Gooseberries
(Ribes grossularia)

Gooseberries are another easy to grow fruit and give a large yield for the amount of space they cover. A well tended bush can go on cropping for twenty years or more. Gooseberries are very tolerant of exposure, so are often used as a wind break to protect less hardy crops. They will also tolerate more shade than other fruits, making them idea for small town gardens.
There are many different varieties, each cropping at different times, so with careful choice you can have fruit from early summer through to early autumn.

Site and soil
The best soil for gooseberries is a well drained loam containing plenty of potash and nitrogen, gooseberries more than other fruit are particular about soil conditions. Generally light soils or sandy gravel are not suitable as they lack nutrients and tend to dry out easily. Chalk soils are also not suitable as they heat up in the summer and gooseberries need a cool moist root run. If these soil conditions are unavoidable there are some varieties which will tolerate difficult soil conditions more than others.
It really depends on the variety you choose to the amount of sun and shade the plants will tolerate. This is worth checking from the plant supplier, as the wrong conditions can affect this flavour of the fruit.

Soil preparation and planting
Ideally the soil should be prepared the previous season, double dig the site incorporating manure, compost and peat can be added to increase the soil's water retentive properties.
This gooseberry bush you purchase should ideally be about three years old and the best time to plant them would be early autumn. Depending on the variety if you are planting planting distance would be between 1.5m and 1.8m and rows should be 2.4m apart.
Before planting remove all buds and suckers below the main shoots, also remove any suckers on the roots.

Cultivation
Gooseberries benefit from an annual spring mulch of well rotted compost, this will encourage the formation of fibrous feeding roots, increasing crop production. Also this mulch will help to conserve soil moisture an keep weeds down. When applying fertiliser choose one high in potash, this should be applied late winter or early spring. Scorched and brown falling leaves is a sign of potash deficiency.
From late autumn into late winter birds can attack the plants buds, winding black cotton around the branches can act as a useful deterant.
Watering is necessary in dry weather from late spring to mid summer, otherwise the fruit will not swell and scorching of the leaves can occur.

Pruning
When preforming winter pruning shorten the leading shoot to one third of its new growth. Prune laterals back to three buds, this will encourage the formation of fruiting spurs.

Harvesting
Start picking in late in spring, when fruits reach the size of peas, these young fruits are suitable for jam and tarts. Thinning the fruit at this stage will lead to larger fruit later. Pick the fruit off the bush with a quick jerk, this will reduce damage to the spurs. Avoid picking the fruit when it is wet.