Ribes uva-crispa (common names: Gooseberry)

Start thinning gooseberries during late May or early June removing about half the crop. The fruits from this first harvest can be used for cooking. This will give a longer cropping season and leaves others more room to grow to a larger size.

Start thinning gooseberries during late May or early June removing about half the crop. The fruits from this first harvest can be used for cooking. This will give a longer cropping season and leaves others more room to grow to a larger size.

If you aren't growing your gooseberries in a fruit cage, cover bushes with netting during June and July to keep off birds. Ensure it is weighted down at the base to prevent blackbirds getting underneath.

Start thinning gooseberries during late May or early June removing about half the crop. The fruits from this first harvest can be used for cooking. This will give a longer cropping season and leaves others more room to grow to a larger size. The SECOND HARVEST be done a few weeks later, and many of the fruits will be packed full of natural sugar and taste delicious.

Summer pruning is not essential, but if possible prune sideshoots back to five leaves in June. This will allow the sun to reach into the centre of the bush and help ripen the fruit.

Single-stemmed cordons can be trained on canes or against a wall where they can reach 1.8m (6ft) tall. In summer, prune sideshoots back to five leaves to encourage fruiting spurs to develop.

Hungry bullfinches feed on the gooseberry buds in winter, so use netting to keep them at bay.

Winter pruning helps to form a balanced branch structure and keeps the centre of the bush open to make picking easier. Mildew disease is also reduced if air circulation is encouraged. Fruits form on old wood and around the base of last year’s growth. Therefore prune back the previous years growth to two buds. Prune out any shoots that are growing into the centre of the bush, and cut back leaders by one-third.

Winter pruning helps to form a balanced branch structure and keeps the centre of the bush open to make picking easier. Mildew disease is also reduced if air circulation is encouraged. Fruits form on old wood and around the base of last year’s growth. Therefore prune back the previous years growth to two buds. Prune out any shoots that are growing into the centre of the bush, and cut back leaders by one-third.

Single-stemmed cordons can be trained on canes or against a wall where they can reach 1.8m (6ft) tall.
Tie the leading shoot tip into the support as it grows. In winter, shorten the previous year's growth on the main tip back by a quarter to encourage new sideshoots. Shorten sideshoots pruned in summer to two or three buds.

Start thinning gooseberries during late May or early June removing about half the crop. The fruits from this first harvest can be used for cooking. This will give a longer cropping season and leaves others more room to grow to a larger size.

Summer pruning is not essential, but if possible prune sideshoots back to five leaves in June. This will allow the sun to reach into the centre of the bush and help ripen the fruit.

Single-stemmed cordons can be trained on canes or against a wall where they can reach 1.8m (6ft) tall. In summer, prune sideshoots back to five leaves to encourage fruiting spurs to develop.