Pruning gooseberries in autumn: step-by-step instructions, diagrams, tips

To preserve the decorative appearance and productivity of gooseberries, prune old and diseased branches and young shoots correctly and in a timely manner. Otherwise, the crown of this perennial plant thickens, the bush begins to hurt, bears sour berries, and may even die. It's time to learn the rules and secrets of pruning gooseberries in the autumn.

When to prune gooseberries?

Pruning gooseberries is an important procedure if the gardener is concerned about the high yield of the plant. You can form a bush in summer, spring and autumn, but each season has its own nuances:

In the spring . Pruning is carried out in early March - even before the first buds appear (in the first ten days). If you break this rule, the bush will not bear fruit at all this year. Prune gooseberries when the last snow has melted, the night frosts have ended, and the weather improves.
In autumn. If the spring time for pruning gooseberries is missed, the bush can be formed in the fall. The main thing is to finish pruning the gooseberries before the onset of the first cold weather (late October-early November). This time of year has its advantages. For example, you can cut off all broken, diseased, dry and simply unnecessary branches right down to the very base. In the spring, all that remains is to slightly adjust the bush, which will not affect its fruiting in any way.
In summer. During this period, pruning gooseberries is necessary to preserve and increase productivity. Remove young shoots to a height of seven leaves, and carefully cut out zero stems. The plant spends a lot of energy on them, and the berries do not have time to ripen and remain sour.

It doesn’t matter when the gooseberries are pruned - in autumn, summer or spring, large cuts must be treated with garden varnish. Otherwise, the plant’s immunity decreases, and it may get sick and die. In summer, minor adjustments to the bush are made, without radical manipulation.

Why is the gooseberry pruning procedure necessary?

Over several years, gooseberries produce from 50 to 70 new shoots, which only thicken the crown of the bush. As a result, the plant does not receive enough light, heat and oxygen, and the risk of fungal infection increases. In order not to ruin the gooseberries, it is important to prune them on time.

Other reasons for planned pruning of gooseberries in the autumn:

harm from insects, which are more often found in dense crowns;
increasing productivity;
decorative type of shrub;
simplifying gooseberry care;
sanitization;
preparation for landing;
better heating of the root system.

Carry out autumn pruning of the bush only after the leaves have fallen. In September, young shoots may still appear, which, before they have time to become woody, die. In the second half of October, remove old and diseased stems, and leave the formation of the crown until early spring.

Obviously, it is easier to care for a thinned plant than to wade through thorns and thickets in search of useful berries.

Pruning depending on the age of the bush

If the bush is mature, then the first operation is to trim the side shoots at the bottom of the bush, which will make it easier to get to the central zone. You cannot cut off more than 3 large branches at one time, as mass removal of shoots will significantly weaken the plant. It is imperative to remove excess root shoots, into which the outflow of nutrients occurs.

after landing

Only 3 to 5 zero shoots are left, mercilessly cutting off the rest. This technique will enable the side shoots that emerge from the axillary buds to develop faster.

The central shoot and lateral shoots are cut by 1/3 at a distance of 1 cm from the bud.

The bud should be located outside so that the shoot grows to the side and not inside the bush. If this condition is not met, the bush will be too dense and will still have to be thinned out to provide access to sun and air.

Zero shoots are shoots that form from the underground buds of the plant. In the first year they are light in color and are not capable of branching.

in the second year

Do not touch healthy, strong shoots of the first year and leave 3-5 fresh zero shoots. Grown branches are cut in half. Only diseased or crossing branches, as well as excess zero shoots, are completely removed.

for 3-4 years

Pruning is carried out according to the same principle as for two-year-old plants. During this period, the bush is already beginning to bear fruit, and the branches on which practically no berries are formed are clearly visible. They are also removed along with diseased or twisted shoots.

over 5 years old

A bush at the age of 5 years is already well formed and contains 20-25 branches, different in age. Pruning is necessary to replace old branches with young ones. Thus, the plant will be formed by branches of different ages, which makes it possible to obtain maximum yields.

In addition to rejuvenating, preventative pruning is carried out so that the skeletal shoots are evenly spaced. Old and diseased branches are not cut off into stumps, but completely, to prevent infection.

Types of gooseberry pruning

There are 2 types of bush formation - pre-planting and rejuvenating. In the first case, we are talking about planting seedlings, in the second, about rejuvenating an already perennial plant in order to increase productivity. Both procedures have characteristic features and are equally beneficial for gooseberries.

Pre-landing

In order for gooseberries to develop well and bear fruit after planting, they need to be pruned. Remove weak, deformed and lifeless shoots, shorten the rest to the size of 4 buds (for weak plants - up to 2 buds). Before planting, radically prune the plant, which will increase its fertility and vitality.

The main purpose of pre-planting pruning of gooseberries is to strengthen the root system, set the rate of growth and fruiting of the young plant.

Rejuvenating

This procedure is necessary for adult plants if the gardener notices a dynamic decrease in yield. The optimal age for rejuvenating gooseberry pruning is 8 years and older. Form a bush annually after harvest. There are several options:

In late autumn, remove a third of all shoots, completely get rid of the horizontal root shoots, which take all the water and nutrients from the soil. Shorten young shoots from the soil to 20 cm, no more.
In order not to cut out the entire gooseberry, cut off its crown so that the maximum length of each stem does not exceed 15-20 cm. Be sure to remove root shoots and diseased stems.

Experienced gardeners claim that after rejuvenation, plants that previously remained without fruit for several years begin to bear fruit. In addition, this is an excellent prevention of many diseases and pests of gooseberries.

What will you need for work?

Even a professional cannot cope with pruning gooseberries without garden tools. Important: do not damage the plant, do not injure yourself.

For the planned procedure you will need:

thick rubber gloves;
pruner;
garden saw;
lopper;
gardening scissors;
paint/chalk;
garden var;
robe with long sleeves.

Choose pruners with single- and double-sided sharpening. It is important to sharpen the blade well, otherwise the stems will not be cut, but will break.

After use, garden tools must be sterilized. Important criteria for choosing such equipment are the quality of materials, the presence of rubberized handles, ease of use, and long service life. Otherwise, you will have to buy gardening tools every season.

To learn how to trim gooseberries using hedge trimmers, watch the following video:

Which shoots need to be cut out?

The first rule: you cannot cut off everything that seems ugly and unnecessary. This is especially true for novice gardeners. Such radical methods cause severe stress in the plant, and it stops bearing fruit. After cutting, a third of the crown should remain, otherwise the gooseberry will die.

To give the bush an aesthetic appearance, the following must be removed:

black, dry branches:
damaged, diseased shoots;
competing sprouts;
branches located inside the bush;
horizontal growth;
basal shoots.

Visually inspect the bush and remove all its “weak points”, but do not get too carried away with pruning the branches. Having cut off more than half of the crown, the plant dies. The exception is when gooseberries are rejuvenated in this way.

Step-by-step instructions for pruning gooseberries

Make it a rule to prune adult gooseberries in spring and autumn, and clearly choose a favorable period for such an activity. Below is a classic scheme of the anti-aging procedure:

Select a central branch and cut it to its minimum length.
Remove side shoots extending from it.
Cut out branches that have been observed not to bear fruit.
Be sure to remove horizontal root growth.
Do not touch old branches with young shoots yet.

Pruning root shoots is a separate issue. The gooseberry variety plays a decisive role. Some form a crown after 3 years, others after 5 years. Therefore, first remove diseased and lifeless shoots, and then those that interfere with growth and create shadow.

To learn how to prune gooseberries quickly, correctly, and so that there is a good harvest, watch the following video:

Methods for forming a bush

To properly remove branches and preserve the harvest, decide on the method of forming the bush. There are several options, including:

standard;
trellis;
classical.

Each method has its own advantages, but long-term practice of gardeners shows that the richest harvests are after the classical formation of the bush. Gooseberries are tasty, sweet and large.

Other methods also have their advantages, for example, the standard method saves space in the garden, and installing trellises simplifies the harvesting process. The choice, in any case, remains with the gardener, who will have to care for the gooseberries in the fall.

Standard gooseberry

In this case, the trimmed gooseberry bush resembles a small tree, which is compact in size and takes up little space in the garden. The height of the renewed plant does not exceed 1 m. Stages of formation of such a shrub:

Select the strongest, most massive shoot from the central part of the bush.
Remove the remaining branches at the root.
Dig a metal pipe or stick into the ground nearby (this is a support).
Attach the central shoot to the support, do not press down the plant.
Next spring, remove the top to allow the bush to expand.
Cut last year's shoots in half, leaving 4-5 of the young shoots.
In autumn, remove old, dried and diseased branches.
As they appear, uproot the root shoots, which take away all the strength of the plant.

With this pruning, the bush-tree produces good fruit, all branches receive a sufficient amount of light and oxygen. The disadvantages of this method include the short lifespan of gooseberries, poor frost resistance, and weak immunity. On average, such a dwarf tree will live 12 years, no more.

Gooseberries on a trellis

In this case, a trellis is used to trim the bush. This is a special device that consists of vertical posts and a wire stretched between them in 3 tiers - at a height of 50, 80 and 100 cm from the ground. Sequence of actions for a novice gardener:

Plant seedlings in 1 row at a distance of 100 cm from each other.
Dig metal pipes between the bushes.
Connect the stakes with wire in 3 tiers at the distance indicated above.
As the shoots grow, tie them to the trellis tiers with a thin thread.
Remove excess branches, get rid of root shoots.
Every year, shorten last year's shoots by a third.
Tie up fresh stems in 4-5 pieces.

This makes it easier for young branches to grow and provides unimpeded access to oxygen and light. In addition, it is much easier to harvest from trellises; you won’t get hurt on a thorn and you won’t have to break elastic shoots.

The classic way to form gooseberries

In this case, the natural shape of the crown does not change, and pruning of the gooseberries is carried out for preventive and decorative purposes. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Year of planting. Remove diseased and lifeless branches, shorten seedlings to 3-4 buds in height.
1 year. Leave 3 healthy shoots, from which the crown of the bush will form in the future. Pre-cut off a third of the top.
2nd year Remove last year's branches and root shoots. Cut young stems (up to 4 pieces) that appear closer to autumn in half, otherwise they will freeze and die.
3rd year. The crown of the bush has already been formed (up to 12 branches), so simply remove weak, deformed, dry and old branches, be sure to get rid of the horizontal root shoots, leave 3 young shoots.
4 year Trim last year's branches by 5 cm, continue to remove root shoots, and remove side shoots by a third.
5 and subsequent years. Make sure that the gooseberry crown does not thicken; remove side shoots in a timely manner.

An adult plant aged 7-8 years has up to 22-24 branches of different ages that bear fruit well. Gradually remove old, dried and damaged shoots, thereby rejuvenating the gooseberry bush.

What are the options for forming a gooseberry bush?

A gooseberry is not an apple tree; there are not so many forms, usually only three. The first option is the usual bush formation, that is, the type of gooseberry plant familiar to us all in the form of a bush, often spreading with an open center of the crown. Option two is a gooseberry on a trunk, it looks like a small tree with shoots on top. The third option is a trellis formation, in this case, after planting gooseberry bushes in a row, a trellis is set up - two pillars are placed along the borders of the row and two or three rows of strong wire are stretched between them. It is on this wire that the gooseberry shoots, formed in a special way, are laid.

What is good about regular gooseberry molding? It is as simple as possible. What are the advantages of standard gooseberries? More such plants can be planted in the same area, and on top of everything else, such plants look unusual and beautiful. Pros of a trellis? The plants are open, not thickened, they get sick less often, are slightly affected by pests, the crown is open, the fruits are well lit and warmed by the sun, and therefore they are larger and tastier.

Caring for gooseberries after pruning

Even proper pruning of gooseberries becomes stressful for the plant. To form an aesthetic crown and maintain the fertility of the bush, follow these valuable recommendations from experienced gardeners:

Treat large sections with garden pitch, urea solution or crushed activated carbon.
Immediately after pruning, fertilize the plant. Use special fertilizers or a mixture of 15 kg of humus, 40 g of potassium, 200 g of superphosphate.
Water the gooseberries. For each bush - about 2 full buckets of water at room temperature.
Since the bushes are weakened after pruning, spray them with Bordeaux mixture. This is a good prevention against harmful insects.
Use sheet compost, mulch or a layer of peat to insulate the root system and prepare the plant for the upcoming cold weather and wintering.

If there is a pest threat, use fungicides. Among the most effective are the drugs Flint Star, Coronet, Antrakop, Infinito, Teldor. For prevention, spray not only the plant, but also the soil underneath it. Instructions are included on the packaging.

We follow the rules of procedure

When pruning, follow a few simple rules:

they work with a sharply sharpened tool - this way the shoot is not severely damaged and there are fewer ways for pathogens and pests to penetrate;
work is carried out in protective clothing and thick gloves;
the instrument is disinfected from pathogenic microflora;
First, cut off the outer contour, then the internal branches;
cut areas are disinfected and protected with garden varnish.

See also Growing gooseberries in open ground: rules for planting and care

After pruning, the gooseberries are watered with clean water. Fertilizers are applied when the wounds on the shoots heal.

Common mistakes gardeners make when pruning gooseberries

Beginning gardeners often make mistakes when pruning gooseberries and count on a rich harvest. There will either be no fruits at all, or their taste leaves much to be desired. The most common mistakes made by new gardeners:

Violation of pruning deadlines. In spring, the period of bud emergence is considered forbidden; in autumn, the first frosts and cold weather are considered forbidden.
Unconscious removal of branches. It may seem that this will be more beautiful, but in reality the plant suffers and dies.
Removing the entire crown when rejuvenating the bush. A global error can lead to the death of the bush.
Cutting off annual shoots on which young shoots have already appeared. Gooseberry fruiting is reduced for every season.

If the leaves of the plant have fallen off, this is a sign of disease. Among the provoking factors is powdery mildew. You can examine the inside of the leaf and detect harmful moths. Treatment of a diseased plant should follow immediately.

In what cases should you not prune gooseberries in the fall?

Autumn pruning of gooseberries is not always necessary. If the berry garden was formed in the spring, then at the end of the season you can get by with sanitary cleaning of diseased branches. Newly planted seedlings do not require pruning. Any damage to the branches can lead to their weakening and death.

It is not recommended to prune too early in the fall, when the movement of sap is not completed, or too late with the onset of frost. If it is not possible to carry out the procedure in the optimal time frame, it is better to postpone it until spring.

Useful tips

To avoid mistakes and prune shrubs correctly, follow these valuable recommendations:

If the plant is very overgrown, do not delay pruning the bush, otherwise the gooseberry will not bear fruit. With intertwined branches, the fruits are small and sour.
Cut branches at an angle. When cut directly, young shoots grow inside the crown, which reduces gooseberry yield.
For the first 2 years, do not carry out radical pruning of the bush, just shorten newly emerging shoots by half.
Make sure that a neglected shrub does not take root by layering without permission. Otherwise, the yield is reduced and the mother plant is depleted.
In one season, cut off no more than a third of the branches; more radical cutting harms the perennial plant.
If the harvest is poor, cut the stem to the side branches with young shoots.
Be sure to collect and burn dry branches to minimize the risk of fungal infection.

Gooseberries are unpretentious in care, but leaving the plant without attention is also not recommended. Monitor the crown, remove diseased and dry shoots, and follow preventive measures. Remember that the yield and health of a perennial plant depend on the rules of care.

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Gardening Tips and Tricks

Gooseberry is a noble berry. Some tips can help make caring for it easier and get a good harvest.

Most varieties are armed with sharp thorns, making them difficult to care for. Regular pruning makes picking berries much easier.
The productivity of gooseberries directly depends on proper care. It is important not to waste time on pruning plantings.
To enhance branching, you need to cut off the zero shoots growing from the ground to ¼ from the ground.

To avoid dense branches, when pruning, pay attention to the outermost bud. If it is oriented outward, then the bush will develop in width and not inward.