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Fruit in pots
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 9:38 am
by newbie
Hi folks
Please can anyone tell me how big a pot I should use to grow gooseberries and what compost/soil should I use? I have some 3 year old, healthy bushes that have moved house with me - not enough garden to put them in the ground.
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 8:04 pm
by oldherbaceous
Dear Newbie, i think a pot of about thirty litres would do fine.
I would use equal amounts of John innes No3 and a good quality potting compost.
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 8:37 pm
by Parsons Jack
Hi Newbie,
I agree with OH on this one. If you need reasonably priced pots, this link might help you
http://www.thegardensuperstore.co.uk/ac ... _Pots.html
Cheers, Parsons Jack
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 10:14 pm
by newbie
Thanks OH, thats fab - gosh,PJ they are reasonabley priced - I thought Wilkos was good at £3.99 but they dont look nearly as robust as those! Thanks for the tips. All I need to do now is watch for the dammed sawfly - any tips to get rid of those? Usually do it the 'mass murder' way by picking them off and squishing them
- but its a prickly job and a bit messy
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 10:42 pm
by Gilly C
get some chickens and a quick shake of the bush and they are dinner
and changed into eggs
Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 8:37 am
by newbie
what a lovely thought, I used to keep chickens years ago - no room here though. I do have a robin though - maybe I can train him..
Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 11:29 am
by Parsons Jack
How about shaking the bush, as earlier suggested, and then scooping them up and putting them on the bird table. They won't last long
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 12:25 am
by Johnboy
Hi PJ,
I repeat advice given to Gardengnome last month.
Hi Gardengnome,
In order to protect your bushes you would have to completely enshroud the bush not simply cover it.
If you are unlucky enough to have Saw Fly then you must lay an area under the bush with polythene without touching the bush then when it is in place tap the trunk hard and the caterpillars will all drop off onto the polythene (well that's the theory!). When these flies are mature they form their cocoons in the soil below and the following year emerge and you are in trouble again so the more you can get rid of the better it becomes. The problem is that you will need Bee's to give you a good crop so if you completely cover you may be giving yourself another problem.
Suggest that you wait to cover until the fruit are setting then cover.
JB.
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 8:18 am
by newbie
Right, I will try the knock 'em off method and see how I get on. I have always had them so I suspect they came with the plants. Even the best suppliers must have a few pests that slip through the net. It sounds as though its a relativley stright forward operation and better than dousing with chemicals. Thanks folks.