Gooseberry
Ribes uva-crispa
A fruit, planted at any time of year.
In September: nothing to do. It can be planted now. Wear thorn-proof gloves to prune it: the bushes are prickly.
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Gooseberry, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown gooseberry. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual |
| Plant a bare-root gooseberry. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Winter-prune the gooseberry (bush plants only). | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Pick the gooseberries. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual |
| Summer-prune the gooseberry (trained plants only). | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Handle it with care
Wear thorn-proof gloves to prune it: the bushes are prickly.
Strong source: RHS.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown gooseberry at any time of year, 1.2 to 1.5m apart, rows 1.5m apart. Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Plant a bare-root gooseberry November to March, 1.2 to 1.5m apart, rows 1.5m apart. Strong sources: RHS and Gardeners’ World.
Winter-prune the gooseberry
Gardeners call this winter pruning of framework-grown currants and gooseberries.
For bush plants only.
Cut last year’s growth on the side-shoots back to two buds.
Usually February to March. Moderate source: RHS.
Pick the gooseberries
Usually June to August. Strong source: RHS.
Summer-prune the gooseberry
Gardeners call this summer pruning of cordon- and fan-trained currants and gooseberries.
For trained plants only.
Cut this year’s side-shoots back to five leaves, sparing any needed to replace old branches.
Usually June to July. Strong source: RHS.
What the source words mean
Strong: the RHS page for this plant is among them.Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Gooseberry” comes from.