[Beetroot queen]

Now this one maybe the most stupid question you have ever read but I don't know the answer and I'd like to know so here goes.

We have a far few gooseberry bushes some red some green however most grow as a stand alone bush no problems with that, I am sure I remember them as a kid growing like this.

One seems to be creeping along the bed and as soon as it touches the ground it tries to send out new runners.

Do gooseberries come in two types and is this normal creeping version common as I have never seen it before. 

[sunshineband]

I have noticed that the Hinnomaki sorts throw out very low skinny branches, that then root really easily where they touch the soil -- we have yellow and red fruited varieties.

I have given away quite a few new little bushes formed this way, and I now prune the  bushes to make sure that there are none that are too low down, cutting these right out and shortening any new growth on others to two new buds each winter.

Lots of flowers this year of four year old bushes

[Trillium]

Gooseberries, like currants, love to layer their lower branches and make new plants, which is what you've got happening.

Like sunshineband, I keep my bushes pruned clean at the bottom to stop this since I already have enough plants.

[Beetroot queen]

Ahh brilliant thanks, can I prune yet or is it too young, it was new in last year.

[Trillium]

Might as well do it now before it gets out of hand and you lose berries to layering.

[Sweetpea C]

My cousin has a huge gooseberry bush - I'm hoping to get one of the established runner. Any tips on how to make this a success?

[Beetroot queen]

Might as well do it now before it gets out of hand and you lose berries to layering.

Snip snip snip. Time for a haircut then. Thanks 

[sunshineband]

My cousin has a huge gooseberry bush - I'm hoping to get one of the established runner. Any tips on how to make this a success?

Just pull a low growing branch down and lie it across the soil-- you'll probably need to weight in down or it will spring up again.

Pile soil over a section, and keep it damp all summer. Some people make a little slit in the bark on the underside of the stem, but I never have found this necessary.

it should be well rooted to move next spring before leaves start to grow again