Moving gooseberry bush

[emarisa28]

Hi, i have decided i want to move my young gooseberry bush in time for next year. What month would you think is best to do this? Should i do it now so it gets settled for next spring or wait until its dormant? Not sure how old it is but i bought it as a bare rooting plant this spring
Im in the south east if that changes anything xx thanks in advance

[nickdub]

If its convenient, I'd say do it now while the soil is still warm.

1) Dig a big hole to put it in first
2) lift the bush with as much soil still on the roots as possible
3) If moving more than a few feet, tie some material or plastic round the roots to hold them together.
4) some time over the winter give the bush a good prune.

[emarisa28]

As its quite small (spread is about 20" across) do you think that i could put it in a pot until spring? There is still stuff where i want to plant them and they will be there for the next couple of weeks :/

[nickdub]

As its quite small (spread is about 20" across) do you think that i could put it in a pot until spring? There is still stuff where i want to plant them and they will be there for the next couple of weeks :/

That being the case, unless its in the way where it is, I'd leave it until the place you want to put it is available. Most plants move quite OK provided a) the ground is not too cold or too dry and b) you only have them out of the ground for less than 30 minutes, hence dig the receiving hole before lifting the plant.
People prefer to move deciduous plants when they are dormant, because its less stressful for the plant then, but its not absolutely essential.

[Jimny14]

Just to be annoying I'll put the other view across. Wait for it to go dormant then dig up with as much root as possible (can knock off soil if you want) transplant as soon as possible, firm and water in. Both ways round your Bush will likely survive because they're tough little things on the whole, it may not fruit brilliantly next year due to the move but with it being a small one anyway you may not have got lots off it next year anyway.
Give it a few years in the right place, a bit of formative pruning if you have the inclination and it'll be producing fruit for the foreseeable decades.

[emarisa28]

Just to be annoying I'll put the other view across. Wait for it to go dormant then dig up with as much root as possible (can knock off soil if you want) transplant as soon as possible, firm and water in. Both ways round your Bush will likely survive because they're tough little things on the whole, it may not fruit brilliantly next year due to the move but with it being a small one anyway you may not have got lots off it next year anyway.
Give it a few years in the right place, a bit of formative pruning if you have the inclination and it'll be producing fruit for the foreseeable decades.

Thanks..... Only problem is I'm to impatient to wait decades haha

[Jimny14]

Don't worry I planted a couple a few years ago as v small plants this was their third summer and even with the dry weather and all they produced some good sized fruit and enough for a good few servings off each bush. I can see a better harvest next year, so they don't take too long before a useful crop.