[londongardener]

I love Gooseberries (but not the ones shops sell).
A) I have turbo booster and chicken manure should I use half and half now to feed them
B) Has anyone grown Gooseberries and white currants in containers?  I would like some more

[dmg]

Hi
I'm unsure of when exactly to start feeding them - I usually do it early march
As for wanting more, they propagate very easily from hardwood cuttings taken now, I've only used containers for growing on for their 1st full season after that I've planted them direct.
If you want to bulk up faster the £ shops are selling them just now

[stevekind]

A good mulch of well rotted manure around (but not touching) the stems) should be enough - Say about a dinner plate in diameter and a couple of inches deep. Garden compost would do as well. If you really think they need some more, you could rake in a small handful of fish blood and bone and water well before applying the mulch.

[LandShark]

At my old house I grew 6 Invicta gooseberries and 2 red currants in half barrels and they did really well. I gave them bonemeal in the spring and scrapped off some to the top compost, replacing with fresh each year. They did get well watered daily and a general fertiliser a few times a week. And I did get great crops off them. They were in their barrels for more than 15 years, no problems.
A bit more care & attention is required but at least you don't get a sore back when it's harvest time!!

[Trikidiki]

At my old house I grew 6 Invicta gooseberries .........
A bit more care & attention is required but at least you don't get a sore back when it's harvest time!!

I used to get sore hands.   

[BabbyAnn]

a word of caution - gooseberries don't need high nitrogen feed as this will promote a lot of leafy growth which encourages pests and risk of mildew, see RHS advice on growing gooseberries

[londongardener]

a word of caution - gooseberries don't need high nitrogen feed as this will promote a lot of leafy growth which encourages pests and risk of mildew, see RHS advice on growing gooseberries

Thanks for that,so this
http://www.farmandgardensupplies.co.uk/Fertiliser-And-Weedkiller/20Kg-Sack-Of-Turbo-Fruiter-Fertiliser.Html?cPath=2

Could be a bad idea?  To be honest I never have a good crop in 7 years , any advice on what to put on them?

[londongardener]

Google suggest tomato feed, any other ideas anyone?  What about wormery products?  The Daily Mail says wood ash and if I get a good crop this year I will never say a bad word about it again.

[BabbyAnn]

a word of caution - gooseberries don't need high nitrogen feed as this will promote a lot of leafy growth which encourages pests and risk of mildew, see RHS advice on growing gooseberries

Thanks for that,so this
http://www.farmandgardensupplies.co.uk/Fertiliser-And-Weedkiller/20Kg-Sack-Of-Turbo-Fruiter-Fertiliser.Html?cPath=2

Could be a bad idea?  To be honest I never have a good crop in 7 years , any advice on what to put on them?

actually it's perfect - the potassium and phosphorous ratio is higher than the nitrogen which is what you need 

Google suggest tomato feed, any other ideas anyone?  What about wormery products?  The Daily Mail says wood ash and if I get a good crop this year I will never say a bad word about it again.

again, tomato feed is higher on the potassium than on the nitrogen which encourages flowers and fruit development.  I wouldn't recommend wormery products as that is more nitrogen (basically it is worm manure) except where the soil is perhaps poor in nutrients (sandy soil) and more as a boost than long term feed.

fruit trees and fruit bushes are investments and take years to mature so you can't rush them into fruiting for you.  Better to ensure they have a good root system first and established frame-work

[londongardener]

a word of caution - gooseberries don't need high nitrogen feed as this will promote a lot of leafy growth which encourages pests and risk of mildew, see RHS advice on growing gooseberries

Thanks for that,so this
http://www.farmandgardensupplies.co.uk/Fertiliser-And-Weedkiller/20Kg-Sack-Of-Turbo-Fruiter-Fertiliser.Html?cPath=2

Could be a bad idea?  To be honest I never have a good crop in 7 years , any advice on what to put on them?

actually it's perfect - the potassium and phosphorous ratio is higher than the nitrogen which is what you need 

Google suggest tomato feed, any other ideas anyone?  What about wormery products?  The Daily Mail says wood ash and if I get a good crop this year I will never say a bad word about it again.

again, tomato feed is higher on the potassium than on the nitrogen which encourages flowers and fruit development.  I wouldn't recommend wormery products as that is more nitrogen (basically it is worm manure) except where the soil is perhaps poor in nutrients (sandy soil) and more as a boost than long term feed.

fruit trees and fruit bushes are investments and take years to mature so you can't rush them into fruiting for you.  Better to ensure they have a good root system first and established frame-work

It is 7 years I would have thought that it would be good by now.

[BabbyAnn]

It is 7 years I would have thought that it would be good by now.

Perhaps it might be worth also looking at the conditions - soil type (and in summer is it dry, wet or about right), soil pH, light/full sun.  Are the bushes healthy but just lack flowers and/or fruit?  Or are the bushes growing poorly/infested with pests?

[londongardener]

It is 7 years I would have thought that it would be good by now.

Perhaps it might be worth also looking at the conditions - soil type (and in summer is it dry, wet or about right), soil pH, light/full sun.  Are the bushes healthy but just lack flowers and/or fruit?  Or are the bushes growing poorly/infested with pests?

We did have a couple of years with bad sawfly infections, last year though I was super vigilant though and got them all really quickly

[Trikidiki]

Woodash is good for gooseberries.

[londongardener]

Woodash is good for gooseberries.

What about if it is a mix of wood and coal ash?

[Trikidiki]

I wouldn't use coal ash, too many potentially toxic chemicals.