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Gooseberry Bushes

PennypitstopPennypitstop Posts: 29
in Fruit & veg
Can i move my 2 year old gooseberry bushes as it is too dry for them where they are now, and do i need to prune them for winter. Thank you 
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  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,536
    They don’t thank you for moving them, but at two years old they won’t be so well established yet so yes, go ahead.

    Also a bit young to be pruning them, other than keeping the centre of the bush clear of crossing branches and making sure that they keep one single stem coming up from the ground rather than developing a lot of suckers.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • PennypitstopPennypitstop Posts: 29
    Thank you Pansyface, i made the big mistake of planting them near a wall, it is a sunny part of the garden and i have sandy soil ! i think i will have to move them but the new site does not get as much sun. BTW we were out walking in your area a few weeks ago (Lady Bower reservoir) It is a beautiful area :) .
  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,536
    They don’t need a lot of sun. But if you can give them a good mulch, with something like rotted leaves, a few times a year they will be very happy.

    Yes, a beautiful part of the country. I wake up every morning and look out of the window and thank my lucky stars. Especially after nearly thirty years in The Smoke.
    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 9,039
    Mulch heavily over the winter and cover the roots with old carpet in the summer and the ground will hold much more moisture. Keep the mulch away from the trunk though.
    Tradition is just peer pressure from dead people
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,737
    My goosegogs are in the shade for half the day ... they do just fine 😊 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,540
    edited November 2019
    I've moved older gooseberry plants and they do fine,just make sure that you have a lot of roots, it's best to move them through the winter and mulch in spring. I only prune out some of the old stems but not very often. :)
  • Digging-itDigging-it Posts: 92
    Just a thought, it looks quite easy to take cuttings (although maybe too late now) and get them to root. I also have a bush I want to move and this could prove an insurance in case your transplanted gooseberry doesn’t survive but I think you should leave the cuttings for a year to develop a good root structure.

  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,540
    Take gooseberry cuttings this time of year and they'll root in the following spring, just like the currant bushes.
  • Logan4Logan4 Posts: 2,540
    Yes i never prune the gooseberry bushes like they say we should and they do better for it.
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 7,941
    The instructions for pruning gooseberries are generally aimed at making it easier to pick the fruit without tearing your hands to shreds, plus increasing air circulation to reduce mildew.  But they'll fruit perfectly ok without pruning.  
    "The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life."  Rabindranath Tagore
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