Strong bush thickening in any case negatively affects the crop, because gooseberries are a light-loving crop. In addition, excess shoots leads to a lack of nutrition of the plant, as a result, gooseberries weaken, and its tissues are easily affected by diseases.

How to cut gooseberries so that the bush forms correctly

The feature of gooseberries is that every season it gives a huge number of new shoots. Harvesting fruits, wading through dense thickets covered with thorns, is not a pleasant experience. The annual pruning of gooseberries in the fall significantly simplifies the task, allowing you to remove most of the prickly shoots, but this does not mean that pruning is not necessary.

If you want to collect a good crop of large, delicious berries from bushes in your garden every year, you have to learn how to prune gooseberries correctly during the season and shape its crown. It will not take much time, but you will be able to achieve high productivity of shrubs and protect them.

Due to the strong pruning at the base, new side shoots will begin to appear

The first pruning of gooseberry branches should be done before planting it. After shortening the shoots, no more than four buds should remain on them. Do not spare the bush - thanks to the strong pruning at the base, new side shoots will begin to appear, the gooseberry will form faster and better.

Gooseberry pruning video

In the future, your main task will be to observe the growth (as the growing ends of branches with a light bark are called): if the growth over the summer has formed small (about 7 cm), then the branch is weak, and it needs to be shortened more strongly to the first branch with a good growth. Branches with too thin ends should also be shortened, since the fruits will not appear on them, and the apical buds will draw nutrients onto themselves. Before the first strong branching, cut off those branches on which there are no pods, aged, non-fruiting branches, remove to the soil level, without leaving stumps.

Shoots growing from the ground (zero) must be cut to a quarter of the length, then the bush will branch better. Before you cut gooseberries, find the strongest kidney located on the outside of the branch. It is above it, 10 mm higher, that you need to cut, then the shoot from the kidney will grow not deep into the bush, contributing to its thickening, but out.

Shoots growing from the ground (zero) must be cut to a quarter of the length, then the bush will branch better

If you still have a lot of questions about how gooseberry pruning occurs, the video will help you better imagine this process.

How soon is gooseberry pruned?

Like many other garden shrubs, gooseberries should be trimmed before sap flow begins and the buds open. Otherwise, trimming gooseberries will only harm the plant, significantly weakening it. It is worth noting that the awakening of gooseberries after winter occurs very early: as soon as the snow melts and the sun begins to warm, young leaves are already beginning to appear on the shoots of the bush.

Since the period suitable for spring pruning of the bush is too short, for many gardeners autumn pruning of gooseberries is preferable. At least in the fall, you can cut to the bottom all the old, unnecessary branches, and in the spring you just have to form the fruiting branches.

Cut large diameter slices with a garden var

You can begin to remove unnecessary branches after collecting fruits or after falling leaves. You must have time to complete sanitary pruning before the onset of cold weather. Just do not shorten the pruning in the early autumn (discussed above), otherwise you will provoke the appearance of new growths that do not have time to lignify before the frost and simply dry out. That is, young shoots will perish!

How to prune gooseberries in the fall:

• inspect the bark of the branches to determine how old they are;
• almost black branches (the oldest) need to be removed first;
• if the bush consists almost entirely of old branches, do not cut them all at once - no more than a third of the branches can be removed in one year.

In late autumn, when the gooseberry has a dormant period, you can thin the bush by cutting off competing branches, as well as those that grow too low or too far. Cut large-diameter slices with a garden var. How gooseberries are trimmed in the fall, the video in the tab will allow you to better understand.

Video about the correct pruning of gooseberries

Having completed the bulk of the work on trimming gooseberries in the autumn months, you will save yourself from most of the hassle in the spring. With the advent of spring, you will only need to remove the frozen branches, trim the weakened tips of the shoots to healthy tissue and remove the basal shoots.

An experienced gardener will never have doubts: do I need to cut gooseberries? If the bush is left to its own devices, allowing it to grow as it pleases, as a result of severe thickening, the gooseberry will weaken, grow old and stop producing crops, or even die.

After planting gooseberries, many do not think about carrying out regular pruning of the bush. It grows quietly and let it grow - if only it would give berries. This simple consumer tactic is based on the desire to get rid of unnecessary trouble and focus on more significant things. But unimportant matters in the garden do not happen, and any plant requires careful care. And experienced gardeners will only confirm the benefits of periodic pruning. We will tell you in this article about how to properly trim the gooseberries so that the bush is healthy and gives an excellent harvest.

Why remove branches and shoots?

Cutting gooseberries is not just necessary, but necessary, because this plant is unattended able to grow and thicken its crown, making it difficult for sunlight and air to reach the center of the berry. Hence, various diseases, and suddenly announced pests. But even if you purchased a gooseberry variety that is resistant to all sorts of misfortunes, you just won’t be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Any variety requires periodic rejuvenation of shoots, especially at the age of 5-7 years.

There is another important point, and it concerns the harvesting process. Most gooseberry varieties have shoots richly studded with thorns. And without pruning, the berry bush inside looks steeper than any barbed wire. Obviously, in this situation, picking berries is not very nice. And when scratches appear on the hands (and they will certainly appear, no garden gloves can protect against this), the owner of the site will involuntarily have to think about how to trim the gooseberries.

Gooseberry pruning is a necessary event if you want to have a healthy bush on your plot

So, if you are one of those who have scratches from thorns, or just understand the importance of pruning for gooseberries, we’ll try to talk about this aspect of shrub care in the most detail.

Pruning

Yes, gooseberries are being trimmed even before it is planted in a permanent place.  In this case, the shoots are shortened so that no more than four buds remain on each of them. This approach seems a little cruel, but you should not worry about the plant - thanks to its ability to quickly grow shoots, gooseberries will make up for the lost and will soon please with an excellent harvest.

Gooseberries begin to be cut off even before landing at a permanent place - this is the key to its active development

Of course, it is important to carefully inspect the seedling for broken, dried or damaged branches. They will have to be removed before planting, otherwise then it can lead to troubles in the form of diseases that have settled in damaged areas of the bush.

In spring or fall - when is it better?

It is impossible to get an exact answer to this question, since both spring and autumn trimmings have a right to exist. The difference lies in the convenience of the time chosen for this event. In spring, gooseberry pruning is recommended very early - as soon as the snow comes down and the days become at least a little warm. Gooseberries wake up one of the first, and you need to have time to cut it before the leaves open. Not everyone can do this, given the rapidly changing weather conditions and the inability to spend time comfortably in the country for even a couple of hours (not all houses are equipped with a heating system). And then autumn pruning becomes the best option.

Table "Features of spring and autumn pruning"

Most gardeners agree that the main burden still lies on spring pruning, but it needs to be done on time. Then in the fall it remains only to remove the old branches. If for some reason you did not manage to carry out spring pruning, autumn will be a good help, but here you need to remember an important rule - August and September are not the best months for this event, since the shoots that grew before winter will be too weak to survive the frost . And this, in turn, will affect the whole plant as a whole. That is why it is recommended to cut gooseberries in the fall after falling leaves - he will not have time to grow new shoots and will leave for the winter with the existing ones, and in the spring after waking up he will begin to actively build up new ones in return for the lost ones.

Spring procedure

A big load falls on spring pruning, so we approach it with special care. As soon as the snow came down and the sun warmed, the buds on the shoots of the bush had not yet swollen, and we were already seizing time for our operation. Actions will depend on the age of the gooseberry.

If this is a seedling, then on strong shoots we leave three or four buds, and on weak shoots - two. Of those buds that remain, lateral shoots and basal shoots, also called zero shoots, will grow. Often gardeners remove all weak shoots, leaving a few strong straight lines - these branches will become the basis for the future crown.

In gooseberries growing in the second year, berries will form on the shoots of the second branch row (they grow in the second year after planting). They remove weak basal shoots and leave 3-4 strong and developed ones - this is done to strengthen the new branching. By the end of the season, three one-year and two-year-old shoots will grow on the bush, on which there will be growths and branches.

When the third year ends, the bush will have to consist of two to three dozen shoots of different ages - this will be the skeletal base of the bush. From this moment, all young shoots are disposed of.

Gooseberry pruning pattern in spring for the second year

When the base and crown of the bush are formed, it will be necessary to carry out trimming every year.  All branches that thicken the bush are deleted. Broken branches, as well as branches frozen in winter, are cut to the first healthy kidney or whole. If the shoots are very extended, and the tips droop, they need to be shortened to the first strong branch.

To successfully and correctly cut gooseberries, you will need a sharpened and sanitized secateurs and powerful garden gloves that will protect you from an unpleasant meeting with spikes. I repeat, most gloves do not protect very much from the collision of thorns or do not protect at all, so to trim you need to find the most powerful and strongest gloves.

An old gooseberry or gooseberry, several years without supervision and care, needs a slightly different approach. It has several weakened shoots and at the same time developed basal shoots. Usually, root bushes and strong branches are left at such a bush. As a rule, most of the berries grow on the branches of the first, second and third order, and the branches of the fourth and fifth order do not bring special benefits and even weaken the plant (on bushes over the age of seven years). It turns out that competent spring trimming of gooseberries helps to form a crown and gives an incentive to the growth of berry shoots.

A bush over eight years of age needs radical pruning. All weak growth is removed from it, leaving 4–5 of the strongest skeletal shoots. After such pruning, gooseberries begin a new formation.

When radical pruning, leave at least a third of the shoots so as not to cause irreparable harm to the bush. Too many cut branches can weaken gooseberries, and then during the season he will fight for survival, not the crop.

Video: gooseberry care in spring

Autumn pruning

After the summer season, it is much easier for an attentive gardener to determine which branches will need to be cut, on which berries grew, how the growth of shoots came out and in which direction they stretch. The whole picture becomes completely understandable. That is why autumn pruning is so appreciated. Nevertheless, it is better for her to play the role of a cleansing and preparatory procedure - radical changes should not be made. The bush should go into a state of rest without serious losses.

Autumn pruning is done to cleanse and rejuvenate the crown of the bush, which will increase the number of berries and their quality in the future.

Before pruning, the bush is inspected for the presence of dry and blackened shoots. Usually these are old branches that have lived their own for seven or more years. They need to be trimmed to the root. The same fate befell the shoots that did not bear fruit last season.

The lateral branches are cut a quarter, the cut is located a centimeter higher from the kidney, looking out. Thin-end shoots are cut to the first large bud. Growing crosswise or in the wrong direction cut to the place where they will no longer interfere with others. Branches with poor annual growth (up to 7 cm) shorten to a strong growth.

The result will be many sections, among which there will be large ones - they should be covered with garden var. After the pruning procedure, 4–5 strong shoots can remain on the bush - this is a completely normal number, and it usually makes up a third of all large and medium shoots. Next year, due to its growth rate, the bush will already have ten or more branches. His health will only get stronger from this, not to mention the volume of the crop.

Gooseberry pruning is often called anti-aging

Video: how to trim in the fall

Important Nuances

Each type of gooseberry has its own characteristics in the care.

Gooseberry

Gooseberries can be grown as a multi-stem bush. Its base should be about 50 cm in diameter, and the number of skeletal branches of different ages should be in the range of 20–25 pieces. Such a bush can produce excellent crops for several consecutive seasons.

If you purchased a seedling in the spring, then when planting, shorten it by 4-5 buds. In autumn, this procedure is best not to be carried out and left until spring.

By autumn, gooseberries build up basal shoots, from which 4-5 strongest shoots are selected in autumn, the rest are removed. The selected shoots are halved, and next year shoots of the second order from the side buds appear on them, and in addition, root shoots grow. In autumn, the best 4–5 shoots located on different sides of the bush are left from this shoot, the rest are cut out.

In the third year, the procedure is repeated, again leaving 4-5 of the tallest and strongest basal shoots. Thus, by the end of the third year we have 20–25 branches of different ages, which will form the basis of the bush. From this moment, all new shoots must be removed, and with them sick, damaged and lying on the ground.

Since at the age of 7–8 years, gooseberries begin to age and lose in yield, some outdated branches should be replaced by young ones formed by shoots.

It is important to remember that most of the crop ripens on the branches of 3-6 years of age, they can not be touched.

Now, within a few years, it will be necessary to replace the old shoots with new ones, updating the bush and increasing the chances of a good harvest. This will continue until the gooseberry ceases to bear fruit and turns into a regular green shrub.

When trimming gooseberries, it is important to prune all low-growing and branches that are far from the bush

Gooseberry Gooseberry

How to cut the multi-stem gooseberry bush, we have already figured out. And what to do with its standard form? Although it is rare in our areas, it nevertheless raises questions about leaving, including pruning.

The gooseberries are cut off in the autumn, so we wait for the time when all the leaves fall, and proceed. Of all the shoots, we select one - the strongest and largest - we leave it, and cut the rest to the bottom. In the spring, this shoot is slightly shortened - this will prompt the plant to increase second-order shoots. By next fall, we will have plenty to choose from. It will be necessary to leave the four most conveniently growing ones in the upper part of the main shoot, we cut all the others to the base. In spring, we halve these branches so that the extreme bud is facing up.

The scheme for trimming standard gooseberries for two periods of vegetation

After this, the plant will begin to develop branches of the next order on these four shoots. On each of them we leave two branches, which should not grow deep into the bush or hang down, cut off the rest. And now we have eight new shoots. Next spring, of course, they will also need to be halved, and in autumn new shoots should be shortened by 10 cm, without affecting the continuation shoot.

Now each spring we will shorten the continuation shoot by half, and in the fall, cut new shoots to 10 cm. And again after that, in spring, the same shoots will need to be shortened by 5 cm.

When pruning the branches of the standard gooseberry, the number of new shoots grows almost exponentially

On the trellis

Some gardeners like to grow gooseberries on a trellis - this makes it easier to care for the bush and harvest.  In the first year after planting, all gooseberry shoots are shortened so that the stumps stick out slightly above the soil level. Over the summer, new branches have time to grow, from which 3-5 best are selected, the rest are removed.

The berries of gooseberries growing on trellis receive more sunlight and mature well, gaining their best taste

In the autumn, the left shoots are tied to a wire, and in the spring they are slightly shortened. Next fall, these same branches are tied to the second wire and do not shorten in the spring. Everything that grows from the root neck is removed every year. After 6-7 years, anti-aging pruning will be required - old shoots are replaced with annual ones.

Gooseberries grown on trellis do not thicken the crown due to pruning and blow well in the wind

Bush separation

The bush is divided in order to propagate gooseberries. It should be noted that this is a rather categorical measure, required only in special cases - when you need to transplant a bush to a new place. With this approach, the mother plant is destroyed. This operation is performed in September-October or April.

Gooseberries are dug up and divided into several parts using a saw or secateurs. Each part should have roots, shoots and buds in good condition. Young bushes are planted on a bed with loose fertile soil, where they are grown during the season to the required state. A distance of 40 cm is maintained between rooted cuttings during planting. As necessary, they are looked after and irrigated, and in the fall they are moved to a permanent place.

Use the following tips during pruning so you don’t make common mistakes and don’t cross out all your efforts:

• Do not cut gooseberries in the summer: by winter, new shoots will not have time to grow stronger and freeze. All summer pruning is reduced to the removal of apical buds in early July so that nutrients do not enter the very tops.
• In fruiting branches, annual growths cannot be removed. They are inspected in the spring and removed blackened and dried. The black color of the shoot is a sign of defeat by its powdery mildew. If before winter it is not covered with light dense bark, it will die.
• If the bush is more than 20 years old, it can be left on the site unless as a decorative decoration, such a plant will not bear fruit.
• Even if all branches of gooseberry stopped bearing fruit, a third of the shoots are left with a major pruning.
• Too low or far from the main bush branches can be cut without hesitation.

Timely pruning of gooseberries will protect it from many diseases and pests, as well as significantly increase the chances of a good harvest for several years. To do this, you must always have a reliable tool at hand and strictly follow the instructions. If at some point you feel sorry to cut off the extra branches, in your opinion, remember that gooseberries have an excellent rate of growing new shoots even at an advanced age. So, everything that you cut off during the season will be replenished twice, or even three times.

Every year, a large number of new shoots appear on the gooseberry bush, which not only complicate the harvesting process, but also interfere with the penetration of light. And as you know, this culture is photophilous and with insufficient sunlight it will bear fruit worse and its resistance to diseases will significantly decrease. For these reasons, trimming gooseberries after harvest is very important. And if you want to get a lot of delicious berries every year, and also strive to protect the plant from diseases, then you will have to thin out plantings regularly.

Autumn pruning of gooseberries will greatly simplify the process of harvesting the future crop and at the same time it will not take you much time

Pruning rules

When to crop?

The best time for trimming gooseberries is autumn. The thing is that in the spring the plant wakes up and active sap flow begins in its shoots. Rapid swelling of the kidneys occurs and just as quickly they turn into young green leaves. And if you do not guess with the correct spring pruning, then you can greatly harm the plant. In the autumn, after the bushes have given you all their berries, their activity gradually decreases, the sap flow slows down and it is at this time that it is recommended to manipulate the extra shoots.

Important! Gooseberries need to be trimmed only at the end of leaf fall, but always before the first frost comes!

Early autumn is considered unsuitable time for carrying out these works because of the fact that at this time the weather often pampers with warm days - thaws, during which the bush can give several more young shoots. And this young growth, remaining on the bush, does not have time to become covered with dense bark and simply freezes in winter. For the same reason, gooseberry pruning is not carried out in the summer.

How to crop?

The scheme for autumn trimming of gooseberries is as follows:

1. In young one-year-old plants, the shoots are shortened so that about 4 buds are on the rest of them. The swiftness of the formation of the bush will directly depend on how much you cut its branches in the first year of growth. At the same time, young branches are cut by a third, and from the basal leaves no more than 4 and only those that do not grow in the middle of the bush.
   
2. Until the gooseberries thicken strongly, from time to time it is necessary to remove branches on which the fruit ovaries do not form. Such shoots should be cut almost at the level of the soil and try not to leave stumps.
3. In the second year, the branches that were formed as a result of growth are again shortened by 1/3, and 8 of the root branches are left.
4. Do not forget to follow the growth of the ends. If during the season the end of the cropped shoot has grown by no more than 7 cm, then it should be removed without regret to the very bottom.
   

   On a note! It is very easy to recognize the growing horses - it will have a lighter color compared to the shade of the shoot at its base!

5. In the third year, the plant will begin to bear fruit and there will already be about 15 shoots of different ages on it. Here, the pruning scheme will be similar to the first year - this year the branches are shortened by a third, and no more than 4 are left root.
6. At 5-7 years of life on the bush should be at least 18 shoots of different ages. This is the peak fruiting of gooseberries. From this moment on, every autumn, all old branches must be removed to the very root.
7. Sometimes on the bushes you can find root shoots that are rooted from the tops - this happens in neglected cases when the specimen has not been carried out for several years and the tops of the branches hang so low that they could go to the root. Such shoots must be removed without fail.
8. The most juicy berries appear on young shoots - this is a well-known fact. Branches are considered old when they reach 10 years of age; the fruits grow smaller on them and over time they completely stop producing crops. And thanks to the autumn pruning of gooseberries in spring, the growth of zero shoots will be activated. To recognize the old branch, you need to pay attention to its bark - it will be light on young shoots, darker on old shoots, and their thickness may be the same.
   
9. At the last stage of gooseberry pruning - in late autumn (just before the frost), you can cut off the extra branches, as well as those that grow in the middle of the bush and prevent the normal penetration of sunlight.

Upon completion of the work, sections, the diameter of which is more than 8 mm, it is desirable to treat with a healing garden var. So the plants will quickly return to normal after the procedure, and the risk of penetration of pathogenic bacteria and fungi into the wound will disappear.

Gooseberries are often found in personal plots and in gardens. However, not always their owners can boast of the presence of a large number of tasty and healthy berries. The reason for the lack of a good harvest lies in the improper care of the bush, or even in its complete absence. The bushes turn into completely impassable spiky thickets, not everyone will risk collecting a tasty treat from them.

Why gooseberries need pruning

Pruning is one of the main measures for the care of gooseberries, which guarantees a healthy, properly formed and well-bearing bush.

There are few berries on the unkempt gooseberry and they are small

There are several reasons why this procedure must be performed:

1. Gooseberries are prone to overgrowth, fresh shoots from him grow very quickly. Young shoots are actively developing and intertwined. As a result of this, an accumulation of prickly branches is impervious to light and air. In such dense and poorly ventilated thickets all kinds of fungal diseases progress and various insect pests live. The bush becomes potentially dangerous for the entire garden.
2. Affected by diseases or insects, as well as weakened, broken and frail shoots, should be removed in a timely manner so that they do not take away vital juices from healthy and strong sprouts.
3. In a dense tangle of branches, pollination of flowers is difficult, so a little ovary is formed. Ridding shrubs of excess branches and ensuring good ventilation of the crown makes the pollination process more efficient and affordable.
4. With a large number of branches, the berries are small and acidic, because there is not enough nutrition for everyone and the sun does not penetrate into the bush. The overgrown bush bears fruit very weakly and then eventually ceases to bear fruit.
5. Any shrub that has reached the age of 7–8 years must be rejuvenated, since there are already few fruits on the old shoots. A full bush should have approximately the same number of branches of different ages. This will ensure a stable crop over a long period of time. Obsolete and weakly fruiting branches must be removed in a timely manner so that young shoots of substitution replace them. The most productive stems are considered to be about 3-6 years old.
6. Gradually, the shoots lengthen and, under their own weight, lie on the ground, where they begin to take root. The bush becomes too sprawling and shapeless. Harvesting from it is extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, as some branches simply can not be reached.

Gooseberry bushes should be pruned regularly

Even the most disease-resistant gooseberry variety will not withstand mistreatment and may become ill if excessive thickening of the crown is allowed.

The procedure for trimming gooseberries must be done on time, otherwise later it will be much more difficult. The thorns of this culture are very hard and sharp, simple fabric gloves do not help to avoid injections and scratches. But if this has already happened, then you can protect your hands with thick suede gloves for welding or rubber electrical.

When to start pruning gooseberry bushes

Almost all shrubs are recommended to be trimmed only during dormancy, that is, in late autumn or very early spring. Gooseberries are no exception. According to the vast majority of gardeners, it is preferable to carry out spring pruning. But there are some difficulties with the fact that this culture awakens a little earlier than others and swollen buds on gooseberry branches can be seen even when the snow cover has not yet completely melted. Not everyone can get to their sites at this time of the year and sensitively respond to changes in unstable spring weather.

Best cut gooseberries in early spring

The first decade of March is the perfect time to trim in most of the regions.  This period is very short, the gooseberry wakes up quickly, literally with the first rays of the warm spring sun, and immediately throws out the leaves. It is extremely important to have time before the onset of sap flow, before the buds open and young green leaves appear. If time is lost and for some reason it was not possible to carry out these works on time, then it is better to postpone them until the fall. Otherwise, after untimely pruning, the bush will weaken and will bear fruit poorly.

In the summer, they try not to trim the gooseberries. In extreme cases, only damaged or broken branches are removed.

Gooseberry pruning can also be carried out in late autumn after leaf fall

In autumn, after the leaves fall and until the frosts, you can safely deal with the bush. Plants should not be cut too early, as this can stimulate the development of young shoots.  The wood of tender branches will not have time to mature before winter and will freeze, which will negatively affect the well-being of the whole bush. Pruning, carried out in October or early November (in the southern regions), will not allow gooseberries to grow new sprouts and it will go for the winter with well-ripened healthy branches. In the spring, immediately after waking up, the bushes will begin to actively develop and grow green mass.

In the spring, gooseberry bushes have to wade through still lying snow. The process is a little facilitated by the fact that in our country they grow close to the track that thaws earlier. As soon as the spring sun warms up, you need to immediately cut the bushes, otherwise you can be late. Gooseberry buds burst instantly. Yesterday, the branches were bare, and today they are already swirling delicate green leaves.

Gooseberry anti-aging pruning

Skeletal branches coming from the rhizome reach a fruiting peak at the age of three to six years. Then the number of fruits gradually decreases and a ten-year shoot almost does not bear fruit. Therefore, after 6-7 after planting, gooseberries need to be rejuvenated, as the shrub gradually begins to age. To extend its full-fledged life activity, it is necessary to get rid of the aged branches and replace them with new ones. Immediately cut all the old shoots can not, because the plant will die without branches.

Old groomed shrub turns into impassable thicket

The rejuvenation procedure is carried out in several stages:

1. The bush is mentally divided into three approximately equal parts. In the first year in late autumn, all branches are removed from 1/3 of the bush. This stimulates increased growth of zero shoots. To make it easier for the plant to survive the execution, gooseberry plantings are generously fertilized with humus. To do this, at least 2-3 buckets of organic fertilizer are applied under each bush.
2. The next season (a year later), the newly emerged fresh zero shoots are shortened by a quarter of the length. Then cut out the next third of the remaining old branches.
3. After another year, the remaining unnecessary old part is removed and fresh branches are cut by ¼.

Anti-aging pruning removes old branches

If you carry out timely annual pruning of shrubs, then rejuvenation is not needed.  All branches that are older than 10 years must be removed on time. This cardinal anti-aging procedure is required only when the bush is running. After 30 years, plants no longer rejuvenate, such bushes are simply uprooted.

Gooseberries can be trimmed in many ways.

There is another method of anti-aging pruning, which consists in removing absolutely all the shoots. In this case, stumps about 10-15 cm high are left, from which fresh sprouts will go. Sometimes with this method it is recommended to leave 3-5 of the strongest and most developed branches. At the end of the formation of the bush, they are removed.

After cardinal pruning, gooseberries need to be well fed

In old bushes, the rhizome grows so much that only stumps remain in the middle, and young shoots grow only around the central part. Our gooseberry bushes ceased to bear fruit in about 15 years. They tried to do rejuvenation, but it was already too late. Shrub let out few fresh sprouts and berries there was a very small amount. Extreme branches constantly fell to the ground and plantings began to take up too much space. I had to cut everything out completely. But there were several branches with roots that managed to take root, they were planted separately in another place.

Video: anti-aging pruning of neglected and old gooseberry bush in autumn

Sanitary pruning and the proper formation of gooseberries: tips for beginners

It is necessary to regularly conduct sanitary pruning of the shrub, which consists in the removal of shoots affected by a fungal infection or damaged by insect pests, as well as dry, broken, weakened and lying on the ground shoots. The completely frozen branches are subject to cutting, with partial freezing, a bad section is cut to living tissue. Crossing, rubbing against each other and twisted stems are also better to remove so that they do not thicken the bush.

Sanitary pruning can be done at any time.

Pruning for sanitary purposes can be done throughout the growing season, especially if it is urgently necessary to remove the shoots infected with the disease. But usually, such manipulations are carried out in conjunction with regular shaping pruning of gooseberry bushes.

Experienced gardeners form the gooseberry crown from the moment of planting and do this throughout the life of the plant. This is the only way to achieve an abundant annual crop.

Gooseberries need to be cut annually and throughout the life of the plant

The technology of annual pruning of the bush is as follows:

1. The first pruning is carried out before the seedling is placed in the ground. The bush is carefully inspected and the 3-4 most powerful and correctly oriented shoots are selected in space, they are shortened to 4-5 buds. All the weaker, withered, sick, twisted, lying on the ground or directed inside the bush, the stems are ruthlessly removed. They will only interfere with the development of healthy branches and take away their nutrients. If the seedling is weak, then no more than two buds are left on the shoots.
2. At the beginning of the next season (in the second year of plant life), a second pruning is performed. Of all the zero branches, which should already be several, 5–6 conveniently located and the most powerful are selected. Weaker and less than 20 cm stems need to be removed so that they do not pick up vital juices and do not take away strength from the bush. Vertical and slightly inclined shoots are shortened by a third or a quarter of the length to stimulate branching. Looking into the bush, curved and horizontal branches must be removed.
3. The next year, gooseberries begin to produce crops. By this time, the bush should consist of 12-14 branches of different ages (from 1 to 3 years). Sanitary pruning is again carried out with the removal of diseased stems weak and strongly inclined to the soil. 3-4 strong basal shoots are selected, extra cut out. Shorten all remaining shoots of the current year by about a third (12-15 cm).
4. In the fourth year, 3-4 strong shoots from the root are left again and the bush is freed from unnecessary, weak, sick and twisted branches. The bush already has up to 20 shoots of different ages and is considered formed. Productivity reaches its maximum point.
5. When gooseberries reach the age of five, the bush already consists of almost 30 stems. At this time, they begin to carry out a slight rejuvenation, in which the oldest branches are cut (from 5 years). They are distinguished by a dark brown, almost black color of the bark. All other cropping actions are carried out according to the previous scheme.

Gooseberry pruning has been in progress for several years.

The annual removal of poorly fruiting old branches and timely competent pruning will help keep the bush young and get a guaranteed plentiful harvest.

It is very important to make the correct cut and not damage the fruit kidney. The cut is carried out above the eye (5–6 mm higher) and at an angle of 45–50 °. If you cut the shoot higher, then the kidney does not have enough nutrition and it dries. A higher cut is dangerous by drying out the part of the stem located above and the death of the entire branch. Moreover, the kidney should be located on the outside of the stem. Otherwise, the sprout will go inside and still have to be removed.

It is very important to trim the branches correctly

Video: how to prune gooseberry bushes in early spring

Custom ways to trim gooseberry bushes

Experienced gardeners use unusual and unusual ways to shape the gooseberry crown.

Tapestry

Tall gooseberry varieties are sometimes grown on a trellis. With this method, all shoots of the bush are evenly distributed in one plane.

With the trellis method, gooseberry shoots spread out in one plane

The sequence of formation of the gooseberry bush on the trellis looks like this:

1. Seedlings are planted in rows at a distance of 0.5-0.6 m from each other. Aisles should be at least 1.5 m.
2. At the same time, a supporting trellis is installed. For this, long vertical supports (poles made of metal or wood) with a height of about 1.8–2 m are placed between the plants. Three rows of steel wire or polyethylene twine are pulled along poles parallel to the ground with height gaps of about 0.5 m.
3. For each seedling, only 3-4 strong stems are selected, the tops are nipped, then distributed fan-like at intervals of 20–25 cm and tied to the lowest line. Everything else is cut clean. By autumn, lateral shoots that grow horizontally should grow.
4. The following spring, the lateral processes are fixed on the second line of the trellis. Zero shoots overgrown from the ground are removed. Annual pruning consists of shortening the tops of last season's shoots by a third of the length. To avoid bush thickening, no more than 3-4 sprouts are left each time.
5. In the same way, the bush is trimmed for the next 3-4 years.
6. Starting from 5–6 years, the shrub is gradually rejuvenated. One by one, the old branches are removed, leaving the strongest and strongest young shoots that emerged from the root neck to replace the aged ones.

Forming gooseberries on a trellis is a rather time-consuming process

The shrub located in the plane is evenly illuminated by the sun and well ventilated.  Fruiting in gooseberries on a trellis occurs earlier than in classically formed plants. The fruits are much larger and their taste is higher. Access to the plant is facilitated and it is much easier to take care of even the most prickly varieties, because each branch is in the zone of visibility and accessibility.

Harvesting on trellis gooseberries from torture turns into a sheer pleasure. But for this you will have to work hard from the very beginning.

Video: gooseberry plantations on a trellis

Stamp

The gooseberry, formed by the standard method, visually resembles a low, sprawling tree.  Such an unusual and unusual plant takes up very little space on the plot and looks very aesthetically pleasing. This technique with shrubs in the form of miniature trees is often used by landscape designers to decorate personal plots and parks.

Gooseberry on the stem is formed as follows:

1. Only one shoot is selected from a young seedling, growing vertically upwards. It is he who in the future will be the trunk of a gooseberry tree. All other branches are removed.
2. In the spring of next year, the desired size of the stem is determined and the central branch is shortened. Most often choose a meter height. To this level, throughout the life of the plant, it will be necessary to remove all fresh growing shoots on the stem. Stems coming from the root are cut completely. To facilitate the process, some gardeners wrap the trunk with a thick opaque film or put on a cut rubber (plastic) tube. You can dig the end 10-15 cm into the ground at the very bottom.
3. The plant will not be able to stand upright by itself, so it is immediately tied to a support (wooden peg, metal rod, etc.).
4. In subsequent years, pruning is carried out according to the classical method: 4–5 of the most powerful shoots are left, and the sprouts of the last season are shortened by a third. In addition, they do not forget about sanitary pruning and cut branches that are directed to the center of the bush or down, as well as broken, sick and weak. The processes coming from the rhizome, so that they do not take away the nutrients from the main trunk, are immediately cut out.

For the formation of the stem leave a single vertical branch

In addition to the attractive appearance, gooseberries on the stem are distinguished by larger berries, since they get enough sunlight and nutrition. Shrub care is greatly simplified and it is not difficult to harvest the fruits.

The life expectancy of standard gooseberries usually does not exceed 10-12 years, even with good care.  This is due to the fact that the central branch, which acts as a trunk, is aging and cannot be rejuvenated. Such bushes do not differ in frost resistance, they have to be additionally insulated for the winter. Only frost-resistant varieties are suitable for forming on the stem.

Gooseberry on a stem is an ornament of any garden

Our neighbors in the area grow a standard bush of green gooseberries. It is an ornament in itself. The berries on it are the size of a small apple, but not many. Such trees are not grown for harvest, but simply for beauty. The entire surrounding population goes on an excursion to look at this wonderful creation of human hands.

Video: standard gooseberry

If you just plant a gooseberry bush and do not look after it in any way, then you can not count on a good harvest. Proper pruning and shaping of the crown of the bush refers to the mandatory procedures that will protect the plant from many diseases and harmful insects, as well as guarantee a stable crop over the next few years. Observing a number of simple rules, any beginner and inexperienced gardener will cope with this work.

Every healthy gooseberry bush is replenished every year with new branches. Such growths strongly thicken the plant, not giving the lower branches of sunlight and oxygen. Due to insufficient air exchange in the crown, the shrub weakens, the berries become small, and in the advanced case, the bush may die at all. In order for the gardener to please the berry crop, every year in the autumn, pruning of gooseberries and the formation of a bush are necessary. This is a difficult procedure, which has its own rules and requires certain skills.

What time of year do you need to cut gooseberries

The main rule in pruning currant and gooseberry bushes in the fall is to carry out the procedure before the juice begins to move along the branches, which leads to budding.

Gooseberries are the first of the garden dwellers to wake up after a winter sleep, so in the spring it is impossible to manage to prune the branches correctly. If you cut off extra shoots after the start of the vegetative period, the plant will lose the amount of juice already spent on the development of the first buds. Such untimely intervention can lead to illness and culture death. Therefore, experienced summer residents recommend starting cleaning the crown in the fall.

Gooseberry pruning - a necessary procedure in growing plants

It is strictly forbidden to cut branches in the summer months, since gooseberries are in the active stage of vegetation during this period. If you remove the sprouts in the summer, new shoots will not be able to get stronger by winter and die during the first frosts.

Experts advise cutting the bush for the first time before planting, and then every season to maintain the crown and rid it of infected and aged branches. It is important to carry out these procedures always at the same time. So, it is unacceptable to first cut the branches in October, and the next year - in March. Otherwise, the plant will experience severe stress and may die.

When is the autumn procedure

The best time to prune gooseberries is when all the green leaves fall from the bush. Most often this happens from November 10 to 20. The timing is approximate, in each region such a process can occur at different times.

You need to cut off the aerial part of the bush, leaving only one control branch on it

When planning the procedure, each gardener should focus on the climatic conditions of the region of residence, outdoor temperature and weather conditions. It is optimal to trim when sap flow is completed. The procedure is carried out at least a month before the start of severe frosts. Treated bushes need to be given a little time to heal wounds after pruning and prepare for winter.

If in the region where gooseberries are grown, climatic conditions are too harsh, pruning is carried over to spring. Otherwise, the autumn formation of the bush can adversely affect the health of the plant. The wounds from the slices do not have time to drag out to severe frosts, the immune system weakens, and the gooseberry can become ill or die. In the autumn, partial thinning and removal of broken branches is carried out in such areas.

What to prepare for pruning a bush

Gooseberry pruning should be fully equipped.

The old branches of gooseberries are dark, almost black in color, thicker than younger shoots, they may look dry

If experienced gardeners always have the right equipment at hand, then for beginners the lack of a tool can greatly interfere with the procedure. To trim branches you will need:

• thick rubber-based gloves;
• thick long jacket with long sleeves and thick pants to protect the body from scratches;
• chalk, paint, or marker to mark the locations of cuts;
• secateurs and clippers with long handles;
• sharp saw if it is planned to remove thick branches on old bushes;
• garden var for smearing large wounds;
• a car to take out cut branches;
• means for treating infection if the bush is damaged by bacteria or viruses.

When is a procedure needed?

Trimming gooseberries is required in cases when:

• on the bush there are old, sick, dried and broken branches, they are removed first;
• new shoots appeared at the very base, they are cut completely without stumps;
• the crown has become too voluminous, the outer branches grow inward and intertwine with other shoots;
• some branches have reached the age of more than 5 years and do not bear fruit.

The shoots are cut with secateurs at the very base of the bush, without leaving stumps so that pests do not settle in them

Fresh shoots of this year are shortened to the largest kidney, which should not look at the central trunk. After the pruning procedure, about 13-14 branches and an additional 4 zero shoots should remain on the gooseberry bush.

Step-by-step crop pruning instructions

For simple gardeners who don’t have time for long procedures, classic pruning is suitable. When planning branch pruning, you need to decide on the method of forming the bush. There are three methods:

• standard formation;
• classic cropping method;
• trellis cultivation.

The experience of summer residents shows that with the classical scheme of forming a bush, the yield is the most voluminous.

However, other formation methods also have their advantages. So, it is easier to pick berries from a bush with trellis pruning, and a standard bush looks beautiful and takes up little space.

Gooseberry Gooseberry

Using this type of pruning, gooseberries grow into a bonsai tree. The processing principle in the first year of formation is as follows:

1. Choose the strongest branch in the very center of the bush, and remove the remaining shoots. This branch will become a kind of leg for the plant.
2. Determine the height of the future stem. As a rule, it does not exceed 1 m. It is necessary to mark the maximum height on the branch with chalk and cut off all the side shoots to this level.
3. Pick up a backup. Optimum in appearance and functionality, a pipe 1.1 meters high and 2 cm in diameter is suitable.
4. Deepen the pipe 10 cm into the ground next to the branch selected as the trunk and attach to it.

In the second, third and subsequent years, pruning occurs according to the following scheme:

1. The branches have been cut in half since last year, and 4–5 fresh branches are left from the new ones, trimming the rest.
2. Shoots that are downward or broken after winter are removed.
3. The shoots appearing at the bottom of the stem are cut off immediately so as not to waste the plant’s strength.

To form lateral branches, the branches are cut 1 cm above the kidney, which is directed upward or looking in the desired direction.

Near the bush always set a peg and tie up the trunk in several places

Weakened thin branches are cut to the largest kidney.

On trellises

This method is suitable for varieties with strong actively growing branches and many shoots. Gooseberry is grown on trellises according to the following algorithm:

1. Bushes are planted in one row at a distance of about a meter from each other.
2. Between them at an equal distance (about 2 m) dig pipes or stakes.
3. The stakes are alternately connected with wire or a strong thin rope in 3 rows at such a height: 50 cm - the 1st row, 80 cm - the 2nd row, 1 m - the 3rd row.
4. Young shoots of gooseberry are tied to a wire with a thin thread, attach 4-5 branches every 20 cm.
5. Excess shoots that are left hanging freely are pruned with pruners and trimmed as they grow.

Each subsequent year, it is necessary to cut last year's branches, shortening them by about a third.

Starting from the sixth year of life, begin anti-aging pruning of the bush

Fresh shoots of the new year are also tied in 4-5 pieces.

Classic bush formation

The standard pruning method turns gooseberries into a classic bush familiar to most gardeners. The execution algorithm is as follows:

1. Year of planting. All damaged and weakened branches are eliminated, from the strong processes the upper part to 3 kidneys is cut off.
2. 1st year of life. Selected 3-4 strong trunks that will form a crown. They cut off 1/3 of the upper part. Branches that grow parallel to the ground or are directed towards it are cut close to the trunk.
3. 2nd year. Emerging new shoots are cut to 1/3, they also retain 4 zero shoots, the rest are removed.
4. 3rd year. If earlier pruning was carried out correctly, there should be at least 12 branches from one to three years old on the bush. At this time, the plant begins to bear fruit. New branches are cut again by a third, and also leave up to three zero shoots.
5. 4th – 5th years. The grown gooseberries should already take the form of a formed bush. After that, the annual pruning consists in sanitizing old and broken branches, as well as cutting off excess shoots.

By eight years old, the gooseberry bush should have up to eight juicy stems and approximately 22-24 branches of different ages. If pruning is done according to all the rules, the crop should be stable and of good quality.

Subject to this pruning technology, the bush will be constantly young and abundantly fruitful.

When branches appear that grow downward or parallel to the ground, it is necessary to shorten them so that the extreme kidney looks up.

Video tutorial for beginners

Cropping for rejuvenation

Zero shoots growing during the year should be cut about 1⁄4 of their length

Such work is a gradual but complete removal of all branches from which seedlings have ever grown. Shrubs over the age of 10 years are recommended pruning for the purpose of rejuvenation.

The experience of summer residents shows that after the rejuvenation treatment, a good crop returns even to bushes that have not been fruiting for several years.

Pruning is to stimulate the growth of fresh young branches, but it should not completely destroy the bush. Replacement is carried out in stages: each year a third of the old branches are removed.

After the procedure, at least 50% of the crown should remain on the bush. It is not recommended to cut growth from fruiting branches.

Post-procedure crop care: preparing for winter

Fertilizing the plant in the spring helps it gain strength before flowering and bearing

Pruning branches for any plant is a great stress, so after the procedure, restoration measures are carried out. Care Procedures:

1. Lubricating wounds with garden var. Also, a mixture of crushed activated carbon and urea in a ratio of 1: 7 is suitable as a disinfectant.
2. Fertilizing the bush with mineral-organic fertilizing. You can take ready-made mixes in the store, fertilizer with the inscription "autumn" is ideal. And you can prepare the composition yourself: mix 15 kg of humus with 200 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium.
3. Abundant watering, which is designed to provide the plant with moisture for the whole winter. At least two buckets of water pour out under each shrub. Previously, it should settle and warm.
4. Inspection of bushes for the presence of pests or infections. If any, the soil around the trunk is treated with fungicide (Antrakop, Coronet, Infinito, Flint Star, Teldor). In the form of a prophylactic drug, Bordeaux liquid is used, with which the soil and the entire bush are sprayed.
5. Preparing for the winter. It implies warming the stems. In areas with harsh climatic conditions, all branches are processed, in warmer ones only fresh seedlings are processed. For warming, rotten foliage is most often used.

The insulation layer should be such as to cover a section of near-trunk soil with a diameter of at least 50 cm.

Gooseberry pruning is a serious and painstaking affair. And if an experienced gardener often does not have problems, then a beginner needs to carefully monitor the timing and technology of the procedure. It is important to adhere to the selected scheme when processing plants. In addition, you can not ignore other measures for the care of the berry. Only then will the harvest please the owner, and the bushes will always be healthy and strong.