[MalcW]

Hi All

If things go according to plan we will be moving house away from the area. This will mean giving up the allotment, but on it there's a gooseberry bush that I was given the year before last by another plot holder. Don't ask me what variety it is, as I have no idea, and neither did he. Thing is, up until the starlings got at it it was cropping well, and I'm tempted to take it for the new garden. But it's about 4ft high, about the same across, and very spiny. Would you prune it back and have a go, or just leave it for the new resident and start again.

I have some autumn fruiting raspberries as well, but they are currently pruned right back and would be easy to move.

[ghost61]

If you left that on a plot on our site someone would have it out before you closed the gate!!  Any new tenant wouldn't get a look in!! If it's young I would prune it back and dig it out - if you really can't bear to be parted from it. 

[surbie100]

Personally I'd prune it back now by about 2/3 and get it into a large pot with as many roots as you can. Then you can move it and it should re-establish fairly easily. I've seen others doing the same with mature fruit bushes and am about to do the same with my Mum's. I would use some of the trimmings as cuttings just in case though.

I agree with ghost61 - on our site it would be dug out and moved by scavengers as soon as there was a whiff the plot was inbetween tenancies.

[sunshineband]

Personally I'd prune it back now by about 2/3 and get it into a large pot with as many roots as you can. Then you can move it and it should re-establish fairly easily. I've seen others doing the same with mature fruit bushes and am about to do the same with my Mum's. I would use some of the trimmings as cuttings just in case though.

I agree with ghost61 - on our site it would be dug out and moved by scavengers as soon as there was a whiff the plot was inbetween tenancies.

Yes that is the same story on our site too 

Pruning and potting up the gooseberry at this time in the year will give you a good chance of having it survive to fruit another day 

[MalcW]

Thanks folks. Looks like the gooseberry, some raspberries and maybe some strawberries might be coming with us then.

[Liverpool Brick]

Good luck with the move and I hope you get a new plot soon. I'd take as much as I could with me!