[Abbeyview]

Please advise on when and how we should prune our three yaer old gooseberry bush which has just produced about eight pounds of fruit and has masses of new growth this year.

Many thanks in advance.

[moonglow]

Still waiting for mine to get to fruit baring stage, only planted them last year but they are doing well .

Anyway there are others on here that will know more about pruning gooseberrys but il give it a go:).

The standard train of thought at the moment is to grow your gooseberry into a goblet shape ie a long stem with a open bowl of branches so you can reach in easerly and pick the gooseberrys also this open shape allows airflow so should reduce chances of desease.

Timing wise most prune them at the end of the year when the leaves have fallen , you could then use the cuttings to grow more gooseberrys .

Mark.

[Aunt Sally]

This is the advice I was given by a lecturer in Horticulture.

Gooseberries
Try to achieve a bowl shape with an open centre to give you  access at picking time.  Remove any branches, with loppers, that will be too close to the ground when weighted down with fruit.  A pair of shears can then be used to get the bush into the general round shape required (and save getting spines in your hands).  Leave the main branches but prune all new side growth back to 1 inch long with your secateurs.  They can also be grown as cordons by training 2 - 3 stems up stout supports.

[Plot74]

You can train the bushes into any shape or form they also make a good defensive hedge.
You could try layering the lower stems now for new plants for next year.
John

[Abbeyview]

Many thanks for advice.