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Is it possible to shorten gooseberry branches. Pruning gooseberries in spring. Preventive treatment of gooseberries after fruit picking

Gooseberries are quite common on household plots and in gardens. However, not always their owners can boast of having a large number of tasty and healthy berries. The reason for the lack of a good harvest lies in the improper care of the shrub, or even in its complete absence. The bushes turn into completely impenetrable thorny thickets, from which not everyone dares to collect a tasty delicacy.

Why gooseberries need pruning

Pruning is one of the main gooseberry care activities, which guarantees a healthy, well-formed and well-bearing bush.

There are few berries on a neglected gooseberry and they are small

There are several reasons why this procedure must be carried out:

1. Gooseberries are prone to growth, fresh shoots grow very quickly. Young shoots are actively developing and intertwining with each other. As a result of this, an accumulation of prickly branches impenetrable to light and air is formed. 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 waste the vital juices from healthy and strong shoots.
3. In a dense ball of branches, pollination of flowers is difficult, so little ovary is formed. Ridding the bush of extra branches and ensuring good ventilation of the crown make the pollination process more efficient and affordable.
4. With a large number of branches, the berries turn out to be small and sour, since there is not enough food for everyone and the sun does not penetrate into the bush. An overgrown bush bears fruit very weakly and then eventually ceases to bear fruit altogether.
5. Any shrub that has reached the age of 7–8 years needs to be rejuvenated, because there are already few fruits on old shoots. A full-fledged bush should have an approximately equal number of branches different ages. This will ensure a stable harvest over a long period of time. Aged and weakly fruiting branches must be removed in a timely manner so that young replacement shoots come to 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, since some branches simply cannot be reached.

Gooseberry bushes need to be pruned regularly

Even the most disease-resistant gooseberry cultivar will not survive abuse and can become sick if the canopy is allowed to grow too thick.

The gooseberry pruning procedure must be carried out on time, otherwise it will be much more difficult to do it later. The spines of this culture are very hard and sharp, simple fabric gloves do not help to avoid pricks and scratches. But if this happens, then you can protect your hands with thick suede gloves for welding work or rubber electrotechnical.

When to start pruning gooseberry bushes

Almost all shrubs are recommended to be cut only during the dormant period, that is, in late autumn or very early spring. The gooseberry is no exception. According to the vast majority of gardeners, spring pruning is preferable. 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.

It is best to prune gooseberries in early spring

The first decade of March is perfect time for pruning in most 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 be in time before the start of sap flow, before the opening of the kidneys and the appearance of young green leaves. 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 autumn. Otherwise, after untimely pruning, the bush will weaken and bear fruit poorly.

IN summer period they try not to prune gooseberries. In extreme cases, only damaged or broken branches are removed.

Gooseberry pruning can also be done in late autumn after leaf fall.

In the autumn, after the foliage has fallen and until frost, you can safely deal with the bush. Plants should not be pruned too early, as this may 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 entire bush. Pruning carried out in October or early November (in the southern regions) will not allow the gooseberry to grow new shoots and it will go to winter with well-ripened healthy branches. In the spring, immediately after waking up, the bushes will begin to actively develop and increase their green mass.

In the spring, you have to make your way to the gooseberry bushes through the still lying snow. The process is slightly facilitated by the fact that we have them growing near the path, which thaws earlier. As soon as the spring sun warms up, you need to immediately deal with pruning shrubs, otherwise you can be late. Gooseberry buds burst instantly. Yesterday the branches were bare, and today tender green leaves are already pushing on them.

Anti-aging pruning of gooseberries

Skeletal branches extending from the rhizome reach the peak of fruiting at the age of three to six years. Then the number of fruits gradually decreases and the ten-year-old shoot practically does not bear fruit. Therefore, after 6-7 after planting, the gooseberry needs to be rejuvenated, as the bush gradually begins to age. To prolong its full life, it is necessary to get rid of aged branches and replace them with new ones. It is impossible to immediately cut out all the old shoots, because the plant without branches will die.

Old unkempt bush turns into impassable thickets

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 the enhanced 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. For the next season (in a year), fresh zero shoots that have appeared are shortened by a quarter of the length. Then cut out the next third of the remaining old branches.
3. A year later, the rest of the 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 the shrub, 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 cut in many ways

There is another way of anti-aging pruning, which consists in removing absolutely all shoots. At the same time, stumps are left, about 10-15 cm high, from which fresh sprouts will come. 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 strongly that only stumps remain in the middle, and young shoots grow only around the central part. Our gooseberry bushes stopped really bearing fruit after about 15 years. They tried to rejuvenate, but it was too late. The shrub produced little fresh sprouts and there were very few berries. The extreme branches constantly fell to the ground and the landings began to take up too much space. I had to cut it out completely. But there were a few branches with roots that managed to take root, they were planted separately in another place.

Video: rejuvenating pruning of a neglected and old gooseberry bush in autumn

Sanitary pruning and proper shaping of gooseberries: tips for beginners

Needs to be done regularly sanitary pruning shrub, which consists in removing those affected by a fungal infection or damaged by pests, as well as dry, broken, weakened and lying on the ground shoots. Completely frozen branches are subject to cutting; with partial freezing, a bad area is cut off to living tissue. Crossing, rubbing against each other and twisted stems are also best removed so that they do not thicken the bush.

Sanitary pruning can be done at any time

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

Experienced gardeners form the gooseberry crown from the moment it is planted and do this throughout the life of the plant. This is the only way to achieve an annual bountiful harvest.

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

The technology for annual pruning of shrubs is as follows:

1. The first pruning is carried out before the seedling is placed in the ground. The bush is carefully examined and 3-4 of the strongest and correctly oriented shoots are selected, they are shortened to 4-5 buds. All the weaker, withered, diseased, twisted, lying on the ground or directed inside the bush, the stems are mercilessly 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 the plant's life), a second pruning is carried out. Of all the zero branches, which should already be several pieces, 5-6 are selected conveniently located and the most powerful. Stems that are weaker and not grown up to 20 cm must be removed so that they do not take away 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 their length to stimulate branching. Looking inside the bush, twisted and horizontal branches must be removed.
3. The following year, gooseberries begin to produce a crop. By this time, the bush should consist of 12-14 branches of different ages (from 1 to 3 years). Again, sanitary pruning is carried out with the removal of diseased, weak and strongly inclined stems to the soil. 3-4 strong basal processes are selected, the excess ones are cut out. All remaining shoots of the current year are shortened by about a third (by 12-15 cm).
4. In the fourth year, 3-4 strong shoots are again left from the root and the bush is freed from unnecessary, weak, diseased and twisted branches. The bush already has up to 20 shoots of different ages and is considered to be formed. The yield reaches its maximum point.
5. When the gooseberry reaches the age of five, the bush already consists of almost 30 stems. At this time, they begin to carry out light rejuvenation, in which the oldest branches are cut out (from 5 years old). They are distinguished by dark brown, almost black color of the bark. All other pruning actions are carried out according to the previous scheme.

Formative pruning of gooseberries has been carried out for several years

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

It is very important to make the right cut and not damage the fruit bud. The cut is carried out above the eye (5–6 mm higher) and at an angle of 45–50°. If you cut off the shoot above, then the kidney will not have enough nutrition and it will dry out. A higher cut is dangerous due to the drying up of 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 cut the branches correctly

Video: how to prune gooseberry bushes in early spring

Non-standard methods of pruning gooseberry bushes

Experienced gardeners use unusual and unusual ways to form a gooseberry crown.

tapestry

Tall varieties of gooseberries are sometimes grown on a trellis. With this method, all the shoots of the shrub are evenly distributed in the same plane.

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

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

1. Seedlings are planted in rows at a distance of 0.5–0.6 m from each other. Row spacing should be at least 1.5 m.
2. Simultaneously with the landing, a supporting trellis is installed. To do this, long vertical supports (poles made of metal or wood) about 1.8–2 m high are placed between the plants. Three rows of steel wire or polyethylene twine are pulled along the poles parallel to the ground with height intervals of about 0.5 m.
3. For each seedling, only 3-4 strong stems are selected, the tops are pinched, then fan-shaped with an interval of 20-25 cm and tied to the lowest line. Everything else is cut clean. By autumn, side shoots that run horizontally should grow.
4. The next spring, the lateral processes are fixed on the second line of the trellis. Zero shoots that have grown from the ground are removed. Annual pruning consists of shortening the tops of the last season's shoots by a third of the length. To avoid thickening of the bush, no more than 3-4 sprouts are left each time.
5. In a similar way, the bush is cut 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 have crawled out of the root collar to replace the aged ones.

The formation of gooseberries on a trellis is a rather time-consuming process.

The shrub located in the plane is evenly illuminated by the sun and is 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 even the most prickly varieties are much easier to care for, because each branch is in the zone of visibility and accessibility.

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

Video: gooseberry plantations on a trellis

Standard

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

Gooseberries on the trunk are formed as follows:

1. From a young seedling, only one shoot is selected, growing vertically upwards. It is he who in the future will be the trunk of the 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. Up to this level, throughout the life of the plant, all fresh growing shoots on the stem will need to be removed. The stems coming from the root are cut out 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 deepen the end by 10-15 cm into the ground at the very base.
3. The plant will not be able to stand upright on its own, 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, do not forget about sanitary pruning and cut out branches directed to the center of the bush or down, as well as broken, diseased and weak. The shoots coming from the rhizome, so that they do not take away nutrients from the main trunk, are immediately cut out.

To form a bole, a single vertical branch is left

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

The life expectancy of a standard gooseberry 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 formation on a stem.

Gooseberries on a stem are an adornment of any garden

Our neighbors have a standard bush growing on the site green gooseberry. It is an ornament in itself. The berries on it are the size of a medium-sized apple, but there are not very many of them. Such trees are grown not 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 care for it in any way, then on good harvest not to be counted. Competent pruning and shaping the crown of a shrub refers to mandatory procedures which will protect the plant from many diseases and harmful insects, and also guarantee a stable harvest over the next few years. Observing a number of simple rules, any novice and inexperienced gardener will cope with this work.

Pruning gooseberries in the fall is a necessary measure to maintain the health of the plant and its successful fertility. Growing, the light-loving shrub obscures itself, creating conditions for the spread of powdery mildew, its berries become smaller, and crop volumes decrease. Settled diseases spread to neighboring plants. Proper pruning gooseberries are not difficult, and 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 shrub. 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 and branches growing inside the bush. Particular attention must be removed from the lower part of the bush. All shoots that lie on the ground are subject to removal.

How to prune gooseberries?

Gooseberry is an excellent plant, the fruits of which are liked by both adults and children. Plus, today there are a huge number of different varieties. Thanks to this, each of us will find what he likes the most: sour, sweet, etc.

A feature of the gooseberry is that every season it gives a large number of new shoots, which greatly thicken the shrub and negatively affect the crop itself. In addition, a large number of shoots leads to the fact that the tissues of the plant weaken, and the gooseberry begins to hurt. It is because of this that gardeners recommend removing such thorns every year and properly shaping its crown.

How to prune gooseberries?

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 the kidney, the eye will dry out. And if the cut is made too high above the kidney, the part of the branch located above the eye will dry out.

It is also necessary to determine in advance where the branch from the kidney will grow - outside or inside the bush. The cut must be made over the kidney located with outer side branches. This will help avoid thickening and provide good illumination and ventilation of the bush.

When to prune gooseberries?

Autumn is considered the most optimal period for pruning a plant. And this is not surprising, since in the spring he begins to gain strength very quickly, as a result of which this procedure can weaken the gooseberry.

But keep in mind that pruning is necessary only after the entire crop has been harvested and the first frost has not yet come.

At the same time, it is necessary to remove mainly dried old branches, but new ones need to be cut in the spring in order to properly form a bush.

Pruning gooseberries after fruiting

It is no secret that over time, the gooseberry grows quite quickly, begins to shade itself, get sick more often and its fruiting worsens. Therefore, every year, extra branches must be cut off, as well as form a bush. And already starting from the age of 5-6, it is recommended to carry out anti-aging pruning, deleting the oldest (5-6 year old) branches.

Pruning gooseberries after fruiting and harvesting can be divided into two stages:

• Immediately after harvest(still in the summer) removed withered and diseased branches, i.e. carry out sanitary pruning.
• A rejuvenating and shaping pruning gooseberries have already been taken autumn, and preferably after the leaves fall, but before the onset of frost and stable negative temperatures.

Worth knowing! Basic pruning gooseberries are usually performed after fruiting (in autumn), and in the spring they do only corrective, or rather sanitary pruning after winter.

Of course, if you did not have the opportunity to prune gooseberries in the fall, then it is better to prune in the spring than not prune at all.

Rejuvenating and shaping pruning schemes gooseberry

Scheme of molding pruning of shrubs

Pruning gooseberries in autumn: scheme and steps

Gooseberries are very fond of giving a lot of young (“zero”) shoots during the season, which turn the bush into a “porcupine” by autumn. It is not easy to figure out how to approach such an animal. However, if you remember that 70% of the bush is "zero" shoots that we need to remove, everything falls into place.

• Our task: to lighten the bush. Gooseberries love light, and the more it is, the larger and tastier the berries will be. This item is critical if you have noticed powdery mildew on fruits 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 out of the ground, gooseberries often have a pronounced growth point, similar to root collar at the roses It is at this base that it is necessary to remove old (older than 5 years) shoots. Evaluate with a glance 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 growth, which weakens the bush. The older the gooseberry, the more shoots it will give. Whether to leave some of them to form a younger bush next to it or to remove it is up to you. Beginning gardeners in the process of pruning gooseberries in the fall, we recommend trying different variants on different bushes.
• Removing side shoots which intersect each other, have few buds, or are weakened, affected by diseases or pests.
• Trimming the green tops that won't survive the winter.
• At the end of the work, you should get a rather stubby bush, which will decrease in volume by 3 times. The main shoots should look up and be parallel to each other. Lateral branches do not intersect, they also look up or to the side. At the same time, they must be mature, strong, have enough buds from which new shoots and fruits will appear.

Pruning when growing gooseberries

• Gooseberries have a great regenerative ability of shoots. Every year, gooseberries grow new shoots. They thicken the bush, so it has to be systematically thinned out.
• When growing gooseberry bushes should always keep no more than 8 - 10 healthy and strong branches. This allows you to maintain good illumination of all parts of the crown.
• The plant does not tolerate shading, so the thickening of the crown greatly harms it. Every year, old, weak, fruit-bearing and awkwardly located branches are cut out. Poorly located and rubbing gooseberry shoots, some frozen, unripened and diseased tops of the branches are shortened to healthy wood.
• If the branches of the branches are affected by false powdery mildew, they are burned after trimming, and the tools are disinfected.
• The long branches of the gooseberry bush are cut to 3 - 4 buds above the ground, stunted - up to 1 - 2 buds. When the branches grow in the 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.
• The following year, the bush is supplemented with another 3 - 5 strong branches in the same way. 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, sanitary pruning of the bush is performed. Old, dried, broken, diseased and fallen branches are cut out and removed from the crown with a sharp pruner. Then they proceed to the formation of the rest of the bush, choosing 8 - 10 well-developed and well-located branches. They will form the basis of the crown of a new bush, all other branches are cut out at the base of the bush at soil level.

Gooseberry pruning should be done annually.

As you can see, pruning gooseberries is easy. Here you do not need to spend a lot of time and effort, but do not forget that this procedure must be carried out correctly in compliance with the necessary rules.

Video: How to cut gooseberries

Gooseberries are among those popular shrubs that can be found in almost any garden plot. This unpretentious culture does not require complex care, it is enough just to form a bush correctly and trim it in a timely manner.

Why and how to cut gooseberries

Cropping is affordable and effective way caring for many trees and shrubs, with which you can solve a large number of problems - from low yields to crown formation for decorative purposes. For gooseberries, given the peculiarities of its structure, regular pruning is necessary condition proper development and maintenance of life. Do not neglect this event if you want to grow a healthy, viable plant and get a quality crop.

With proper care from one gooseberry bush you can get up to 20 kg of berries

Reasons for pruning

The reasons why gardeners resort to pruning gooseberries may be as follows:

• Landing rejuvenation. A gooseberry bush that has reached the age of 8 years is considered old. To prolong its life and maintain fruiting, gardeners often resort to anti-aging pruning. The fact is that the root system of the bush and its aerial parts are in a proportional relationship. Removing a part of the shoots or shortening them stimulates a strong flow of energy from the roots to the branches, which, in turn, form new stems that have a dense leafy cover and are capable of abundant flowering.
• Yield increase. Gooseberries are distinguished by their ability to form a large number of new shoots in a relatively a short time. If they are not thinned out, the crown will become too dense, which will negatively affect pollination and fruit set. Getting rid of gooseberries from extra branches and creating a well-ventilated crown will make pollination more accessible and efficient.
• Preventive measures. Gooseberry like others horticultural crops, is susceptible to various diseases, the cause of many of which is excessive thickening of the bush (especially for fungal diseases). Pruning will provide all shoots with good ventilation, sufficient sunlight, and will help to avoid or reduce contact of healthy branches with diseased ones.
• Crown formation. Pruning for this purpose is carried out in several stages and is a necessary measure to ensure the favorable development of the shrub.
  

Basic Toolkit

To prune gooseberries, you will need a pruner and a pruner. Work is best done in cotton work gloves to protect yourself from spikes or accidentally cut yourself on the tool.

Try to use tools that meet the following requirements:

1. Quality and strength. The tool must not break when applying great force (for example, when cutting thick branches).
2. Quality sharpening. The blade of the tool must be sharp and not have nicks or other imperfections.
3. Light weight. It is much more convenient to work with such a tool than with a heavy one. This will allow you to perform a large amount of work and save energy.
4. Comfortable handle. In addition to a suitable shape, the handle should also have special rubberized inserts, thanks to which the hands will not slip.

If possible, try to get a red or orange color- it will be clearly visible on the ground and will not get lost in the green thickets.

Gooseberry Pruning Secrets

For your gooseberry to develop the best way, you must first properly form a shrub (familiarity with its structure will help to do this), and then regularly carry out actions aimed at maintaining this form.

Bush structure

The gooseberry forms a perennial bush, reaching a height of 1.5 m. A crown of approximately the same diameter is formed from branches of different ages and basal shoots. The latter grow from those stem buds that are located at the base of the bush. The root collar is the part of the trunk that is sunk into the soil. As a rule, it has a length of about 30 cm and a diameter of about 5 cm.

By autumn, the basal green shoots will be covered with bark and become full-fledged branches.

In the first year of life, basal shoots are characterized by intensive growth, by the middle of summer they change their green color to reddish or brown. By autumn, young stems will become woody, and in the second year of life, shoots will appear on them. This is how the branches that form the basis of the shrub are formed. An increase is formed on them every year, reaching a length of 8 to 30 cm. Over the summer, it will acquire bark, become lignified and become full branch second order. New shoots will also appear on it, which will later turn into third-order stems, etc.

As a rule, branches of the first, second and third order are distinguished by the greatest fruiting, since they are the most developed and strong. Thanks to regular pruning, it is possible to ensure the constant renewal of such shoots, which means maintaining their vitality and productivity.

When pruning gooseberries, it is necessary to try to completely remove low-yielding branches of the 4th and 5th order in order to stimulate the development of productive branches of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd order

Keep in mind that due to special structure The gooseberry root system forms a horizontal (basal) growth, which also needs to be removed regularly.

Bush formation

The amount of work on the formation of the crown depends on the age of the bushes.

First year

You need to start pruning from the moment the gooseberry seedling is planted in the ground. In this case, no damage can be done to the fruit bud, so make cuts at an angle of 50 about 5 mm above it.

1. Inspect the seedling and cut off any weak and damaged stems.
2. Tame the remaining shoots to the third or fourth bud (you need to count from the soil level).

Do not be afraid to carry out the pruning procedure on a young seedling: one of the features of the gooseberry is fast growth new shoots. Over the summer, your shrub will not only get stronger and form root system, but will also reacquire big amount stems.

Second year

By the beginning of autumn, your shrub should have about 3 biennial branches and the same number of annuals. To do this, trim as follows:

1. Choose no more than seven of the most viable and well-placed shoots growing from the ground (basal necks), and try to cut them so that they reach a height of about 30 cm.
2. Cut the remaining branches so that their length does not exceed 20 cm.
3. Remove horizontal shoots and shoots that did not reach 20 cm in length at the time of pruning, so that they do not draw on the nutrients necessary for the development of stronger branches.

Third year

In the third year after planting, the gooseberry should have about 12–18 branches of different ages, which form the basis of the shrub. To achieve this, take the following steps:

1. Again completely remove all horizontal growth, as well as unviable weak shoots.
2. Prune the remaining branches by 12-15 cm, counting from the top, especially if there is poor growth and slow development of the plant.

In the first year after planting, the branches are cut by about 1/2, in the second - by 1/3, in the third - the tops are shortened and horizontal shoots are cut.

Fourth and subsequent years

In the fourth year after planting, the gooseberry bush becomes an adult and begins to bring the maximum amount of the crop, so the formation procedure during this period should not be neglected. Pruning activities should include the timely removal of twisted and non-viable branches. It is also necessary to cut out young shoots, including those started from the root neck, in order to prevent the growth of horizontal shoots, because gooseberry branches should be raised above the ground.

The bush should consist of 15-20 stems of different ages. Branches older than 5 years should be removed, and 3–5 of the strongest shoots should be left from the root shoots.

An adult gooseberry bush should have 15–20 branches no older than 5 years

Remember to feed your plants after pruning. To do this, dig a trench about 30 cm deep and fertilize it, and then bury it.

1. Feed gooseberries in spring nitrogen fertilizers(dosage 50–70 g per bush).
2. In autumn, fertilize the near-bunch zone (it covers a distance of about half a meter in circumference from the bush) with peat chips or compost.

Anti-aging pruning

When the gooseberry reaches the age of 7-8 years, you will need to carry out anti-aging pruning of the shrub. In this case, you can remove a maximum of 1/3 of the branches.

1. Cut out old, twisted, weak, diseased shoots, leaving only the strongest and most developed basal stems.
2. On the remaining branches, check the top. If you find a defective one (for example, dried or broken), cut it off in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe first strong lateral process.

Timely removal of the dried or blackened top has a beneficial effect on the healthy part of the branch.

If your gooseberry is very old (for example, it is 10 years old or more), then anti-aging pruning will be more drastic. You will have to cut all the branches from the base, leaving only the 5 strongest and most developed. After such pruning, with proper and timely care, the shrub will quickly be covered with new shoots and gain strength. It is desirable to carry out rejuvenation in the spring, so that over the summer the shrub can get stronger and form fresh shoots.

The rejuvenation procedure for very old shrubs over 20 years old is usually not carried out.

Pruning a running bush

Sometimes gardeners abandon gooseberry care, for example, because of its great age, or simply do not pay attention to the shrub. This leads to a thickening of the berry, and hence to a decrease in its yield. In addition, such a plant is susceptible to various diseases and can easily infect other crops. Pruning will help prevent this situation.

Keep in mind that it will take two to four years for a full restoration of neglected shrubs.

1. First, thin out the bush. To do this, cut to the ground all the old blackened branches, as well as broken, curved shoots and horizontal shoots.
2. Of the vertical shoots, leave the 5 most viable ones. From fruitful branches, cut off the dried tops to the first strong side branch.
3. In the future, regularly prune your gooseberries according to the general rules to maintain the shape of the crown and prevent the bush from re-thickening.

Seasonal pruning

Pruning is carried out twice a year - in the spring and autumn periods. It is impossible to carry out the procedure in the summer, because the gooseberry quickly forms a large number of new branches, so the event will be useless.

spring

Spring pruning of gooseberries is carried out even before the buds bloom on the shrub. Gooseberries wake up very early - as a rule, already in the second half of March, buds begin to swell on it, and in late March - early April, the first leaves appear. If you want to prune in the spring, then it is important to have time to do this before the start of sap flow in the trunk - if possible in the first decade of March. It is not recommended to injure shoots with blossoming leaves - this will significantly weaken the plant, which means reducing its yield.

1. Remove old branches (usually they are almost black) and horizontal growth.
2. Thin out the bush: cut off unviable and defective (twisted, broken) stems. Well clean the center of the shrub from young weak shoots and barren vigorous branches.
3. Cover large cuts. For this purpose, use a garden var.

Video: spring pruning gooseberries

autumn

If you do not have the opportunity to prune gooseberries in the spring, then you can do it in the fall. Short pruning in early autumn is not recommended: this may affect the growth of new shoots that will not have time to lignify before the onset of cold weather and die. That's why autumn pruning is carried out in the period starting after the harvest and fall of the leaves and continuing until the onset of cold weather.

1. Inspect the bush and completely remove all blackened shoots.
2. Thin out shrubs: eliminate unviable and defective branches (twisted, diseased, broken), as well as inconveniently located (for example, strongly protruding from a common bush or hanging low above the ground). Try to clean the middle of the shrub as much as possible to get rid of newly formed shoots and low-yielding vigorous branches.
3. Be sure to use a garden var to cover the places of large cuts.

Remember that the maximum number of cut branches should not exceed 1/3 of their total number.

Video: autumn gooseberry pruning

Pruning gooseberries does not pose any difficulties and even a novice gardener can handle it. The main thing is to carefully and timely follow all the recommendations for holding this event, and the shrub will respond to this with health and a bountiful harvest.

After planting gooseberries, many do not think about regular pruning of the bush. It grows calmly and let it grow - if only it gives berries. This simple consumer tactic is based on the desire to get rid of extra hassle and focus on more meaningful things. But there are no unimportant things in the garden, and any plant requires careful care. A experienced gardeners will only confirm the benefits of periodic pruning. About how to properly prune gooseberries so that the bush is healthy and gives excellent harvest, we will tell you in this article.

Why do you need to remove branches and shoots?

Gooseberry pruning is not just a necessary, but a necessary event, because this plant, without supervision, can grow and thicken its crown, making it difficult to access sun rays and air to the center of the berry. Hence the various diseases, and suddenly appeared pests. But even if you have 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 one more important point, and it concerns the process of harvesting. Most varieties of gooseberries have shoots richly studded with thorns. And no pruning berry bush inside looks cooler than any barbed wire. Obviously, in this situation, picking berries is not very pleasant. And when scratches appear on the hands (and they will definitely appear, no garden gloves will save you from this), the owner of the site will involuntarily have to think about how to prune the gooseberries.

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

So, if you are one of those who have scratches from thorns, or simply understand the importance of pruning for gooseberries, we will try to talk about this aspect of shrub care in as much detail as possible.

Pruning before planting

Yes, gooseberries begin to be pruned even before they are 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, the gooseberry will make up for what was lost and will soon please you with an excellent harvest.

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

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

In spring or autumn - when is it better?

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

Table "Features of spring and autumn pruning"

Trimming type	spring pruning	autumn pruning
Best time	Early spring After the snow melts When does sap flow begin?	After the leaves fall
Goals	crown formation Getting rid of old and damaged shoots Bush rejuvenation	Cleansing and rejuvenation of the bush Preparing the bush for winter Improving the quality and quantity of the crop
Advantages	Preparing the basis for the formation of shrubs Stimulus for the formation of new shoots Ensuring access fresh air and sun rays to the center of the bush	It is easier for a gardener to find out where the berries grew, what growth was on the shoots Careful appearance bush Pledge to increase the yield

Most gardeners agree that the main burden still falls 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 have time to carry out spring pruning, autumn pruning will be a good help, but here you need to remember important rule- August and September best months for this event, as the shoots grown 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 in the fall it is recommended to prune the gooseberries after the leaves fall - he will not have time to grow new shoots and will go to winter with the existing ones, and in the spring after waking up he will begin to actively build up new ones to replace the lost ones.

spring procedure

Spring pruning is a big load, so we approach it with special care. As soon as the snow melted and the sun warmed up, the buds on the shoots of the bush had not yet swelled, and we were already catching time for our operation. Actions will depend on the age of the gooseberry.

If this is a seedling, then we leave three or four buds on strong shoots, and two on weak shoots. From those buds that remain, side shoots and root 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 a gooseberry growing for the second year, berries will form on the shoots of the second row of branching (they grow in the second year after planting). Weak basal shoots are removed and 3-4 strong and developed ones are left - this is done to strengthen the new branching. By the end of the season, three annual 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 shrub. From this point on, all young shoots are disposed of.

The scheme of pruning gooseberries in the spring for the second year

When the base and crown of the bush are formed, it will be necessary to carry out shaping pruning every year. All branches thickening the bush are removed. Broken, as well as frozen branches in winter, are cut to the first healthy bud or entirely. If the shoots are very long and the tips are drooping, they need to be shortened to the first strong branch.

To successfully and competently cut gooseberries, you will need a well-sharpened and disinfected secateurs and powerful gardening gloves that will save you from an unpleasant encounter with thorns. Again, most gloves provide little or no protection against thorn collisions, so you need to find the strongest and strongest gloves for pruning.

An old gooseberry or gooseberry that has been left unattended and cared for for several years needs a slightly different approach. It has several weakened shoots and, at the same time, developed basal shoots. Usually, such a bush leaves basal shoots and strong branches. 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 much benefit and even weaken the plant (on bushes older than seven years). It turns out that competent spring pruning of gooseberries helps to form a crown and gives an incentive for the growth of berry shoots.

A bush over the age of eight years needs radical pruning. All weak shoots are removed from him, leaving 4–5 of the strongest skeletal shoots. After such pruning, the gooseberry begins a new formation.

With radical pruning, leave at least a third of the shoots so as not to cause irreparable damage to the shrub. Too many cut branches can greatly weaken the gooseberry, and then during the season it will fight for survival, not for the harvest.

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 the shoots came out and in which direction they stretch. The whole picture becomes completely clear. It is for this that autumn pruning is so valued. Nevertheless, it is better for her to play the role of a cleansing and preparatory procedure - no radical changes should 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 both 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 lives for seven or more years. They need to be cut at the root. The same fate will befall the shoots that did not bear fruit last season.

The lateral branches are cut to a quarter, the cut point is a centimeter above the bud, looking outward. Shoots with thin ends are cut to the first large bud. Growing crosswise or in the wrong direction are cut to the point where they will no longer interfere with others. Branches with poor annual growth (up to 7 cm) are shortened to a strong growth.

As a result, many sections will be obtained, among which there will be large ones - they should be covered with garden pitch. After the pruning procedure, 4–5 strong shoots may remain on the bush - this is quite a 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.

Autumn pruning of gooseberries is often called rejuvenating.

Video: how to prune in the fall

Important nuances

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

multi-stemmed gooseberry

Gooseberries can be grown as a multi-stemmed shrub. 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 give an excellent harvest for several seasons in a row.

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

By autumn, the gooseberry is building up basal shoots, from which 4-5 of the strongest shoots are selected in the fall, the rest are removed. The selected shoots are halved, and the following year, second-order shoots from lateral buds appear on them, and in addition, basal shoots grow. In autumn, the best 4-5 shoots are left from this shoot, which are on different sides bush, the rest are cut out.

In the third year, the procedure is repeated, again leaving 4–5 of the tallest and strongest of the root 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 point on, all new shoots must be removed, and with them the sick, damaged and lying on the ground.

Since at the age of 7–8 years the gooseberry begins to age and lose in productivity, some of its obsolete branches should be replaced with young ones formed by shoots.

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

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

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

Standard gooseberry

How to cut a multi-stemmed gooseberry bush, we have already figured it out. What to do with his standard form? Although it is rarely found in our areas, it nevertheless raises questions about care, including pruning.

The standard gooseberry is cut in the fall, therefore, we are waiting for the time when all the leaves have fallen, and we proceed. Of all the shoots, we choose one - the strongest and largest - leave it, and cut the rest to the ground. In the spring, we shorten this shoot a little - this will encourage the plant to grow second-order shoots. By next fall, we will have plenty to choose from. You will need to leave the four most conveniently growing ones in the upper part of the main shoot, cut out all the rest to the base. In the spring, we will halve these branches so that the extreme kidney is turned upwards.

Scheme of pruning stem gooseberries for two growing seasons

After that, 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, we cut off all the rest. And now we have eight new shoots. Next spring, of course, they will also need to be halved, and in the fall, new shoots should be shortened by 10 cm, without touching the continuation shoot.

Now every spring we will shorten the continuation shoot by half, and in the fall cut new shoots to 10 cm. And again after that in the 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 a little above the soil level. Over the summer, new branches manage to grow, from which 3-5 best ones are selected, the rest are removed.

Gooseberries growing on a trellis receive more sunlight and ripen well, acquiring their best taste

In autumn, the left shoots are tied to a wire, and in the spring they are shortened a little. The next autumn, these same branches are tied to a second wire and not shortened in the spring. Everything that grows from the root collar is removed every year. After 6–7 years, rejuvenating pruning will be required - old shoots are replaced with annual ones.

Gooseberries grown on a trellis due to pruning do not thicken the crown and are well blown by the wind

Bush division

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

Gooseberries are dug up and divided into several parts with a saw or pruner. Each part must have roots, shoots and buds in good condition. Young bushes are planted on a bed with loose fertile soil, where they grow during the season until required state. During planting, a distance of 40 cm is maintained between rooted cuttings. They are looked after and watered as needed, and in the fall they are moved to a permanent place.

Use the following tips while pruning to avoid making common mistakes and ruining all your hard work:

• Do not prune gooseberries in summer: by winter, new shoots will not have time to get stronger and freeze. All summer pruning comes down to the removal of the apical buds in early July, so that nutrients do not enter the very tops.
• In fruiting branches, one-year growths should not be removed. They are inspected in the spring and blackened and dried out are removed. The black color of the shoot is a sign of its defeat by powdery mildew. If before winter it is not covered with a light dense bark, then it will die.
• If the bush is more than 20 years old, it can be left on the site only as decorative ornament, such a plant will not bear fruit.
• Even if all the branches of the gooseberry have ceased to bear fruit, a third of the shoots are left during major pruning.
• Branches that are too low or far from the main bush can be cut out without hesitation.

Timely periodic 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 for cutting off the extra, in your opinion, branches, remember that the gooseberry has an excellent rate of building new shoots even in old age. This means that everything that you cut will be doubled or even tripled during the season.

Pruning is an essential part of caring for berry bushes. In particular, the manipulation is shown to the gooseberry, which very quickly forms a new shoot. In a short time, the crown becomes so dense that it is simply impossible to get inside through thickets of thorny undergrowth. In addition, fruit-bearing branches receive little light and nutrients which greatly reduces the yield. How and when to prune a shrub in spring to maintain its fertility?

Advantages and disadvantages of pruning gooseberries in the spring. When is the best time to cut?

During the season, the gooseberry forms 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 shoots, you can give the plant a decorative look.

In addition, spring pruning of gooseberries has a number of other advantages.

• A well-groomed bush is well lit and ventilated, which reduces 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.
• Due to sufficient lighting and the presence of macro- and microelements, young shoots do not stretch.

Main disadvantage 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 failed 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 better to prune the berry - in spring or autumn, relying on the climate of the region and their own schedule.

When to prune in the spring, in what month, timing

Gooseberries are one of the very first plants that wakes up after winter. In most regions, in late March-early April, the bush already produces the first leaves. Therefore, pruning is best done immediately after the snow has completely melted and the ground has dried out a little.

Based on these conditions, the optimal time for pruning gooseberries in the spring falls at the beginning of March. Considering the weather conditions of the growing region, more than exact dates to be determined by the gardener himself.

Important! It is highly undesirable to prune gooseberries after the buds open. A late manipulation will greatly weaken the plant. If it was not possible to prune within the recommended time, it is transferred to the fall.

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 hurt and bear fruit poorly.

In order for pruning to be useful for the plant, and not destructive, during work it is worth adhering to the following recommendations and rules:

• Gooseberry pruning is carried out in early spring, before the buds open.
• The cut should be 1 cm above the kidney, directed outward. If you cut the branches above the bud directed inward, the growth will grow out of it, unsuitable for further growth.
• During pruning, you need to remove all weak and incorrectly growing branches. Extra shoots will only take away from the bush the forces that it can direct to the setting and formation of fruits. In addition, due to such gentle pruning, the density of the crown increases, which is why the gooseberry is often affected by the 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 ceased to bear fruit are cut back to the place from which they began to grow. Lateral 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 per season should not exceed 1/3 of the total number of branches. If you remove all unnecessary branches in one go, the gooseberry will hurt for a long time and, most likely, will die.
• To remove thin branches, use a sharp pruner, and thick ones - a delimber.
• If the tip of the shoot is too thin, it is shortened to a large bud.

Video: gooseberry pruning rules in spring

Features of pruning gooseberries by year in spring

Depending on the age of the plant, the gooseberry pruning scheme also changes. This is due to the fact that when a certain age is reached, it is necessary to replace the branches. In general, pruning throughout the life of a bush looks like this:

• 1st year. The strongest branches are shortened by 3-4 buds, the weaker ones by 2. Cut off the damaged branches. In autumn, 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 growing in a horizontal direction are also subject to pruning. To improve branching, skeletal branches are shortened at a height of 30 cm.
• 3-4 year. During the period of active growth, all dried or damaged branches, as well as branches that have fallen heavily, are removed from the crown. With poor growth or slight branching, the length of the main branches is set to 15 cm. Toward the end of the year, the gooseberry crown should consist of 12-18 branches. On the 4th year after planting, young shoots are cut out, growing in the area or extending directly from the root collar.

• 5 years or more. At the peak of productivity, 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 the old bush, only 5 powerful young branches are left, and all the rest are cut off. It is better to stretch such anti-aging pruning several times, so the plant recovers faster from the damage.

You can bring a very neglected gooseberry bush back to life by radical pruning - all shoots are cut at a height of 15 cm from the ground. Thanks to this action, the bush begins to form new shoots.

Worth knowing! It is pointless to rejuvenate heavily neglected bushes older than 20 years.

Video: spring work pruning for fruitful gooseberries

Step-by-step instructions and a diagram of the classic gooseberry pruning in spring

Most gardeners prefer to grow gooseberries in bush form. The formation of a plant in a well-groomed bush is carried out as follows:

• 1st year. The shoots formed during the previous season are cut to the level of 4-5 buds. In the crown, 3-4 healthy zero branches are selected. Shoots whose growth is directed along the horizon or to the center of the crown are cut off. Poorly developed and diseased branches also fall under removal.
• 2nd year. Last year's shoots are shortened by a third, and then 3-4 zero ones 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 in the 3rd year is 12, in the 4th year - 16.
• 5th year. The number of zero shoots is adjusted to 20, and then, in order to rejuvenate, several old branches are replaced with young ones. You can distinguish old branches from young ones by the color of the bark: such branches are the darkest.

Non-standard methods of pruning (shaping) a gooseberry bush: trellis and standard

During the annual pruning, many gardeners do not know that during the formation of the gooseberry, you can give the appearance of a trunk. In addition, a strongly growing shrub, akin to grapes, is laid on a trellis.

Standard pruning of gooseberries means giving the bush the shape of a tree.

The formation of gooseberries in a trunk is carried out as follows:

1. From the crown, choose the most powerful branch growing in the vertical direction.
2. Excess branches, as well as branches grown on the trunk, are cut off. In most cases, the stem length is 1 m.
3. Side shoots growing throughout the season are removed.
4. To prevent the trunk from bending, it is tied to a metal support.

In subsequent years, gooseberries are pruned as follows:

1. 5 powerful branches are left, and last year's ones are shortened by half.
2. Remove branches that grow downwards or into the bush.
3. The growth that has grown around the stem is cut off, and in order to prevent its formation, trunk circle plants are mulched with shredded bark.

The disadvantage of forming a gooseberry in a trunk is that the plant is less frost-resistant than when grown in a bush form. Since the main shoot ages quickly, the average life expectancy of a stem culture is 10-12 years. Therefore, a gardener practicing this type of plant cultivation needs to take care of replacing aging bushes in advance.

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 step between the bushes in 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:

1. Choose 3-5 powerful branches, shorten them a little and tie them to the wire, and cut the rest.
2. When laid on a trellis, the bush should resemble a fan, so the branches located in the center of the crown are shortened more than horizontally directed ones.
3. To reduce the density, cut off zero shoots.
4. Starting from the 6th year, the plant is rejuvenated, during which the old branches are replaced by young ones.

Shrubs growing on a trellis are well lit and ventilated, as a result of which they bear fruit better. In addition, due to the vertical arrangement, it is very convenient to collect fruits.

Care after spring pruning

In order for the bush to recover faster, cleaned large sections are covered with garden pitch or a mixture based on mullein. You can prepare putty at home according to the following recipe.

• Paraffin, rosin in a ratio of 6: 3 are placed in a saucepan. After the mixture boils, add 2 parts vegetable oil. The mass is boiled for half an hour, and then cooled. A var is also prepared from paraffin, rosin and drying oil (1: 1: 1).
• 1 part of mullein and 2 parts of clay are poured into a container and mixed until a homogeneous consistency.

According to gardeners, wounds treated with such substances do not rot and heal quickly.

Popular mistakes when pruning gooseberries in the spring

Beginning gardeners due to lack of experience make a lot of mistakes. In order for pruning to be successful, it is better to familiarize yourself with common misconceptions than to correct their consequences in the future.

Some of the most common mistakes beginners make when pruning gooseberries in the spring include the following:

• cut one-year strong growths;
• unnecessarily cut the shrub during rejuvenation;
• cut off a lot of young branches, instead of cutting off old branches that have served;
• make incisions over the kidney directed inside the bush.

Spring pruning of gooseberries is aimed not so much at improving decorativeness as 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: gooseberry pruning in spring

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