How to Train your Gooseberry?

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DanielCoffey

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How to Train your Gooseberry?
« on: November 16, 2021, 12:34 »
I need some advice please on how to train a Gooseberry that has not grown in the format I was expecting... I had hoped for Bush and got a Cordon growth pattern.

Here is the situation... I have one of the Harrod Horticultural raised beds in an 8' x 4' size. There are just two Gooseberry plants in it which were new bare root last Winter. One is a little Hinnonmaki Red which is small, upright and suffered somewhat from Sawfly this year. The other is an Invicta which I was expecting to Bush but instead has grown more suited to a Cordon.

The Invicta has only one Lead shoot which has strongly arched across and down. It then formed laterals on alternating sides that are very long and spawling along the surface of the raised bed in a fan pattern. It needs a prune and tying up to something.

I am considering putting a couple of tree stakes at opposite ends of the raised bed and spanning galvanised wire between the two stakes to support the Invicta next year but my issues are as follows...

1. How flexible will the Invicta be if I try to bring the main Leader shoot upright?

2. How many of the Laterals should I keep?

3. How many wires should I use?

4. How do I minimise the interference to the Hinnonmaki Red which is next to the Invicta and heading for a Bush format?
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Yorkie

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Re: How to Train your Gooseberry?
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2021, 20:04 »
I'm afraid I don't know much about growing gooseberries, and even less about pruning / training them.

But here's a couple of RHS links which may (or may not!) be useful:

https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/gooseberries/grow-your-own
https://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/Gooseberry-pruning
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days all attack me at once...

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Nobbie

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Re: How to Train your Gooseberry?
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2021, 21:21 »
I have some invicta gooseberries that I grew on a 8” leg, but they seem to want to hug the ground, so this winter I am going to drive in a stake near the main stem and tie up the branches to keep them off the ground. I think you would do well to try something similar or the slugs will be getting most of the gooseberries >:(

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jezza

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Re: How to Train your Gooseberry?
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2021, 13:05 »
Hello I would put a couple of posts as you suggest and grow either as cordon or espalier, it looks as if it's been started as an Espalier tie each branch to a wire, take any outward facing branches off,  3 or 4 feet wide will be sufficient, the leader can either be tied down to the top wire  or left to grow higher unless you want a step over espalier    jezza

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8doubles

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Re: How to Train your Gooseberry?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2021, 18:51 »
I have always grown them the old 'open goblet' fashion so you can pick from the inside too without getting spiked !
Getting that from your volunteer cordon will mean cutting the plant back close to the ground or getting it to spiral around a frame.



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