Negus pruning after harvest. Proper pruning of gooseberries is the basis of a healthy plant. Differences depending on age

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One of the most important procedures for caring for gooseberries is pruning the bush in the summer, after harvesting. This event has a number of beneficial effects on the growth, quantity and quality of the future harvest. Pruning has a number of nuances: timing, methods and schemes, which we will discuss further.

Pruning berry bushes.

Trimming functions

Gooseberries, like any berry bush, are characterized by rapid and chaotic growth; gradually the bush begins to create shadow for itself, and this negatively affects fruiting and productivity. Therefore, regular pruning is a mandatory procedure. The benefits of autumn pruning are difficult to overestimate - for example, it has a number of important functions:

  1. As a result of a properly formed crown, all branches of the plant receive enough air and sunlight.
  2. The risk of pests and diseases is reduced.
  3. The growth rate is maintained at the required level.
  4. The reproductive period of the bush increases.
  5. The amount of harvest for the next season increases.
  6. The quality of berries improves.
  7. It makes caring for the plant easier - so, harvesting and caring for a neat bush is much more pleasant and easier than trying to do it with a chaotically overgrown bush.

Important! At the same time, pruning done incorrectly or at the wrong time can have a radically opposite effect: the bush will weaken, stop growing and stop bearing fruit. Therefore, it is extremely important to know when and how to remove old shoots.

Deadlines

Autumn pruning of shrubs is divided into two main stages:

  1. Sanitary pruning of gooseberries is carried out immediately after harvesting, that is, in the summer. At this stage, you need to cut off old, diseased and weak, damaged branches from the bush.
  2. Rejuvenating/formative pruning of gooseberries - carried out in the fall, or rather, after the leaves have fallen, but before the onset of frost, at a stable above-zero temperature.

Types of trimmings.

For example, for the middle zone, in particular the Moscow region, summer pruning occurs throughout August, and autumn pruning occurs at the end of October, beginning of November.

Advice: under no circumstances carry out anti-aging pruning in summer time- this will start the process of forming new shoots, but they will not have time to get stronger before the onset of frost, so they will die.

If formative autumn pruning was not carried out in the fall for some reason, it can be done in the spring. But you should definitely be in time before the beginning of the growing season and sap flow, which begin immediately after the snow melts and the first sunny days. Otherwise, the resources of the bush will be spent on branches, which will subsequently be cut off anyway. Simply put, the period suitable for spring pruning is very short and that is why experienced gardeners insist on autumn formative pruning.

Features of molding trim.

Rules and nuances of pruning

To make pruning thorny bushes as safe and effective as possible, it is worth acquiring a high-quality lopper - unlike conventional pruners, it has elongated handles that allow you to comfortably work with thorny shoots without getting hurt. It would also be a good idea to have thick gloves, for example, welding gloves.

Basic pruning tools.

Advice: take the time to sharpen your tools carefully. Firstly, it will make pruning easier and faster. Secondly, the cut will be more even and will heal faster.

Forming a bush using the standard method

Standard-shaped gooseberry bushes are now very popular, because they bring aesthetic pleasure no less than practical benefits and are often used as elements of landscape design.
Advantages of the standard growing method:

  • neat, aesthetic shape of the plant;
  • the easiest possible care due to high access to the bush;
  • uniform distribution of fruits throughout the bush, best quality(sweetness) of berries;
  • compactness of the bush, and accordingly, less space for each plant.

Pruning is a fundamental and most important procedure, which allows you to obtain a beautiful spherical crown shape, and therefore must be carried out.

The advantage is that pruning of standard plants is very easy and simple. In a two-year-old plant beautiful formation there must be at least 6 branches. The central shoot needs to be cut by 1/8, the remaining branches can be cut larger to give it a spherical shape. Anti-aging pruning traditionally begins from the 5-6th year of the bush’s life, but it is important to remove old branches gradually so that the symmetry and neat external shape are preserved.

In the photo below you can see the step-by-step process of forming a standard crown:

Pruning a standard bush.

If the bush is old and unkempt

If you are dealing with old and neglected gooseberry bushes, you can also try to bring them back to life and get a decent harvest from them thanks to proper pruning. It is better to carry it out in two steps: first, improve the health of the bush with sanitary pruning, and then carry out shaping.

It is worth being moderate in removing old branches - young shoots form on them, which produce the bulk of the harvest. The most fruitful are shoots aged 3-5 years. Therefore, by removing them, you will lose a significant part of the berries.

Pruning a neglected plant.

You can also try another, more radical method of rejuvenating an old bush, in which absolutely all shoots are cut down to the soil level. However, some gardeners still advise leaving up to 4 of the strongest young shoots. On next year(if the bush has been trimmed completely) you will get a lot of new branches, of which you should leave up to 5 of the highest quality ones correct location, and cut off the rest. Next, you should carry out the usual care procedures: water, mulch, and fertilize.

In the best case scenario, after properly carried out radical pruning, the harvest will be in the second year, but most often - in the third.

Related procedures

Pruning is very important, but far from the only procedure that should be done with bushes in the fall. It is also carried out:

  • cleaning the root zone from fallen leaves and old mulch - this will reduce the risk of pest proliferation and damage to the bush;
  • loosening the soil;
  • carrying out ;
  • watering;
  • spraying the bush against viral and bacterial diseases, harmful insects;
  • mulching with fresh mulch before winter.

Pruning gooseberries in the summer after harvest and in the fall, coupled with other procedures, will make the bush strong, healthy, and fertile. It is important to adhere to all recommendations on pruning methods and adhere to deadlines.

Video: proper pruning of gooseberries.

Pruning gooseberries is not a whim of perfectionist gardeners, but a most important procedure on which the quantity and quality of the harvest depends. Berries need as much light as possible for sweetness and growth. In a neglected berry garden, plants will only grow lush crowns, on the branches of which small and tasteless fruits will occasionally be found. How to put the bushes in order, is it possible to alternate autumn and spring pruning and with what frequency should they be carried out - you will find answers to these questions later in the article.

Do I need to prune gooseberries in the fall?

The need for regular haircuts for gooseberries is due to its light-loving nature and demanding care. Without proper conditions, the crop is at risk of developing common infections and becoming a victim of harmful insects.

Important! Gooseberries are very afraid of northern winds, harsh winters, nearby groundwater and shadows. Under such conditions, the plant is doomed to die..


Experienced gardeners It is recommended to carry out the first pruning of the bush before planting, and after rooting, annually form the crown and clean it of old and diseased shoots. It is important that all manipulations with the pruning shears are carried out in one season - in the fall. It is strictly forbidden to cut branches in October one year, and in March the next. Such actions will cause severe stress for the plant and may cause its death in winter.

Most land owners do not fully understand the main purpose of pruning. Therefore, due to wrong actions the bushes are deprived of fertile branches, and the harvest remains small and tasteless. Therefore, before you take up the pruning shears, you need to understand the key principles of haircuts.

Some of them are aimed at crown formation, while others are aimed at sanitary cleaning. In the first option, the emphasis should be on removing competing branches and heavily thickened segments, and in the second, on pruning frozen branches affected by fungi, viruses and insects.

Important! The key goal of pruning gooseberries is to create a neat crown for the further full development of the bush. Do not allow weakened lower branches to lie on the ground and take root - they will be the first to die in severe frost.

If all of the above procedures are done in a timely manner and in compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, then the berry grower will thank you for stable and generous fruiting for two decades. And you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the harvest.

When to start

Gooseberries are very sensitive to heat, so with the onset of spring, they adapt after winter sleep earlier than other berry crops. In March and April it is impossible to keep up with full pruning. By the time we traditionally take up garden tools

The best time for this is the second ten days of November, when the foliage has completely fallen off. But these are only approximate dates. When planning pruning, each gardener must take into account the climatic specifics of his region, weather, temperature conditions.

Ideally, pruning is done when the plant slows down the flow of sap. It is important to arrive at least a month before the start of frosty weather. After all, bushes need time to heal wounds and prepare for cold weather.

Important! It is strictly forbidden to remove shoots from gooseberries during the summer months. The fact is that during this period the crop is at the peak of its growing season. New shoots will not have time to get stronger by winter and will die at the first severe frost.


What do we need for work?

Experienced gardeners always have the necessary equipment at hand, but for beginners this is the first stumbling block. To understand all the details of preparing the necessary trimming kit, let’s look into the bins of professionals.

So, we will need:

  • protective gloves with a thick rubber base;
  • durable outerwear with long sleeves (so that the thorns do not scratch your hands);
  • garden pruner;
  • small saw (for old bushes with thick branches);
  • garden shears (preferably with long handles);
  • garden pitch (for puttingty of volumetric cuts);
  • paint or chalk (for marking cut points);
  • wheelbarrow (for collecting and removing cut branches);
  • if necessary, disinfectants (for treating plants damaged by bacteria, fungi or viruses).


Which shoots should be cut out?

Often, beginners in the process of pruning gooseberries make the same mistake: they radically cut off everything that seems unnecessary to them. As a result, such a bush adapts very painfully to new form. In the meantime, professionals advise sparing the plant. After shearing, at least 30% of the original biomass should remain on it. Otherwise it may die.

Did you know? Since ancient times, wild gooseberry thickets have covered the territory of modern Europe. The French were the first to notice the prickly and inconspicuous plant, and at the beginning of the 13th century they tried to cultivate it. Over time, the sour-sweet fruits of this crop also attracted the attention of the British. By that time, gardeners had already revealed the main secrets of obtaining large and sweet berries. The rest of the Europeans learned about gooseberries only in the 17th century..


To ensure that pruning benefits your berry garden, take into account the generally accepted rules for forming and cleaning the bush crown. The following are subject to removal:

  • branches directed inside the bush;
  • sprouts competing with each other (preference always goes to the strongest);
  • dry and blackened shoots after winter;
  • branches that are located too low or have bent and grown;
  • old shoots affected by diseases and pests.

Differences depending on age

For formative pruning special meaning has the age of the bush. You can identify it by its bark: in young specimens it is smooth and greenish, while in older specimens it is rough, thick and dark gray.

The first pruning should be carried out before the spring rooting of the seedling. For this purpose, remove the tops of all shoots so that no more than 4 buds remain from the root. Such radical measures will become the basis for the correct establishment of fruitful branches. In autumn there is no need for such manipulations. At this stage, the main task of the gardener is to eliminate dead branches. They are removed to the place where new shoots grow.

Did you know? In the 11th century, gooseberries were an integral part of all monastery gardens in Europe. Initially, its green berries were revered as soup seasonings, and ripe and sweet - as a dessert. Over time, the fruits began to be used for medicinal purposes.


Remove the tops of all gooseberry shoots

Inexperienced gardeners should be prepared for the fact that the berry garden will not produce the desired yields for the first 2-3 years. Despite this, it is important to provide the gooseberries proper care. The peak of its fruiting will occur in the 5-10th years of life, after which the decline will begin again. Therefore, it is important to give a timely impetus for the proper formation of a healthy bush. This is done as follows:

  • in the 1st year of life, in the fall, all weak and broken sprouts are cut off from the seedling; on strong and strong ones, the top is removed at the level of the 2-3rd bud;
  • in the 2nd year of life, 3 or 4 powerful trunks are selected in the bush, on which the crown will form (their tops also need to be shortened by a third), everything else is removed from the ground itself;
  • in the 3rd and 4th years of the plant’s life, it is important to check the presence of main shoots, of which there should be no more than four; zero shoots (as those that grow low to the ground are called) are cut off at the base, and a third of the length is removed from the entire remaining part of the bush branches;
  • in the 5th year of life, the gooseberry has already formed and does not require modeling cutting; at this stage of development and in the future, sanitary cleaning and control over the number of shoots are important for it.

Pruning gooseberries 1-3 years after planting

Important! Ideally, eight-year-old gooseberry bushes should have about 4-8 powerful main sprouts (the number depends on the variety) and about 25 branches of different ages .

All subsequent pruning is aimed at clearing the plant of non-fruit-bearing shoots. As a rule, these are specimens that are more than 7-8 years old. They are distinguished by their curvature and dark bark.

Pruning a bush for the purpose of rejuvenation

A rejuvenating haircut is indicated for bushes that have already passed the peak of their fruiting. These are plants that are more than 10 years old. Experienced gardeners say that you can force gooseberries to produce good harvest by stimulating the growth of new shoots. Thus, all branches from which the seedling once grew must be removed. But pruning should not completely destroy the bush. Replacement of young shoots occurs gradually. Do not rush to remove growths from fruiting branches. And also make sure that after the procedure about 50% of its crown remains on the bush.


Old gooseberries are always different big amount zero growth and a slight increase in promising branches. It is advisable to remove about a third of unnecessary sprouts during the season.

Please note that all efforts can only slightly increase the yield of such specimens. Therefore, weigh the pros and cons and make the right decision about planting a new seedling. After all, the difference between young people berry crops and rejuvenation will still be felt in the quantity and quality of the fruits.

Did you know? To this day, linguists cannot unravel the tangle of different names for gooseberries. For example, in English it sounds like “gooseberry” ( goose foot), in German - “stachelbeere” (Christ’s thorn), in Belarusian - agrest, which is consonant with the “unripe bunch” borrowed from the Italians. Many believe that the origin different names the plant has nothing in common with geese, or with Christ, or with green brushes. In fact, it's a layering different languages and dialects. Therefore, the initial point in this long etymological chain is considered to be the Dutch word “cruisbezie”.


What to do after pruning

During autumn pruning, berry bushes lose a lot of vegetation, which is extremely stressful for them. Therefore, proper shaping and cleaning of plants also involves further care.

The complex of restoration procedures includes:

  1. Treating large cuts with garden varnish - as an alternative for disinfection, you can cover exposed wounds with crushed activated carbon and urea solution (prepared in a ratio of 1:7).
  2. Feeding the plant with mineral-organic fertilizers - store-bought varieties labeled “autumn” are ideal. Complex substances can be replaced with a homemade mixture of 15 kg of humus, 200 g of superphosphate and 40 g of potassium.
  3. Generously watering the bush - the main task of the procedure is to prepare the gooseberries for wintering. For this purpose, it is recommended to pour about 2 buckets of water under each root. It must be well settled and not cold.
  4. A thorough inspection of the berry garden for the presence of pests or signs of disease - if necessary, the soil in the tree trunk circles will need to be treated with any fungicide (Infinito, Coronet, Teldor, Antrakol, Flint Star). Bordeaux mixture has proven itself very well as a prophylactic agent. It needs to be sprayed not only on the ground, but on the entire bush.
  5. Preparing for winter - special attention require young seedlings, but in regions with harsh winters All plants need to be insulated. This is done with peat or leaf compost. It is important that the mulch covers about half a meter of the tree trunk area.

Common mistakes made by newbies

In order for pruning of the berry garden to be successful, and for the young gardener to soon be able to reap the fruits of his labors with pleasure, we advise you to learn from the mistakes of others. Here is a list of the most common mistakes:

  1. Gross violation of pruning deadlines. We are talking about summer cutting of branches, as well as failures in time.
  2. Intuitive branch removal. This usually happens when a novice gardener, not understanding the intricacies of pruning, tries to clear the bush as much as possible of everything that seems unnecessary to him. As a result, promising branches may fall under the pruning shears, and the remaining weak ones are doomed to death in the first frost.
  3. Extensive removal of shoots. This is a fatal mistake, since in most cases it ends in the death of the bush.
  4. Cutting off one-year growths on fruiting shoots. With such pruning, the crown of the plant cannot develop further.
  5. Complete removal of the above-ground part of the bush during its rejuvenation.
That's all the secrets. Remember the main rules of proper pruning - and the berry garden will delight you with abundant and tasty fruits for a long time.

Important! When forming a bush, the variety of the crop matters, since some varieties of gooseberries tend to grow a crown in 2-3 years, while for others it will take twice as long. Therefore, you need to be careful when pruning root shoots. First of all, remove the weakest ones and those that create shadow inside the bush..

Video: pruning gooseberries in autumn

To renew gooseberries in the spring, it is necessary to remove the root shoots, thin out the branches to make it easier to remove the berries, and shorten all drooping branches. After such events, the gooseberries will bear fruit abundantly on last year’s unpruned growths. Once fruiting is over, these growths are removed to stimulate the formation of new shoots.

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Autumn pruning of gooseberries should be done after the leaves fall, when the harvest has already been harvested. The main rule when pruning branches is to take into account optimal place cut next to the fruit bud. This is approximately 5 mm above the kidney at a 45 degree angle. If the cut is made closer to the bud, it will dry out, and if it is too high above the bud, part of the branch will suffer. The second thing to consider: the position of the kidney. It should be such that the shoot that will grow from this bud is directed not inside the bush, but outside. This is the key to good lighting and ventilation of the bush.

First, all dry and diseased branches are removed. Dry dark-colored branches are old branches. They need to be removed. But if the gooseberry bush looks dry, then only 1/3 of these branches can be removed in a year. Ideally there should be about 10-15 skeletal branches. Then you need to cut off the branches lying on the ground. There is no need for them: they will not bear fruit. In addition, these “lying” branches do not develop fully due to the fact that little sunlight reaches them. They are weak and will inevitably get sick. Inspect the bush again and thin out its crown. It should be well ventilated.

After autumn pruning, be sure to mulch the bush.

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Many gardeners make a big mistake by pruning gooseberries in the fall in the same way as pruning black currants. These two shrubs are very similar in cultivation and care, and both require autumn pruning, but the principles of the procedure are noticeably different. So that you do not make mistakes, I will tell you about the features of autumn pruning gooseberries.


Why prune gooseberries?

Gooseberry- a fast-growing shrub that produces a huge increase in branches every year. By regularly pruning gooseberries, gardeners pursue a number of goals. The first of which is productivity. After all, we plant certain crops in our garden in order to obtain a high-quality harvest. Unremoved old shoots take away nutrition from young fruit bearings, the berries first become smaller and become less tasty, and then the bush stops bearing fruit altogether. The second goal is to obtain healthy plant. Dense bushes do not let sunlight in. The branches are sick, developing fungal diseases. If the bush is not removed, the disease will spread to neighboring plants. Another important goal is decorative planting. Old branches fall to the ground, where they give rise to a new root system. The shrub multiplies uncontrollably throughout the garden. In addition, an overgrown bush does not look very aesthetically pleasing. Well, the last goal is the convenience of harvesting. Gooseberries are a thorny plant; getting to the berries on overgrown and chaotically located branches is sometimes not so easy.


When to prune gooseberries?

The very first pruning of the gooseberry is done even before it is transplanted into open ground. But even then this procedure requires regularity. There are two opinions about when to prune gooseberries correctly: in the spring, before the buds swell, or in the fall, after harvesting and the leaves fall. I recommend carrying out the procedure in the fall. Because the plant is already entering the dormant stage, the movement of juices slows down. In spring, the bush wakes up early, and you will have only a few days to prune. If you are late, you risk losing the current year’s harvest and causing plant disease. In summer, you can prune gooseberries only in in case of emergency(remove the diseased branch), otherwise the cut branch will have time to produce a young shoot that will not survive the frost.


Trimming gooseberries, step-by-step instructions

Prepare sharpened pruning shears and gloves to protect your hands from injury. When the bushes grow, purchase pruning shears with long handles; they can be used to conveniently remove branches from the core of the bush. Before placing the seedling in the ground, carry out the first pruning of the gooseberry, removing old branches. Inspect annual shoots carefully, leave four buds on strong branches, two are enough on weak ones. Cut off the rest of the shoot. With proper pruning of the gooseberry, 5-6 young shoots will remain on the bush.


In the second year of life, shorten last year's shoots by a third or a quarter. Don't forget to remove diseased and broken branches. After three years of life, the branches will stop lengthening at a tremendous speed, and the bush will begin to grow in breadth, due to lateral shoots of the first and second order. At this stage, regularly remove old and diseased branches and shoots that produce small crops, cutting them to the first strong growth from the top. This is enough to keep the bush in shape.

Once the bush reaches 7-8 years of age, I recommend rejuvenating the bush to extend its overall lifespan. To do this, trim each shoot larger than usual, but do not forget that at least a third of the plant must be left. If you cut off the entire above-ground part of the bush, the plant will die.


To add originality, some gardeners form a small tree from a gooseberry bush, removing all root shoots, leaving only one strong “trunk” from the very beginning. The advantage of such a bush is decorativeness, ease of care, large sweet berries. The disadvantages are the fragility of life (no more than 10 years) and the risk of losing the entire bush if disease or pests take hold of the very shoot on which the entire structure rests.

Annual autumn pruning of gooseberries is simpler than a similar procedure for other shrubs. But, like most gardening work, it has its own characteristics and nuances. I hope the article helped you understand them.

Growing process garden crops includes many agricultural techniques, among which pruning trees and shrubs is not the least important. This also applies to gooseberries, since a properly formed bush gives a larger harvest.


What is it for?

Gooseberry bush - perennial, growing up to one and a half meters. Branches and basal shoots of different ages form a crown, which can also reach almost 1.5 m in diameter. The basal shoots differ active growth in the first year of life.

By autumn, the process of woodiness is completed, and next spring they will release young shoots, from which the skeleton (skeleton) of the bush will be formed. In turn, shoots also appear on these branches every year, growing 8–30 cm in length. By autumn, these shoots will harden and become covered with bark, that is, these will be real branches of the second order, which will give rise to branches of the third order, and so on. Branches of order 1–3 are the strongest and give greatest number berries Systematic pruning will help to regularly renew such branches so that the harvest is stable.

Gooseberries are able to quickly become thick due to new young shoots. This leads to the fact that the sun and air do not penetrate deep into the bush, which leads to a decrease in yield and contributes to the occurrence of diseases.


The purpose of pruning is to regulate the growth of new shoots, trim old ones, and remove diseased and unnecessary shoots. That’s why it’s so important to prune gooseberries every year, shape their bushes and get rid of unnecessary shoots. In the 5th–6th year of growth, old black branches appear, which must be cut off to rejuvenate the bush. Pruning contributes to the manifestation of the following factors:

  • improving lighting and aeration of the inside of the bush;
  • reducing the possibility of diseases and colonies of harmful insects;
  • increasing the volume and quality of the harvest, since the dense crown prevents pollination and berry set;
  • simplifying the care and harvesting of berry crops - it is very difficult to do this from overgrown branches with many thorns without injuring your hands;
  • rejuvenation of the gooseberry, which makes it possible to prolong its vital activity and fruiting, since when cutting the entire shoot or part, an impulse arises from the root system to the branches, leading to the growth of young shoots.


In addition to all this, in overgrown bushes the berries become small. With a large number of stems, each branch receives less nutrition, the number of fruits decreases, and their quality deteriorates. The grown long stems lie on the soil and give roots. As a result, the gooseberry ceases to bear fruit and becomes subject to infestation by harmful insects.

There are the following types of pruning:

  • formative- its goal is to make the bush compact;
  • sanitary- carried out with the aim of improving the health of gooseberries by removing diseased, broken, dry and damaged stems;
  • rejuvenating- its purpose is to stimulate the growth of young shoots;
  • pre-landing- is done to stimulate its further growth; before planting the seedling, all broken branches that are beginning to dry out are cut off, and the remaining shoots are pruned, leaving no more than 4 buds.



Deadlines

Spring pruning should be done early, before the buds open and the sap begins to flow. Gooseberries are an early crop; the buds swell in the second decade of March, and by the beginning of April the first leaves bloom. When pruning after blooming, part of the nutrition will go to the buds, which will then be trimmed. That means a lot nutrients will be wasted. Therefore, pruning should be done in the first half of March.

In spring the following are removed:

  • old blackened shoots growing horizontally;
  • branches with defects (broken, growing crookedly);
  • The middle of the bush is also thinned out, weak young and very high shoots are removed.



For one-year-old bushes in the spring, it is recommended to cut off all the weakest branches and leave 3-4 of the strongest ones. like this spring pruning have been doing it for five years in a row. As a result, the bush will have approximately 25 strong and strong main branches on which side shoots will grow.

But the most effective is autumn pruning and summer pruning - that which is done after harvesting.

Summer pruning of gooseberries is done immediately after picking the berries. The main thing is to remove branches that appear dry and show signs of disease. This pruning is often called sanitary pruning. It is carried out approximately in late July or early August.

And on young shoots, part of the top is cut off, leaving about 7 leaves on them. Shortening old shoots in summer should not be done, as this will cause the proliferation of young shoots. But the process of woodiness of such shoots will not have time to be completed before the cold weather, and with the arrival of frost they will die.

Autumn pruning of gooseberries is done after the end of leaf fall, before frosty weather sets in. For the middle zone it will be around October-November.


In autumn they cut:

  • all newly appeared branches are dry, damaged, old and with signs of disease;
  • shoots that grow very low and lie on the ground, since their growth occurs in the shade with insufficient lighting, which makes them more at risk of getting sick;
  • branches that grow in the direction of the center and in inner part crowns that greatly compact the bush;
  • shoots that prevent others from growing;
  • young and weakened shoots.


It must be remembered that total number cut branches should not be more than 1/3 of the total number of branches on the bush.

How to carry out the work?

In order to do the cutting, you need to have a special tool. This is a pruner used to cut thin branches, and a lopper for cutting thicker and more powerful shoots. Since gooseberries have very sharp thorns, thick gloves will be necessary.

Autumn pruning must be carried out according to a scheme long established by gardeners.

  1. All outdated and low-growing branches must be cut to the level of the soil surface, without leaving even small knots. Thickness and color distinguish ancient branches from young ones. Old ones are thick and dark brown (almost black), while young ones are quite thin and light in color.
  2. Unwanted shoots and competing stems are also cut off, leaving no knots and as close to the branch as possible. The young shoot is left, and the old one is cut off to the place where the young one grows.
  3. In order for underdeveloped branches to branch better, they are shortened by first identifying the strongest bud, and then the shoot is cut off at a distance of no more than one centimeter from this bud.
  4. In one-year-old bushes, the branches are shortened, leaving only 4 buds on them.



After pruning, all cut areas with a diameter of more than 8 mm must be covered with garden varnish. It is also important to remember that cuts should be made above the kidney by approximately 1 cm and at an angle of 50 degrees.

Bush pruning different years life is distinguished by its characteristics and techniques.

Pruning at 1 year is pre-planting pruning. All branches on a seedling need to be shortened, and on strong shoots only 4 buds from the ground are retained, and on underdeveloped ones - no more than two. The purpose of such pruning is to provide the young bush with sufficient nutrition and the creation of skeletal branches that form the frame of the bush.

During the growing season root system will develop and give new shoots. Autumn pruning this year it is limited to identifying about 6 healthy and powerful shoots, which, after shortening, are left to overwinter.

Second year. Next year in the spring, well-positioned 5 strong zero branches are also chosen. Underdeveloped shoots less than 20 cm must be completely removed. Powerful vertical and slightly inclined branches are made shorter, leaving shoots about 30 cm long, which promotes further branching. The shoots growing horizontally are cut off completely.


By the third year, the gooseberry should have about 18 branches of different ages, they form the skeleton of the bush. This is achieved this way:

  • all horizontal branches are cut off completely (this also applies to underdeveloped shoots);
  • of healthy branches left, 15 cm are cut off from the top.

In the fourth year, the four-year-old gooseberry bush is considered mature and begins to produce a large number of berries, which does not eliminate the need for further pruning and maintaining the shape of the bush.

Pruning this year involves regularly cutting off crooked and underdeveloped unhealthy branches. Young shoots, including those growing from the neck of the roots, are also removed in a timely manner, which eliminates the growth of horizontal branches. By this time, the gooseberry should have approximately 16–20 branches of different ages.


Further annual pruning of gooseberries is carried out in a similar way. When they reach 7–8 years old, they begin to do anti-aging pruning. With this method, you can cut off no more than 1/3 of the branches from their total number.

  1. First, black, old, crooked, underdeveloped branches with signs of disease are removed.
  2. The apices of the remaining highly developed basal branches are inspected. Those with defects (dry, broken) are cut off to the point where they branch off from a healthy shoot.

For 10-year-old and older bushes, radical pruning is carried out: the 5 most powerful and healthy branches are left, the rest are completely removed. If this is done in a timely manner, the bush produces a new young generation of shoots. It is preferable to do this pruning in early spring.



When pruning, you must remember the following rules:

  • if a branch has produced few shoots in a year, it means that it is underdeveloped and needs to be cut to a side branch with a good shoot;
  • Its thin end also indicates that the branch is underdeveloped; it is cut off to the largest bud directed outward;
  • good branching of gooseberries is helped by pruning zero shoots to one-fourth of their length;
  • By cutting off the branch above the bud and on its outer side, you can prevent compaction of the bush, since the shoots will have an outward rather than internal growth direction.

An old and very overgrown non-fruiting gooseberry bush can be revived and good fruiting can be restored. It is advisable to carry out anti-aging pruning in two steps.


First carried out sanitary pruning. If it is done in the spring, the bush is thinned out and all black, broken, crooked and diseased branches are removed. And if it is carried out in the fall, then all the old branches are cut off entirely to the ground, which promotes the appearance of new shoots in the spring.

Then they do anti-aging pruning. Very old and horizontally grown branches are removed. If there are vertical shoots, the 5 healthiest and strongest ones are retained, and the rest are also cut off. On branches that produce a harvest, the dry ends are cut off until the very first powerful lateral branch.

Subsequently, pruning of old gooseberries is carried out as usual, maintaining the shape of the bush. But you need to remember that no more than 1/3 of the shoots can be cut off during spring and autumn. Overgrown gooseberries take about 4 years to revive.

There is also such a cardinal technique for restoring neglected gooseberries: they cut off all the branches entirely to ground level, except for the 4 youngest and most powerful branches. A year after such pruning, a large number of sprouts will grow, some of which are removed again, leaving about 5 strong, strong, well-spaced ones.


After pruning, the bush is well fed with organic or mineral fertilizers, water abundantly. After this method of pruning, the gooseberry bush quickly revives and can produce berries within three years.

There are also such extraordinary methods for pruning gooseberries and forming their bush: standard and trellis.

The standard method of growing gooseberries is to form a bush like a tree. For the trunk of the future tree, the most powerful, upward-growing branch of a certain height (most often a meter) is left, and the lower side branches of the trunk are pruned to the same height, cutting off the rest.

The shoots growing on the trunk are subsequently also removed. A metal (or plastic) tube is put on the stem, which is slightly deeper into the soil. This makes it easier to care for the trunk of the bush, and also provides support for it. A peg is driven in near the gooseberry, to which the trunk is tied.

Subsequent formation is carried out as usual: every year 5 new powerful shoots are left, and last year's ones are cut by half. Branches with the direction of growth inward or downward in the bush are removed, as well as basal shoots growing from the ground.

The disadvantages of this method are the short life span of the gooseberry (it cannot be rejuvenated) and poor cold resistance.


The trellis method of growing gooseberries is carried out using trellises. 3 rows of wire are stretched between the trellis supports at a distance of 50-80-100 cm from the soil. The gap between the bushes is approximately 0.7 to 1 m, and the distance between the trellises is one and a half meters.

The formation of a gooseberry bush begins with three or four branches, which are tied in a fan-shape to the bottom row of wire at a distance of 20–25 cm. Their growth will subsequently be directed vertically upward. The branches (the 3–5 strongest) having a horizontal direction of growth, after having been slightly trimmed, are also tied to a trellis, and all the rest are removed. After a year, these horizontal branches are fixed, without shortening, on the middle wire.

The main fan-shaped branches are shortened somewhat more than the horizontal ones: this is how the growth ratio is maintained. Every year, no more than 5 new shoots are left, and last year’s ones are shortened by a third (sometimes by half). Zero sprouts are removed. After the fifth year, you can begin to rejuvenate the bush.



After pruning, fertilization is mandatory. These can be either mineral or organic fertilizers. A shallow (approximately 30 cm) ditch is dug around the bush, fertilizer is added into it and then dug in.

Spring feeding is aimed at feeding the gooseberries before flowering begins and the subsequent growth of fruit ovaries. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the amount of about 50–70 g per gooseberry.

Upon completion of berry picking and pruning, fertilizing with fertilizers promotes the formation of fruit-bearing buds for next year's harvest, as well as the accumulation of strength for the winter. During this period, it is very effective to feed the bush with mullein. It is important to carry out preventative treatment fungicides and insecticides.

Fertilizing in the fall, which necessarily includes potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, will make it easier for gooseberries winter time and prepare for the new harvest. You should also feed the soil around the bush (about 50 cm in diameter) with compost or peat chips. Generous watering in the fall is also necessary.


It should be noted that after completing any type of pruning, abundant watering, fertilizing and loosening of the soil are immediately carried out.

The following tips will help you successfully grow gooseberries.

  1. It is more convenient to trim heavily overgrown gooseberries using pruning shears with long handles, and also use thicker welder gloves to protect your hands.
  2. To cut gooseberries, it is preferable to purchase a brightly colored tool: it is more noticeable on the soil and will not get lost even in semi-darkness.
  3. When shortening branches directed downward and horizontally, you need to leave buds pointing upward or upward at a large angle.
  4. A distinctive feature of strong shoots is that they grow no less than 50 cm per year, unlike weak ones.
  5. The gooseberry root system has such a structure that it produces horizontal shoots and they also need to be removed.
  6. Most thin branches It is recommended to cut off almost entirely, since they will not begin to bear fruit so soon, and food will be spent on them on the same basis as other branches.


In the fall, you can treat the cuts not only with a garden varnish, but also with a product that is resistant to cold: separately heated alcohol (60 ml) and tree resin (500 g) are mixed, then flax oil (2 tablespoons) is added. This mixture is stored tightly closed jar made of tin.

Gooseberries older than 20 years are usually not rejuvenated. It is better to remove it and plant a young plant.

Having understood the principle of pruning gooseberries, this process will not be difficult for any gardener, and the result will not be long in coming.


To learn how to prune gooseberries in the fall, see the following video.

Novice gardeners who grow gooseberries are interested in the question of how to properly prune the bush in autumn period? Experienced gardeners know certain rules trimming branches on bushes and trees and they can easily cope with this task. It is more difficult for beginners, but they will quickly figure it out and cope with the task.

To ensure that gooseberry branches do not grow excessively and bear fruit well, they must be properly pruned annually. If the owner started pruning the bushes in the fall, then it’s worth continuing. It is not advisable to do 2 prunings in spring and autumn; when frost hits, the plant may not have time to gain strength, will freeze and more than half of the crop will die.

If you take care of the gooseberry bush and trim off unnecessary branches in a timely manner, then every year the owner will receive an excellent harvest of delicious berries. How large the gooseberry will be depends on the new shoots on it and does it grow on the sunny side?

If the bush becomes too large, the berries on it will be small and not very tasty. This is due to the fact that they will be shaded by branches, leaves and will not receive enough sunlight.

When there are few shoots, all the berries receive enough nutrients. If gooseberries are pruned in time, the berries grow on fewer shoots, all ripen in the sun and grow large, juicy, and aromatic.

Let's consider what clothes and tools to prepare for pruning gooseberries:

  1. Before working with gooseberries, you need to prepare gloves that will protect your hands from thorns and tools for pruning branches. The mittens should be tight and the cuffs should be wider. Those who don’t have these should take ordinary gloves, which are used to care for trees, bushes in the garden, and vegetables in the garden.
  2. You need to wear a thick jacket, for example, thick jeans or canvas. Clothing will protect your upper arms from thorns and cuts.
  3. The branches are cut with ordinary pruning shears. Some people use garden shears or a saw. To cover the cuts you will need garden varnish, and to mark where to cut the branches: water-based paint or lime.

Step by step instructions on how to prune gooseberries?

It is best to prune gooseberry bushes twice a year: in spring and autumn. For example, in the fall, a major one, and in the spring, a partial one.

IN spring period You can trim branches after the snow has melted, but before buds appear on the branches. This point is difficult for summer residents to grasp, since most are at work and come to the country only on weekends, therefore many prefer to cut branches once a year - in the fall.

The bush is completely harvested and excess or old, dried branches can be trimmed. If the timing of the procedure is clear, you can begin studying step by step instructions and trim gooseberries in a country house or village plot.

There are several patterns for pruning. The main types are:

  • The strongest central branch is left, and the side branches are cut off. This method is called - on a standard;
  • Regular pruning is considered classic, when nothing special is done and no devices are used.
  • On the trellis. This procedure is performed on gooseberry varieties whose branches tend to the ground.

The photo shows a diagram of how to properly prune a bush. The easiest way for a gardener to do pruning is in the classic style.

More information about annual pruning of shrubs:

  • When the bush is only 1 year old, its branches are cut by 1/3. It is necessary to leave the 3 strongest shoots long, and the rest can be shortened.
  • In the 2nd year of life, the lash should be reduced by 1/3. It is better to leave 6 to 7 good branches that grow at the root.
  • In the 3rd year of life, the branches are similarly pruned and the bush needs to be thinned out, which means cutting out shoots that the owner considers unnecessary and they are located closer to others than 10 cm. This pruning is done in the spring. She helps to collect more harvest and the berries will be larger than last year’s.
  • Autumn pruning is done after the leaves have fallen from a bush or several, gooseberries have been collected, some of the branches are old, dried at the tips or along the entire length. How do you know if branches are old? They turn black and the bark peels off easily.
  • Branches that are too low parallel or touching the ground are also cut off. It is necessary to remove new shoots that have grown next to each other. The bushes are made less frequently so that in the next season, when the gooseberries bloom, the fruits set, the bush receives enough sunlight and the fruits are tasty and juicy.

Where do you start pruning? Remove the shoots located below. This helps to have a better overview of the work front.

The shoots located at the roots are removed completely. This is done so that they do not draw juices from the gooseberries and do not interfere with the growth and ripening of the fruits.

"Important! If you take good care of a young bush, it will develop quickly, become healthier and produce an excellent harvest, better than last year.”

The video shows the correct pruning of gooseberries:

What to do when you've finished pruning?

A novice gardener may not know that gooseberries need intensive care after the procedures. What to do? Hill up the ground under and around it to about 2 m. Select and discard weeds, apply organic or mineral fertilizer and water the plant thoroughly.

The owner is glad that he has reaped a good harvest from the gooseberry bush or bushes, but the plant is weakened during this period and needs high-quality feeding. This is vital for him to survive frost well.

In the fall, you need to add 15 kg of your choice for each shrub:

  • humus;
  • compost;
  • manure that has rotted.

Add to organic fertilizers:

  • potassium - 40 g;
  • superphosphate - 200 g.

After these procedures, the owner can be calm, frosts will come, and the bushes will withstand the cold well. If there is a desire to protect the bushes from hares and cold, the trunks are covered with straw.

Unfortunately, harmful microorganisms overwinter well in rotting foliage. Insects hide and overwinter in the bark and hollows of trees, bushes, and in fallen leaves.

A gardener can begin pest control by digging up the soil under the bushes. This can be done only after harvesting, so as not to trample the dug up soil.

You can work a little at a time so as not to discourage yourself from caring for the plants. This is especially true for summer residents who come to their plots on weekends or in bursts.

Between the rows the ground is dug up deeply - using a spade bayonet. And closer to the plant, you can loosen the soil no deeper than 10 cm. At the trunk where the roots grow, you can go deeper into the ground only 5 cm and carefully, so as not to accidentally cut the roots.

Fungicides are added to the dug area, with insecticides that have a strong effect on insects. The latter kill both adults and larvae. Now you need to take peat and mulch the surface around the bushes.

Gooseberries must be watered abundantly. Water is poured into a circle dug around the plants. When pouring, you need to wait until the liquid is absorbed and add the next portion.

"Important! After pruning, gooseberry bushes are watered abundantly. It takes 15 to 20 liters of liquid and the plant will be ready to winter.”

Old gooseberry bushes are rejuvenated by removing no more than 50% of the branches per year. Owners with experience do not rush, cut off dry, diseased and excess branches and often less than 50%.

In the autumn after harvesting, when the gooseberry bushes shed their leaves, you need to inspect them. Old branches have dark bark and it is noticeable which branches are dry. They are removed with pruning shears, sharp knife, and the thick ones are cut down.

The soil under the bushes and between them is dug up to different depths and treated against diseases and insects. This type of care for gooseberry bushes should be carried out annually, for example, in the autumn. This helps to rejuvenate the plants, increase productivity, and up to 10 or even 12 years the gooseberries will produce a good harvest.

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