Gooseberries

[johninblackpool]

Hi Peeps.....
I have 4 gooseberry bushes 2 red 2 green.
I have had trouble over the years keeping on top of them and had problems with Mildew and sawfly this year.
A fellow plot holder has Gooseberries as Cordons and look a lot easier to maintain.
Can I prune my bushes into a cordon shape of are they a special rootstock or need to be trained from the start.
If I can how do i start.
If not can I start again from cuttings from the bushes and train from start with the cuttings.

Cheers guys
Looking forward to the replies.

[nickdub]

You have it right at the end "start again from cuttings from the bushes and train from start" no rootstocks needed - take cuttings when the leaves are off in the Autumn - these will take about a year to root in a damp patch of ground.

One other thing, mildew is a disease of gooseberries to which some varieties are very susceptible, so you may also want to buy one or two new modern varieties which will be mildew resistant.

[johninblackpool]

Thanks for the advice.
cheers

[nickdub]

You're very welcome - Happy gardening :-)

PS one of the best money saving parts of soft fruit growing is that yon can start with one plant and propagate 40 or 50 more from it quite quickly - thay make good presents for other gardeners.

[annie8]

I took cutting from a gooseberry pant about a month ago. It had started to spread and put out what looked a bit like runners so with advice from on here I cut them and stuck them in a pot. I now have another 4 wee goosberry plants growing in individual pots.

[Plot70]

I would just cadge some pruneings from someone local from bushes that don't get mildew.