Gooseberries - when to move?

[Kaiya]

I have two gooseberry plants that I bought as twiglets in 2010, kept in pots until I planted them out in the allotment in Spring 2011. They've not fruited yet but are looking happy in a leafy way.

If I want to move the gooseberries to a new permanent space, when would be the best time? Our soil is heavy clay, though it has evidently been improved in the past and we're continuing to do so, and as such is very cold and miserable over winter.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Any time after the leaves fall should be ok. be sure to dig in some compost in the bottom of the hole to help with drainage and also sprinkle in some bone meal

[Kaiya]

Thank you!

[Aberdeenplotter]

Should have said, it's also a good time to prune them. If you need more bushes, make a slit in the ground with your spade and stick in a cutting. This time next year you will have a new bush . The cuttings take very easily.

[BarleySugar]

Just what I was doing with mine over the weekend. I wanted to get the last of the fruit out of the garden and into the lottie before the weather worsened.

[StephenH]

Good idea about cuttings - I might plant some from my bushes, which are in the garden, in the allotment.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Stephen, even if you don't need them yourself, it's a good way of producing saleable items to fund local gardening clubs and the like.

[Kaiya]

That's a great idea. Mine are still fairly juvenile but one cutting off each plant and I'd have twice as many plants!