Kitchen Garden Forum

As I've just picked the last of my gooseberry crop, the bushes are looking very large and unwieldy and the dreaded gooseberry sawfly has arrived, is there any reason why I shouldn't hard prune the bushes back now instead of waiting until the autumn? I don't mind getting a smaller crop next year as I'm still trying to use up the backlog of last year's crop from the freezer, let alone starting on this year's.

I think this is the right time to prune out the older shoots to allow time for new growth to harden of sufficiently to survive the winter. I'm not sure about hard pruning the entire bush though, sounds a bit drastic!

Hello Primrose. The RHS book which I count as my bible recommends....
In late June and July, prune all the laterals produced that season to 5 leaves. Do not prune the leaders. From November to February, cut back the leaders by a half. Cut back laterals pruned in the previous summer to about 2 buds.
I have already pruned the laterals and will give them a really good prune in the winter. I did this last year and they have been fantastic this year. Hope this helps. Cheers.

Just as an aside.
The Leaders when pruned generally make very good hardwood cuttings so if you are intent on increasing your stock this is a good time to do it.
It will take two full years to fruiting.
JB.

What a weel timed thread.
I was about to finish picking my gooseberries and have the pruning to do.
I had read the RHS book but thanks to Johnboy, as I was wondering about cuttings. I have cleared some ground for the express purpose of moving and growing more gooseberries. I have established several layers, as they are so easy and succesful, but some of the space is too far away.

I used a couple of the prunings two years ago. I just stuck them in pots of compost and they "took". They will be planted in the fruit cage later this year and will hopefully provide a little fruit next year.

I have found that simply sawing through the stock produces 2 bushes from one. Sometimes when I am transplanting a bush I find it divides itself with very little effort on my part.