us are getting rid of them for the same reason.

XX Jeannine

Hi
Re your 'gooseberry stealer' - could it not be a 'he or she' but be birds?  We've had this problem on our allotments and we are pretty sure that the culprits are Jays (and possibly also other members of the Crow family)! Could you cover your bushes with, say, old net curtains to keep them off?
Jean

No it is not the birds, this person cleans out all the gooseberries on the whole site on the same  night,and even  unfastens or cuts  nets etc, we have been unable to catch them and it has been happening for several years.

It is just not worth tying up the land

XX Jeannine

Thats terrible... !!!  Whats this world coming too is beyond me. 

???

you can but hope they get really badly pricked by the thorns, but to answer your question you could wrap the roots in wet kitchen towels for example and then cover in a small plastic bag to post - should be fine, recipients can then re-soak for awhile before planting

just and idea, but cant you put them in pots in your garden at home!

No, cannot put them in pots, I have so many pots here as it is we are stuck for room, but with 3 Pekingese running around I dare not risk the spikes because of their big prominent eyes, they simply have to go.

Thanks for ther packing info, I was wondering about the age of the bushes and moving them.

XX Jeannine

Jeanine, if posting them is difficult, I am sure that they would be taken if you put them on Freecycle.

They should travel and transplant ok but you will need to do this soon as Goosies do start growng soon
Give them a good prune straight after lifting, this will make it easier to post too
Jon

Quote from: springbokgirlie on February 17, 2008, 13:12:30
Thats terrible... !!!  Whats this world coming too is beyond me. 

???

I like Gooseberries but this is unbelievable !!!!
Does this person steal anything else ?

It's just terrible when you cannot trust fellow plot holder's  >:( ,I'd spay them with a laxative in the hope that the bugger eats a few as they are picking  them.

omg Jeannine, i can't believe that, how terrible!
i don't blame you to be honest, i'd have to get rid of them too, what a shame though :(
what if the gooseberry stealer starts stealing other fruit? ???

put big signs up that they've been sprayed with insecticide, might give you a chance to pick them first  :(

The goosegog nicker only goes for the gooseberries, I am just not prepared to tie up a patch on land that is useless for yet another year, we have tried all sorts but I think it has got be a challenge with this person and I am not going to play the game anymore.

I will check this weekend just how many  there are exactly and see if pruning them down will make them small enough to mail out, I will have to shake the soil from the roots though so hopefully they will be OK, if anyone is interested please PM me, but they are all going in one parcel, I don't want to try to pack them for more than one mailing. If it doesn't seem logical when I look I will post again

XX Jeannine

Hi Jeannine,

Have you thought about putting them on the Plant Exchange - you may get someone nearby interested who will come and collect.

http://www.theplantexchange.co.uk/default.asp?PageId=1