[AlaninCarlisle]

Anyone have any experience of these and can recommend varieties and/or suppliers please?

[Beetroot Queen]

Lidl have some in small patio tree form, fellow plotter highly agrees they are fab. After harvesting my thorny berries I am inclined to agree

[jaydig]

Lidl have some in small patio tree form, fellow plotter highly agrees they are fab. After harvesting my thorny berries I am inclined to agree

I picked a load of gooseberries this morning, and most of my bushes are Invicta, so you can imagine the cries of pain - and the occasional swear word - coming from my plot. Thornless sounds like a good way to go!

[AnneB]

I am with you BQ and jaydig.  Scratched to pieces today, but good harvest this year.  Also, is it me, or are they ready 2-3 weeks earlier than usual?   I have  1 bush each of Yellow Champagne, Red Hinnomaki and Invicta plus 1 of unknown variety and all are ripe now apart from about 25% of the Hinnomaki Red which I left for a later blood letting session.

[AnneB]

Going back to the original post, I have always used RV Roger of Pickering for mail order soft fruit bushes.  The quality and service are both excellent and they have a wide range including 3 red ones that have few thorns,   Captivator, Xenia and Pax.

[Baldy]

Kind of related... my legs are scratched to b*****y as I've been harvesting GBs over the last week or so.
I think I might try to 'convert' my bushes into cordon's (not entirely sure if this is the done thing) - I'd imagine that cordons will be easier to pick from and easier to spot/avoid thorns.
Also seems you can plant them closer together according to RHS ... yep, think I'll give it a go come Autumn.

Cheers,
Balders

[AlaninCarlisle]

Thanks, I have bookmarked Rogers of Pickering for autumn

[New shoot]

I have 2 Invicta bushes and 1 Pax on my plot. 

The Pax is a sprawling bush that tends to grow long, soft branches, rather than the more upright sturdy framework of the Invictas, so bear that in mind if you go for this one and give it some room.  It produces a decent crop of dessert gooseberries and they are very good eating.

I know Invicta are evil to pick, but the yield is amazing by comparison.  I've already posted this piccie in my diary, but the 2 buckets and the central plastic bag are all from my 2 Invictas (and I gave some away to fellow plot holders)    The Pax fruits weren't ready when I picked this lot, but I'm looking at a large bowl full of fruit from the bush if all the fruits currently on there make it to ripeness.