Pruning a gooseberry bush

[Percie]

Hi all, I'm a relatively new gardener and need a little advice.

I purchased a gooseberry plant from Poundland and it was basically just a stick with a small amount of roots. I wasn't holding out much hope of it growing but it has surprised me and has had quite a growth spurt over the past 2 months!

It started as just the brown stick, but threw out two side shoots from this, which have both grown to well over a foot long with lots of leaves and thorns.

I want to make sure it grows quite bushy, but I cannot find any info on pruning such an immature plant. If I were to snip off the growing tips of the two shoots now, would it encourage it to start branching out instead? And would any new branches come off the two shoots, or is there a way I can make the main stick put out more shoots? Or should I just leave it alone and prune when it is dormant, and hope more branches appear next year?

I have attached a photo, the other 'stick' next to the gooseberry is another one I actually purchased even earlier in the year, but that seems to have been stuck in some sort of suspended animation for 3 months or so now, it's not done anything since putting out those tiny leaves! But it does give you an idea what the bigger one started off like!

Thanks for any help in advance!

[GardeningCook]

I don't want to just send you off from this website, but have you done a websearch re: "how to prune a gooseberry"? That search will give you multiple written & video info.

[Percie]

Hi and thanks for your reply.

Yes I have done what feels like hundreds of google searches, but nothing answers this specific question. Everything is focused on pruning more mature plants that already have lots of branches. I can't even find any pictures of bushes that look like mine when it started, they all have at least 2 -3 main stems. I also have a load of gardening books but cannot find anything in there either, it's all focused on opening up the centre, getting rid of crossed branches etc but since I only have 2 branches so far I can't really relate!

[GardeningCook]

Ugh. I so wish I could help you, but don't want to make any suggestions that I'm not sure about. Do you have any independent (as in not chain store) nurseries in the area who carry gooseberries & who might be able to give you some pointers? Nursery folk are usually pretty friendly & won't mind that you didn't buy the plant(s) from them.

My parents grew gooseberries for many years, but I don't recall them ever pruning them - even when mature.

[applestar]

OK I'm not familiar with them either because currants and gooseberries were/are prohibited from interstate import to NJ for a long time due to their being alternate host for a pine tree disease and danger to infecting the pines in the Pine Barrens.

But I pulled out my two trusty fruit cultivation books: Success with Orgnic Fruit by Yvonne Cuthbertson (SwOF) and Backyard Fruits and Berries by Miranda Smith (BYF&B)

I posted photos of the relevant pages below. I think what you want is in BYF&B where it says "After Planting: Cut tops back to 10 inches and prune out any damaged or crossing wood." Also in SwOF -- "Pruning: Young plants can be trained as bushes, cordons or fans."

Since you want bushes, see the instructions earlier on the same page under "How to grow".

BUT!!! I think you need to pay particular attention to where it says bush varieties should be spaced 5 FEET apart. In BYF&B, recommended planting distance is 4-6 FEET apart.

So obviously, you can't keep them in those containers. In BYF&B, there is a handy quick reference guide along the margin and there is an X next to container growing which means NO.

Success with Orgnic Fruit by Yvonne Cuthbertson

Backyard Fruits and Berries by Miranda Smith

[GardeningCook]

Yes - unfortunately gooseberries & currants are hosts of "White Pine Blister Rust" disease, which is why I don't grow either since I have several stands of mature White Pines on my property. The disease doesn't affect the gooseberries or currants, but will kill White Pines.

There were a few supposedly disease-resistant cultivars developed, but in 2013 it was discovered that the White Pine Blister Rust had mutated to the point that it could now infect those supposedly resistant cultivars. So as much as I would like to grow the gooseberries of my childhood, I won't be tempting fate.

https://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/201 ... east-trees

[JONA]

Hi Percie

You have two options about your bush.
From your picture it appears to have two branches coming from its main stem.
If you cut both of these side branches around half way down them, they will produce further side branches. These will form the basic structure of a bush plant.
However there is an alternative.
A bush gooseberry is always a bit of a problem when it comes to picking the fruit. Those thorns have a habit of biting!
So, many growers over here grow the plants as cordons. Either plant against a fence or rig up a simple frame work.
Tie both of those branches to the frame and let them climb straight up tying as they grow. Each year just trim back the side shoots that appear on these main branches and let them crop on the resulting Spurs. The fruit is presented for picking so much easier and the plant takes up far less room.

As a bonus....in the fall push the shoots you cut off into the ground out of the way. Most will root in the spring and you can increase your production. Gooseberries root quite easily normally.