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How to plant a bare-root gooseberry

How to plant a bare-root gooseberry

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Friday, 1 November 2019 at 9:44 am

Bare-root gooseberries are best planted in the dormant season. We show you how.

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Bare-root (or field-grown) gooseberries are supplied over winter when plants are dormant. They will grow away well in the spring, and will crop after a couple of years.

Read our guide to growing gooseberries.

Before planting, stand the plants in a bucket of water, leaving them to soak for about 20 minutes. This will reinvigorate the plants and help them to establish successfully.

Here's our three-step guide to planting a bare-root gooseberry.

You Will Need

Garden spade
Bare-root gooseberry bush
Bonemeal fertiliser
Secateurs
Well-rotted manure or garden compost
Watering can

Total time: 30 minutes

Step 1

Planting a bare-root gooseberry

Place the plant into prepared soil to the same depth as it was in the nursery - you should be able to spot a 'tide mark'. Incorporate some bonemeal fertiliser or well-rotted manure into the planting hole.

Step 2

Pruning stems to an outward-facing bud

Prune young shoots back to outward facing buds to create a strong, open bush shape on which stubby fruiting spurs can develop.

Step 3

Watering the bare-root gooseberry

Give your newly planted bush a good soak with water before mulching with well-rotted manure or garden compost.

Plant in a sunny spot

Gooseberries thrive in full sunshine, so plant them in a south or west-facing spot.

Bumblebee cutout. Photo: Getty Images.

Gooseberry varieties to try

'Invicta' - a heavy cropper that's resistant to mildew

'Martlet' - a dessert variety with red berries

'Rokula' - an early ripener, resistant to mildew, with sweet berries

Don't miss out this Winter

Enjoy expert advice on what to plant and grow this winter, and how to prepare your plot for the year ahead. Enjoy, 6 months for just £31.99

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