Usually, after planting, gooseberries are “forgotten.” It grows and expands, bears fruit as if on its own. And then suddenly it turns out that there are almost no berries anymore, and the pretty bush has turned into dense thickets. This culture is unpretentious, but still requires minimal attention and care. Like any plant, it needs care.
One of the most important activities is pruning: the purpose of this article is to answer the questions - when to prune gooseberries and how to thin out bushes so that their yield does not decrease, appearance pleasing to the eye, and is it possible to grow it yourself? new bush from cut shoots.
Why is pruning necessary?
Gooseberry is a shrubby plant species that grows up to 1.2 - 1.5 m in height. Its shoots are long, branch well and in a short time can form an impenetrable thicket.
Since all the shoots are covered with dense, sharp thorns, a thickened bush poses a serious test for a gardener who wants to pick berries. No gloves can protect your hands from the very thorny gooseberry branches.
New shoots on the bush grow very quickly and quite densely, which can also affect the volume of the harvest. In this case, all the plant’s energy goes into growing green mass.
Also, do not forget that if penetration is difficult sun rays in the thick of the bush, the development of various pathogenic microorganisms may begin, the plant will weaken, begin to hurt and become a desired target various kinds pests.
We must not forget that anyone, even the most unpretentious variety This shrub requires periodic rejuvenation of the bush, especially after several years of fruiting.
Experienced gardeners know that to maintain a neat and tidy decorative look, as well as to maintain an optimal level of fruiting, in addition to constant seasonal feeding, V mandatory It is necessary to form gooseberries by pruning them and removing excess shoots.
Pruning can be done at any time of the year except winter - both in spring and summer, after harvesting, as well as in autumn, before the onset of the dormant period. The first pruning is done immediately after planting a young seedling, leaving only shoots about 5 cm long, with several buds, usually 5-6 pieces. This procedure is carried out regardless of when the bush is planted - in spring, summer or autumn.
It may seem that this is too barbaric a method, but do not forget about the ability of gooseberries to grow young shoots very quickly. They grow even thicker and stronger. It is necessary to dwell in more detail on each of the seasonal types of pruning, consider its features and effectiveness for the development of the plant and increasing its productivity.
Autumn pruning: shaping the future harvest
Pruning gooseberries after harvesting is usually done with simultaneous feeding, with the goal of restoring the strength of the plant, undermined by fruiting. Freeing the bush from excess green mass of leaves and weak shoots allows you to save the gooseberry's strength and improve its aesthetic appearance. It also allows you to get rid of branches that had a small harvest during the season.
Pruning gooseberries in the fall will lay the foundation for a more abundant and high-quality harvest in the next season, promotes the normal formation of the crown, and also prepares the plant for the winter season. It is recommended to carry out autumn pruning after the gooseberry leaves have fallen and the branches of the bush are free of leaves. So autumn pruning It is valuable precisely because it pays attention to exactly what prevents the bush from fully developing.
You should not forget that when carrying out this procedure, you need to trim the branches carefully; in no case should you cut out more than 1/3 of all shoots, otherwise you can achieve the opposite effect - a bloodless, crippled bush will simply begin to die and will not survive the winter cold.
Before you start, you need to carefully examine the gooseberry bush for diseased, drying shoots, affected by diseases or pests. They are removed first. Branches older than 6-7 years must be cut at the root, this is a necessary condition plant rejuvenation.
The same applies to shoots that did not bear fruit this season. Those branches on which the growth grows either poorly or in the center of the bush are removed. All resulting sections must be processed to avoid infection and the development of diseases. Most often, garden pitch is used for these purposes.
After the procedure is completed, there are usually 4 to 5 strong branches left on the bush, which will be enough for them to produce new growth next season. With proper pruning, the yield of the bush increases significantly.
Spring pruning and its features
How to prune gooseberries in the fall is now clear, we need to find out all the nuances spring pruning gooseberries, because many gardeners still prefer it. The most important thing is that pruning must be done in early spring, as soon as the snow melts and before the sap begins to flow in the plants, before the buds swell. The pruning procedure will largely depend on the age of the bush.
As already mentioned, pruning is carried out even on seedlings. In this case, 3-4 buds are left on the branches, 2 on weak and thin ones. Most often, all weak branches are removed, leaving only a few central, strong branches - the basis of the future powerful bush.
In gooseberries at the age of two years, the fruits are set on second-year shoots. In this case, the basal shoots are cut out, leaving a few of the strongest ones - by the end of summer, several annual shoots will grow on them, forming branches.
By the end of the third year of life, the bush will have several generations of shoots, and the so-called skeleton of the bush will be formed. After this, a moment comes when all the young growths are removed, the bush is already formed and the purpose of pruning will now be only to maintain its shape.
All branches that create unnecessary thickening must be removed in a timely manner. All frozen or broken shoots and branches are also removed.
It should be noted that by choosing a pruned strong annual shoot, you can root it and get good seedling. This procedure is done with the help of root formation stimulants, such as Kornevin. The tip of the cut shoot should be sprinkled with root former powder and then dug into the hole. Experts advise sticking the end of the shoot into a raw potato before doing this - this will give you a better chance of taking root and forming root system the seedlings increase several times.
As for the pruning procedure carried out on old bushes that no one has thinned or updated for several years, the sequence of actions is slightly different. The main branches of such a bush are weakened, and the basal shoots are numerous. In this case, it is thinned out and left, as well as the strongest of the main shoots, no older than 5 years. Proper spring pruning of such a bush will help not only prolong its life, but also revive abundant fruiting.
If we are talking about a very old bush, older than 8–9 years, then radical removal of all old shoots and branches will be required. Only a few strong skeletal branches are left. After this, the plant begins new life, a new bush is formed. In this case, we must not forget that more than a third of the bush cannot be removed, otherwise the plant will die.
We should not forget that pruning a gooseberry bush is carried out with a sharply sharpened and disinfected tool, pruning shears or loppers.
Hands should be protected with thick gloves, preferably canvas mittens. After work, all tools must be cleaned and processed.
Experienced gardeners often give beginners valuable advice By following them you can avoid annoying mistakes that can significantly affect both future harvest, and on the health of gooseberries in general:
Taking into account these few and not at all difficult to follow tips, you can significantly extend the life and fruiting life of the gooseberry bush. This fairly simple procedure will help protect him from many diseases and invasions. various pests, increase productivity and maintain it for more than one year.
Features of caring for some species
Nowadays, there are many varieties of gooseberries, and some of them have nuances in the care and pruning of the bush. By taking them into account, many mistakes can be avoided:
In conclusion, we can add that the answer to the question of how to properly prune gooseberries is not very difficult; even a novice amateur gardener can easily master it.
If when growing this unpretentious shrub follow these simple rules and recommendations, the pleasure from the process will be complemented by a good harvest of tasty and healthy berries.
Pruning is an integral part of caring for berry bushes. In particular, manipulation is indicated for gooseberries, which very quickly form new shoots. Behind a short time the crown becomes so dense that it is simply impossible to get inside through the thickets of thorny growth. In addition, fruiting branches receive little light and nutrients, which greatly reduces yield. How and when to prune a bush in the spring to preserve its fertility?
Advantages and disadvantages of pruning gooseberries in spring. When is the best time to prune?
During the season, gooseberries form a lot of shoots, which, without proper care, thicken the bush to such an extent that it resembles a large prickly ball. Only by removing excess growth can you give the plant a decorative appearance.
In addition, spring pruning of gooseberries has a number of other advantages.
- A well-groomed bush is well lit and ventilated, thereby reducing the risk of developing fungal diseases and insect attacks.
- The remaining gooseberry branches receive a sufficient amount of moisture and nutrients, as a result of which the yield is greatly improved.
- Manipulation helps prevent chaotic rooting.
- Pruning allows you to give the plant the correct shape, which consists of branches of different ages.
- Thanks to sufficient lighting and the presence of macro- and microelements, young shoots do not stretch.
The main disadvantage of spring pruning is that if the procedure is carried out after the buds begin to swell, the plant will be greatly weakened, which will adversely affect its fertility.
It is preferable to prune gooseberries in the spring before active sap flow begins, otherwise the plant will lose a lot of strength and form a lot of shoots. Gardeners who were unable to prune the bush in the spring do it in the fall, when the leaf fall ends. It is up to each plant owner to determine when it is best to prune the berry bush - in spring or autumn - depending on the climate of the region and their own schedule.
When to prune in spring, in what month, timing
Gooseberries are one of the very first plants to wake up after winter. In most regions, at the end of March and beginning of April, the bush already produces its first leaves. Therefore, it is best to perform pruning immediately after the snow has completely melted and the ground has dried out a little.
Based on these conditions, optimal time The time for pruning gooseberries in spring falls at the beginning of March. Considering weather growing region, more exact dates it is up to the gardener to determine it himself.
Important! It is highly undesirable to prune gooseberries after buds begin to bloom. Late manipulation will greatly weaken the plant. If it was not possible to carry out pruning within the recommended time frame, it is postponed until autumn.
General rules and tips for proper spring pruning of gooseberries
Like any garden manipulation, spring pruning of gooseberries should be done according to established rules, otherwise the plant will get sick and bear fruit poorly.
In order for pruning to be beneficial for the plant and not destructive, during work you should adhere to the following recommendations and rules:
- Gooseberries are pruned in early spring, before the buds begin to bloom.
- The cut should be 1 cm above the bud, directed towards outside. If you trim the branches above the bud directed inward to the crown, it will produce growth that is unsuitable for further growth.
- During pruning, you need to remove all weak and improperly growing branches. Excess shoots will only deprive the bush of strength, which it can direct to setting and forming fruits. In addition, as a result of such gentle pruning, the density of the crown increases, which is why gooseberries are often affected by fungus.
- Branches older than 6-8 years must be removed. Contrary to the misconception of novice gardeners, it is not the old branches that are more fertile, but the young ones.
- Old branches that have stopped bearing fruit are cut back to the place from which they began to grow. Side shoots are cut to zero.
- Rejuvenating pruning of an old bush should be carried out in 2-3 approaches. The total number of branches removed during the season should not exceed 1/3 of the total number of branches. If you remove all unnecessary branches in one go, the gooseberry will be sick for a long time and, most likely, will die.
- To remove thin branches, use sharp pruning shears, and thick ones, use a lopper.
- If the tip of the shoot is too thin, it is shortened to a large bud.
Video: rules for pruning gooseberries in spring
Features of pruning gooseberries by year in spring
Depending on the age of the plant, the gooseberry pruning pattern also changes. This is due to the fact that upon reaching a certain age, branches need to be replaced. In general, pruning throughout the life of the bush looks like this:
- 1st year. The strongest branches are shortened by 3-4 buds, the weaker ones by 2. Damaged branches are cut off. In the fall, the bush is inspected and, if necessary, diseased or damaged branches are removed. 5-6 shoots are left for the winter.
- 2nd year. 5 healthy shoots are left in the crown, and shoots less than 20 cm long are removed. Branches that grow horizontally should also be pruned. To improve branching, skeletal branches are shortened at a height of 30 cm.
- 3-4 years. During active growth All dried or damaged branches, as well as branches that have drooped significantly, are removed from the crown. In case of poor growth or slight branching, the length of the main branches is set to 15 cm. Towards the end of the year, the gooseberry crown should consist of 12-18 branches. In the 4th year after planting, young shoots growing in the area or extending directly from the root collar are cut out.
- 5 years or more. At peak yield, the crown of the plant should consist of 30 branches of different ages. Pruning such bushes consists of removing underdeveloped and damaged branches.
To rejuvenate an old bush, only 5 powerful young branches are left, and all the rest are pruned. It is better to spread out such rejuvenating pruning several times, so the plant will recover faster from the damage caused.
A very neglected gooseberry bush can be brought back to life by radical pruning - all shoots are cut at a height of 15 cm from the surface of the ground. Thanks to this action, the bush begins to form new shoots.
Worth knowing! It makes no sense to rejuvenate heavily neglected bushes older than 20 years.
Video: spring pruning work for productive gooseberries
Step-by-step instructions and diagram of classic gooseberry pruning in spring
Most gardeners prefer to grow gooseberries in bush form. Forming a plant into a well-groomed bush is done as follows:
- 1st year. The shoots formed over the previous season are pruned to the level of 4-5 buds. 3-4 healthy zero branches are selected in the crown. Shoots whose growth is directed along the horizon or towards the center of the crown are pruned. Poorly developed and diseased branches are also removed.
- 2nd year. Last year's shoots are shortened by a third, and then 3-4 zero shoots are selected from them. After the second pruning, the bush should consist of no more than 8 zero shoots.
- 3-4th year. Pruning is carried out in the same way as in the previous year. The number of zero shoots after the end of the manipulation was 12 in the 3rd year, and 16 in the 4th year.
- 5th year. The number of zero shoots is increased to 20, and then, for the purpose of rejuvenation, several old branches are replaced with young ones. You can distinguish old branches from young ones by the color of their bark: such branches are the darkest.
Non-standard methods of pruning (shaping) gooseberry bushes: trellis and standard
When carrying out annual pruning, many gardeners do not know that during formation the gooseberry can be given the appearance of a trunk. In addition, a strongly growing bush, akin to grapes, is placed on a trellis.
Standard pruning of gooseberries involves giving the bush the shape of a tree.
The formation of gooseberries into a standard is carried out as follows:
- The most powerful branch growing in the vertical direction is selected from the crown.
- Excess branches, as well as branches grown on the trunk, are cut off. In most cases, the length of the trunk is 1 m.
- Side shoots that grow throughout the season are removed.
- To prevent the stem from bending, it is tied to a metal support.
In subsequent years, gooseberries are pruned as follows:
- 5 powerful branches are left, and last year’s ones are shortened by half.
- Remove branches whose growth is directed downwards or into the bush.
- The growth that has grown around the trunk is cut off, and to prevent its formation, the tree trunk circle of the plant is mulched with crushed bark.
The disadvantage of forming gooseberries into a standard is that the plant is less frost-resistant than when grown in bush form. Since the main shoot ages quickly, the average lifespan of a standard crop is 10-12 years. Therefore, a gardener who practices this type of growing plants needs to take care in advance of replacing aging bushes.
Gooseberries are also grown on a trellis. To do this, two supports are installed near the bush, between which three wires are pulled at a distance of 50, 80 and 100 cm. The spacing between the bushes in the rows is 70-100 cm, the row spacing is 1.5 m.
The formation of a gooseberry bush for growing on a trellis is carried out as follows:
- Select 3-5 powerful branches, shorten them a little and tie them to a wire, and cut off the remaining ones.
- When laid on a trellis, the bush should resemble a fan, so branches located in the center of the crown are shortened more than those directed horizontally.
- To reduce density, cut off zero shoots.
- Starting from the 6th year, the plant is rejuvenated, during which old branches are replaced with young ones.
Bushes growing on a trellis are well lit and ventilated, as a result of which they bear fruit better. In addition, thanks to the vertical position, it is very convenient to collect fruits.
Care after spring pruning
To help the bush recover faster, cleaned large sections are covered with garden varnish or a mixture based on mullein. You can prepare putty at home using the following recipe.
- Paraffin and rosin in a ratio of 6:3 are placed in a pan. After the mixture boils, add 2 parts vegetable oil. The mass is boiled for half an hour and then cooled. A brew is also prepared from paraffin, rosin and drying oil (1:1:1).
- 1 part mullein and 2 parts clay are poured into a container and mixed until smooth.
According to reviews from gardeners, wounds treated with such substances do not rot and heal quickly.
Popular mistakes when carrying out the procedure for pruning gooseberries in spring
Beginner gardeners make a lot of mistakes due to lack of experience. In order for pruning to be successful, it is better to become familiar with common misconceptions rather than correct their consequences in the future.
Some of the most popular mistakes that beginners make when pruning gooseberries in the spring include the following:
- annual strong growths are pruned;
- unnecessary pruning of the bush during rejuvenation;
- cut off many young branches, instead of cutting off old branches that have served;
- make cuts above the bud directed inside the bush.
Spring pruning of gooseberries is aimed not so much at improving decorativeness, but at improving its fertility. In order for the manipulation to bring the expected effect, the branches must be removed in accordance with the above recommendations.
Video: pruning gooseberries in spring
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Pruning gooseberries in autumn - necessary measure to maintain the health of the plant and its successful fertility. As the light-loving shrub grows, it shades itself, creating conditions for the spread of powdery mildew, its berries become smaller, and harvest volumes decrease. The established diseases spread to neighboring plants. Proper pruning of gooseberries is not difficult; even a novice gardener can easily cope with it.
How to properly prune gooseberries in the fall to maintain the health of the plant and its successful fertility
When caring for gooseberries and preparing them for winter, it is also important to remember about pruning and thinning the bush. Its main task is to rid the bush of all unnecessary branches that lead to thickening and disease. You need to remove all broken, old, diseased branches and branches growing inside the bush. Particular attention should be paid to removing the lower part of the bush. All shoots that lie on the ground must be removed.
How to prune gooseberries?
Gooseberries are an excellent plant whose fruits are liked by both adults and children. Plus, today there is a huge number different varieties. Thanks to this, each of us will find what he likes most: sour, sweet, etc.
The peculiarity of gooseberries is that every season it gives a large number of new shoots, which greatly thicken the bush and negatively affect the harvest itself. In addition, a large number of shoots leads to the fact that the plant tissues weaken, and the gooseberry begins to hurt. It is because of this that gardeners recommend removing such thorns every year and correctly forming its crown.
How to prune gooseberries correctly?
When pruning a gooseberry bush, it is important not to damage the fruit bud. To do this, make a cut 5-7 mm above it and at an angle of 45-50 degrees. If you cut a branch close to a bud, the eye will dry out. And if the cut is made too high above the bud, the part of the branch located above the eye will dry out.
It is also necessary to determine in advance where the branch will grow from the bud - outside or inside the bush. The cut should be made above the kidney located with outside branches. This will help avoid thickening and ensure good lighting and ventilation of the bush.
When to prune gooseberries?
Most optimal period Autumn is considered the best time to prune the plant. And this is not surprising, since in the spring it very quickly begins to gain strength, as a result of which this procedure can weaken the gooseberry.
But keep in mind that pruning should be done only after the entire crop has been harvested and the first frost has not yet occurred.
In this case, you need to remove mainly dried old branches, but new ones need to be pruned in the spring in order to correct formation bush.
Pruning gooseberries after fruiting
It is no secret that over time, gooseberries grow quite quickly, begin to shade themselves, get sick more often, and their fruiting deteriorates. Therefore, every year, excess branches must be cut off and a bush formed. And already starting from 5-6 years, it is recommended to carry out anti-aging pruning, removing the oldest (5-6 year old) branches.
Pruning gooseberries after fruiting and harvesting can be divided into two stages:
- Immediately after harvest(even in the summer) deleted withered and diseased branches, i.e. carry out sanitary pruning.
- And rejuvenating and shaping pruning it is customary to carry out gooseberries in autumn, and it is desirable after the leaves fall, but before the onset of frost and stable negative temperatures.
Worth knowing! Basic trimming Gooseberry pruning is usually done after fruiting (in the fall), and in the spring only corrective, or rather sanitary, pruning is done after winter.
Of course, if you did not have the opportunity to prune the gooseberries in the fall, then it is better to prune in the spring than not to prune at all.
Rejuvenating and shaping pruning schemes gooseberries
Scheme of forming pruning of shrubs Pruning gooseberries in autumn: diagram and stages
Gooseberries love to produce a lot of young (“zero”) shoots during the season, which by autumn turn the bush into a “porcupine”. You can’t immediately figure out how to approach such a beast. However, if we remember that 70% of the bush are “zero” shoots that we need to remove, everything falls into place.
- Our task: to lighten the bush. Gooseberries love light, and the more light there is, the larger and tastier the berries will be. This point is critical if you have noticed powdery mildew on fruit this year or earlier. Lighter, thinned bushes suffer less from this dangerous disease.
- We start working from the base of the bush: Unlike currants, whose shoots often grow from underground, gooseberries often have a pronounced growth point, similar to the root collar of roses. It is at this base that it is necessary to remove old (over 5 years old) shoots. Look at which shoots are younger and more promising. Leave only 4-5 such growths. Cut off the rest.
- Rising higher, we remove all “zero” shoots. Most often they are root shoots that weaken the bush. The older the gooseberry, the more shoots it will produce. Whether to leave some of them to form a younger bush nearby or remove it is up to you to decide. When pruning gooseberries in the fall, we recommend that novice gardeners try different variants on different bushes.
- Remove side shoots which overlap each other, have few buds or are weakened, affected by diseases or pests.
- Trim off the green tops that will not survive the winter.
- At the end of the work, you should end up with a rather scanty bush, which will decrease in volume by 3 times. The main shoots should look up and be parallel to each other. The side branches do not intersect; they also look up or to the side. At the same time, they must be mature, strong, and have enough buds from which new shoots and fruits will appear.
Pruning when growing gooseberries
- Gooseberries have a great restorative ability of shoots. Every year the gooseberries grow new shoots. They thicken the bush, so it has to be systematically thinned out.
- When growing, gooseberry bushes should always maintain no more than 8 - 10 healthy and strong branches. This allows you to maintain good illumination of all areas of the crown.
- The plant does not tolerate shading well, so thickening the crown greatly harms it. Every year, old, weak, fruit-bearing and awkwardly arranged branches are cut out. Poorly located and rubbing gooseberry shoots, some frozen, immature and disease-affected branch tips are shortened to healthy wood.
- If sections of branches are affected by false powdery mildew, after pruning, they are burned and the tools are disinfected.
- Long branches of the gooseberry bush are pruned to 3 - 4 buds above the ground, stunted ones - to 1 - 2 buds. When the branches grow back next season, choose 5 strong and well-placed shoots. They will become the basis of the bush; unnecessary branches are cut off at the very base.
- On next year The bush is supplemented with 3 - 5 more strong branches according to the same pattern. Then the formed gooseberry bush will have 8 - 10 strong branches, which are its crown. In the future, the crown is maintained in order.
- An old, overgrown gooseberry bush has to be cleared in several stages. To begin with, perform sanitary pruning of the bush. Old, dried out, broken, diseased and fallen branches are cut and removed from the crown using sharp pruning shears. Next, they move on to forming the remaining part of the bush, selecting 8 - 10 well-developed and well-placed branches. They will form the basis of the crown of the new bush, all other branches are cut out at the base of the bush at soil level.
Gooseberries should be pruned annually.
As you can see, pruning gooseberries is easy. There is no need to spend a lot of time and effort here, but do not forget that this procedure must be carried out correctly in compliance with the necessary rules.
Video: How to prune gooseberries correctly
When and how to do it correctly.
Why do gooseberries need pruning?
IN general outline Everyone knows the answer: if you don’t take care of the bushes, they will quickly turn into thickets. Indeed, gooseberries produce many shoots during the season that need to be organized.
There are others causes, which make such manipulation necessary and regular:
- Heavily overgrown bushes become impenetrable to light, which creates all the conditions for the appearance of and.
- When the branches are tightly intertwined, they become smaller.
- The more branches there are, the less nutrients each shoot receives individually. As a result, productivity decreases.
Important! Incisions are made only above the inner kidney (it is located along inside branches).
- Branches that are too long as they grow simply lie down on the ground and take root. After a year or two, such a “giant” stops bearing fruit and becomes dangerous for other crops: they settle on the shoots and leaves.
When to prune
The most effective is considered to be pruning gooseberries in the spring, before the start of the growing season. By forming still “dormant” branches in the first ten days of March, you will ensure normal growth of the gooseberry and thus “lay down” good harvest.
But there is one difficulty: sap flow begins very early, literally with the first rays of the spring sun. Not everyone is able to “catch” the right moment and get out on time, but at the end of March - beginning of April, young leaves are already visible. So, we'll have to wait until the fall. It is undesirable to make live cuts; it harms the plant.
Did you know? In Russia, gooseberries have been cultivated since the 15th century. And in the 19th century foreign varieties replaced local varieties- these were mainly productive British lines.
In the summer, only individual branches are removed, and only if they are severely damaged or infected.
A more popular option remains pruning at the end of the season, which is carried out after the leaves have fallen. This event can be called formative and sanitary: the necessary branches are “exposed” and excess shoots are removed. The horizontal and oldest ones are removed first (they are almost black in color).
Garden tools for work
You need some simple equipment: a lopper. They are simple, but there are some nuances here too. Eg, pruners Available with single- or double-sided sharpening. The first include the simplest, similar to, devices. One of their blades acts as a stop, while the second acts as a cutting edge.
Everyone knows how difficult it can be to cut a powerful branch with pruning shears. For such purposes, devices with ratchet mechanism, which regulates the position of the blade and its stroke. Loppers remove thick (3–5 cm) thorny branches. Essentially, these are the same pruners, but with long handles. They are easier to work with - the handle acts as a lever and transfers a lot of force to the blades, preventing your hands from getting tired.
Important! When buying a pruner, look at the thickness of the blade and supporting “lip”. If they are made thin, then the tool is only suitable for cutting thin branches, and it simply cannot handle a large shoot.
Note that these two devices do not replace, but complement each other - the pruning shear is ideal for “close combat”, and the lopper completes the work with large branches that are difficult to reach with thorns.
There is also brush cutters, but there is one drawback: they “take” a maximum of 25 mm, and models with one-sided sharpening - even less. In our case, they are only suitable for young bushes.
The requirements for the tool are as follows:
- high-quality sharpening, there should be no “chagging” on the edge;
- light weight;
- ability to work with great effort;
- comfortable handle; the material from which it is made does not matter, the main thing is that it should have rubber inserts that prevent your hand from slipping;
- narrow ends that do not damage neighboring branches;
- safety and bright color - such a device is easy to find in the bush.
Pruning gooseberry bushes depending on age
The amount of work and its nature are assessed taking into account the age of the bush. For different periods Only “our own” pruning techniques are suitable, which we will now consider.
In the first year
It all starts before landing. On young seedling shorten all shoots. On strong branches leave 3–4 buds from the soil level, on weaker growths 2 will be enough. It happens that branches are damaged due to negligence. They are already hopeless, they are cut out immediately. But this already weakens the bush somewhat. This pruning is aimed at proper nutrition bush and the formation of future skeletal branches.
Over the course of the season, the roots will grow well and sprout new healthy branches. Autumn “intervention” in the first year after planting is kept to a minimum - they inspect whether the branches are healthy and leave 5–6 annual shoots for wintering.
Did you know? 100 g of berries contain only 43 kcal. In addition, there are almost no proteins and fats (0.7 and 0.2 g, respectively)- an excellent and “healthy” product for weight loss.
In the second year
In the spring, up to 5 zero shoots are left; these should be healthy, conveniently located shoots. Weak branches that do not reach 20 cm are cut off completely. This is a must - small increments only drag nutrients on themselves, taking them away from the more developed.
To stimulate branching trim strong branches that grow vertically(to approximately 30 cm from the ground). The same applies to slightly inclined processes. But horizontal branches are removed without regret - no garters will help here.
Important! In autumn, the cuts are treated with garden varnish. Here is one of the recipes for a cold-resistant composition: 60 ml of alcohol and 0.5 kg of tree resin, heated separately, are mixed, adding 2 tbsp. l. linseed oil. It is better to keep the mixture in a closed tin.
With this approach, in the fall, 3 “biennials” and the same number of promising annual shoots will be formed on the bush.
For 3–4 years
This is a time of rapid growth.
In the 3rd year, all weak and horizontal shoots are removed. If there is poor growth and unimportant branching, the remaining ones are “revived”, shortening by 12–15 cm. By the end of the third season, a healthy bush should have 12–18 branches of different ages. This is the main “skeleton” of the bush.
In the 4th year after planting, the gooseberries are considered already formed, and pruning becomes more moderate. It comes down to the complete removal of young shoots, including those launched from the root collar. Closer to winter, the bush takes on a beautiful raised appearance.
5 or more years
“Five-year plan” is the peak of productivity, when there are up to 30 branches of different ages. It is already difficult for the bush to cope with such a load.
Here rejuvenation is important. In spring, the bushes are thinned out, removing all thin branches and leaving only strong root ones. For very “aged” plantings there is another, more radical method: leaving only the 5 most powerful branches, removing all the others. With normal care, such bushes will form again.
As you noticed, the work described above is carried out mainly in the spring. Autumn pruning of gooseberries is no less important. Here are its basic rules:
- Lighten the bushes. , receiving plenty of light, produces large and tasty berries. If you hesitate with thinning, you risk introducing powdery mildew onto the bushes.
- Pruning is done from the base. It is from this place that old shoots (more than 5 years old) are cut off. If the bush looks “plucked”, do not be afraid - in the spring it will grow again.
- In old plantings, young shoots are removed. Too many of them will lead to their “sterility” or the appearance of small berries.
- The green tops are cut off. They are unlikely to survive the winter.
Pruning a neglected gooseberry bush
Often they abandon processing of outdated bushes. And there are different situations - for example, during 1-2 years of the owner’s absence, relatives do not pay attention to the gooseberries, and they become completely thickened.
“Reanimation” of such plants comes down to the following work:- In the spring, even before the start of the growing season, all weak, diseased, broken and low-yielding branches are removed. They especially thicken the base of the bush, where the shoots look like brushes. From all this mass we will leave 5-6 strong “annuals”.
- If the rescue began in the fall, they try to remove the oldest branches before frost. They are darker than the others and disappear at the base. This ensures fresh growth for spring.
- Dry branches must be removed.
Non-standard ways to form a bush
We already know how standard (aka “classic”) pruning is carried out. But there are other shaping methods that are worth mentioning.
Trellis
For growing vigorous varieties with a large number of shoots, they are prepared. Here The sequence of this process is:
- Seedlings are placed according to the following scheme: 1.5 m row spacing and 60–70 cm between bushes.
- Supports (tubes, thick rods or branches) are placed at intervals between the rows. The wire is pulled in 3 rows. The first line is 50 cm from the ground, the rest are 80 cm and 1 m.
- Strong branches (up to 5 pieces) are tied to the finished lines, maintaining an interval of 20–25 cm.
- Annual pruning comes down to removing 1/3 of the tips of last year's shoots (less often, half). Leave 4-5 seasonal shoots, not allowing them to thicken.
- As they age, the bush is rejuvenated.
Did you know? These bushes used to be called simply kryzhas or bersenias. In some regions such names can still be heard.
Standard
In a nutshell, this is a method of turning a berry plant into a tree. The work is also quite labor-intensive, but it’s worth it: the bushes look more elegant, harvesting is more convenient, and maintenance is easier - you don’t have to deal with thorns every time.
The scheme for such cultivation looks like this:
- The most powerful vertical shoot from the bush is selected, which will be the “trunk”.
- Select a standard of the required height. Usually this is 1 m. It is to this level that all the lower branches on the trunk are cut. Some wrap it with a meter-long piece of film or insert a tube that does not allow light to pass through - this will eliminate the need for trimming at the base.
- The plant is immediately tied to a peg.
- In subsequent years, 4–5 strong “seasonal” branches are left, while cutting last year’s branches by half. Sick, horizontal, broken or old (7 years or more) are removed. The same applies to the shoots that appear at the base.
We already know about the advantages of this method, but it also has disadvantages. The first is the age of such a “tree”: they select one shoot, but it ages, and 12 years for a standard shrub is the limit. Let's add here and possible problems during wintering - only frost-resistant ones are suitable. Well, the labor costs are a little higher: you will have to “adjust” the pegs and stands several times a season.
You saw how to work with gooseberries so that they please the eye and give big harvests. Now pruning does not represent any secret for our readers. Good luck at the dacha!
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Strong thickening of the bush in any case negatively affects the harvest, because gooseberries are a light-loving crop. In addition, an excess of shoots leads to a lack of nutrition for the plant; as a result, the gooseberry weakens, and its tissues are easily affected by diseases.
How to prune gooseberries so that the bush forms correctly
The peculiarity of gooseberries is that every season it produces a huge number of new shoots. Collecting fruits while wading through dense thickets strewn with thorns is not the most pleasant experience. Annual pruning of gooseberries in the fall greatly simplifies the task, allowing you to remove most of the thorny shoots, but this does not mean that pruning is not needed.
If you want to harvest a good harvest of large delicious berries from shrubs in your garden, you have to learn how to properly prune gooseberries during the season and shape its crown. It won’t take much time, but you will be able to achieve high productivity of shrubs and protect them.
Thanks to strong pruning, new side shoots will begin to appear at the base.
The first pruning of gooseberry branches should be done before planting. After shortening the shoots, no more than four buds should remain on them. Do not spare the bush - thanks to strong pruning, new side shoots will begin to appear at the base, the gooseberry will form faster and better.
Video about pruning gooseberries
In the future, your main task will be to monitor the growth (this is what the growing ends of branches with light bark are called): if the growth formed over the summer is small (about 7 cm), then the branch is weak and needs to be shortened further to the first branch with good growth. Branches with too thin ends should also be shortened, since fruits will not appear on them, and the apical buds will draw nutrients onto themselves. Before the first strong branching, prune those branches on which there are no fruits; remove old, non-fruiting branches 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 pruning the gooseberry, find the strongest bud located on the outside of the branch. It is above it, 10 mm higher, that the cut must be made, then the shoot from the bud will grow not deeper into the bush, contributing to its thickening, but outward.
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 gooseberries are pruned, the video will allow you to better imagine this process.
What is the time frame for pruning gooseberries?
Like many others garden shrubs, gooseberries should be pruned before sap flow begins and the buds bloom. Otherwise, pruning the 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 up, 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 out all the old, unnecessary branches to the ground, and in the spring all that remains is to form the fruit-bearing branches.
Slices large diameter treat with garden varnish
You can begin removing unnecessary branches after harvesting the fruits or after the leaves have fallen. You must have time to complete sanitary pruning before the onset of cold weather. Just do not carry out shortening pruning in early autumn (discussed above), otherwise you will provoke the appearance of new growths that will not have time to become woody before frost and will simply dry out. That is, the young shoots will die!
How to prune gooseberries in autumn:
- examine 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 out at once - no more than a third of the branches are allowed to be removed in one year.
In late autumn, when the gooseberry goes into dormancy, you can thin out the bush by cutting off competing branches, as well as those that grow too low or too far away. Treat large diameter sections with garden varnish. How gooseberries are pruned in the fall, the video in the tab will allow you to better understand.
Video about correct pruning gooseberries
By doing the bulk of the gooseberry pruning work in the autumn months, you will save yourself most of the hassle in the spring. With the arrival of spring, you will only need to remove frozen branches, trim the weakened tips of the shoots to healthy tissue and remove the root shoots.
U experienced gardener There will never be any doubt: do you need to prune gooseberries? If you leave the bush to its own devices, allowing it to grow as it pleases, as a result of severe thickening, the gooseberry will weaken, wither and stop producing crops, or even die.