Gooseberries

[Geoff]

Last year our main Gooseberry bush started dying back in a strange way with small shrivelled leaves, I did look up the disease but I forget what it is. Anyway I'm going to buy new and put them in another patch. I am thinking of growing them as cordons so wondered if anybody has seen an advert for bushes that you would call whips if they were trees that would be easy to develop as cordons.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Geoff, just a thought, but could you take some cuttings from any local bushes. You could then train them as you wish.

Or i'm sure some of the smaller fruit nurseries could help.

[Geoff]

I'd thought of cuttings but decided plants might be a bit quicker. I still can't find my notes of what the disease is but I cut away the infected third last year as RHS advised but am worried about the rest of that bush and it infecting the other one alongside so I want to be prepared if I have to ditch them fairly soon.

[glallotments]

We have had fruit bushes/trees from Keepers Nursery and been really impressed by them. Why not email and ask them for some advice.

http://www.keepers-nursery.co.uk/advice.aspx

Must admit that I had a go at training a gooseberry on a cordon and sort of gave up.

[Clive.]

Hello Geoff,
Interested in the Gooseberry problem as at work one of the 5 Invicta bushes showed a similar sounding problem in 2008...I cut out the offending branch which had started to shut down. It seemed ok into 2009 but then the rest of the branches slowly closed down...such that I grubbed it out..only to have the next one go down similarly.... 3 survive...and I plan to keep those going for a crop this year whilst on the other side of the kitchen garden I have 5 new to plant out, hopefully tomorrow if the weather stays kindly.
The new five are Invicta again and came from R. V. Roger. I note they do list some varieties as cordons...but now have sold out against a lot of varieties...although it may be worth a word with them.??
I see they usually even stock one that shares my surname...

Meanwhile, at home here I took some Invicta cuttings a year ago and the plan was/is to have them as cordons...their progress was slow last year but hopefully they may get a move on this year.??

Clive.

[oldherbaceous]

I think what Geoff requires are one year old single stemmed bushes, i know that seems to contradict itself.

I would think the growers pick out the right looking maidens at an early stage for certain work.

[Geoff]

Thanks Clive and GL (sorry forgotten your name) I'll give them a try. In the meantime this is what I think the problem was (from RHS):

Eutypa dieback
Caused by Eutypa lata, this fungus causes branches to die back and occasionally kills the whole plant. Fruits shrivel up and the leaves turn brown and fall off. Remove and destroy any infected wood.

[Geoff]

Rooted through the stock at the garden centre today (Riggs) and bought a couple of bushes that had grown rather flatter than the rest so I reckon with a light prune they will give me a start on my cordons.

[Clive.]

Good to see that you found some suitable Gooseberries for the project Geoff.

When I was planting mine yesterday two of them were similar and could have been modified the same...

Clive.

[oldherbaceous]

You can also train them as double or triple cordons if required.

[Geoff]

I should have said, I'm going to fan train them.