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How to train a gooseberry bush

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  • How to train a gooseberry bush

    I have three gooseberry bushes that i planted two years ago from cuttings.
    I have allowed them to grow without any pruning, how should they be pruned?
    I'm not looking to have them espalier or cordon, but more of a large bush.
    Do i prune similar to apple, where the central stem is removed and allow side branches to develop creating the goblet effect for light and air or does it not matter, just allow it to ramble its own growth pattern.
    Also, is there a way to maximise fruit production
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  • #2
    Whatever you do with it, don't let it become too congested as its too painful picking them.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by veggiechicken View Post
      Whatever you do with it, don't let it become too congested as its too painful picking them.
      So maybe just let it "do its thing" and thin a few branches to avoid being prickled
      sigpic

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      • #4
        That's what I do but I never do anything by the book.

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        • #5
          go for a mini apple tree type of set up, as they fruit in a similar way - for what you want "empty goblet shape" is the recommended aim.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by nickdub View Post
            go for a mini apple tree type of set up, as they fruit in a similar way - for what you want "empty goblet shape" is the recommended aim.
            Will prune them like this, thanks
            sigpic

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            • #7
              I wonder how difficult it would be to espailer a gooseberry

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Jimny14 View Post
                I wonder how difficult it would be to espailer a gooseberry
                Not particularly tricky in principle, staying on top of the summer pruning at the right time is the key though fan training might be more productive - I know how to do it, but would be pointless for me as there always comes a time when I can't be bothered with fiddly things, and so I garden defensively :-)


                U and double-U cordons used to be popular back in the day - the old garden books usually have illustrations of that sort of thing - I expect you could find a freely downloadable copy with write ups and illustrations in it, as a lot of these old works are long since out of copy-right.

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                • #9
                  Went to rhs wisley at the weekend, they are growing hundreds (literally) of varieties of gooseberries, they are looking like either cordon or espalier trained, the main stems are being grown straight up rather than at an angle so I’d say espalier is doable.

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                  • #10
                    Jay-ell grows his as triple cordons!!

                    https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ons_97158.html

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