During the season, gooseberries give a lot of shoots, grows very much and resembles a big thorn. To preserve the fertility of the shrub and give it a decorative look, it is necessary to prune it regularly. This article describes how to do this, and which period is most favorable.
Why and how do they cut gooseberries in spring?
With regular correct spring care, the yield of gooseberries lasts 30-40 years. To maintain it, seasonal pruning of shoots is necessary. For 3-4 years, the bush gives 50-70 shoots that take away moisture and nutritional properties of top dressing the soil. As a result, gooseberries are sick and more susceptible to pests, the number of ripe berries on its branches is reduced.
In early spring, until the first buds appear, visually inspect and determine which shoots have suffered from winter frosts. Remove damaged, old and diseased branches that reduce bush productivity. Also remove the shoots that increase the gooseberry crown and, thereby, create favorable conditions for plant disease.
Reasons for spring pruning
The image of gooseberries is an indispensable component of caring for a medicinal plant, which requires certain skills. There are several reasons for this, the most common are presented below:
- Productivity With proper and timely pruning, berries are sung faster, have a sweet taste, and a maximum of useful properties. Overgrown bushes do not get light, air and nutrients, so the fruits are acidic, they spit longer, smaller in size.
- Bush improvement. Young shoots absorb all moisture and nutrients, so gooseberries gradually wither. Leaves turn pale, the plant looks worse, yield decreases.
- Beautiful crown. I want gooseberries to decorate agricultural land, and not become a problem place on the site. To maintain decorativeness, it is better to get rid of old, sick, dry and damaged branches.
It is better to trim the bush as soon as the last snow has melted, and the weather will noticeably advance towards spring and warming. Simply put, wait until the freeze stops.
Advantages and disadvantages of spring trimming gooseberries
After the planned removal of excess shoots, the plant literally transforms, acquires an aesthetic appearance. In addition to decorativeness, such a seasonal procedure has a number of significant advantages:
- natural ventilation;
- minimal risk of fungal infection, the influence of harmful insects;
- increase in productivity indicators;
- prevention of unauthorized rooting by cuttings or layering;
- the correct form of the plant;
- healthy root system.
The procedure itself has no shortcomings if carried out correctly and in a timely manner. In violation of the technology of trimming gooseberries or choosing an unfavorable time, the plant ceases to bear fruit, it may even become sick and die.
If you cut gooseberries after the appearance of buds, the bush weakens significantly, so you can not count on high yields in the coming season.
What tools will be needed?
The delimbers and pruners are the main tools for trimming gooseberries. In addition, stock up on cotton gloves so as not to injure your hands. Use of garden tools:
- Delimbers. Trim powerful branches that are not removed by secateurs.
- Secateurs. A classic tool for removing thin, dry stems.
Choose a quality tool with good knife sharpening. Otherwise, the plant can be severely affected, which will negatively affect its productivity. An important criterion for choosing an inventory is a light metal weight and a convenient, rubberized handle. The hand should not slip, otherwise you can be injured yourself.
Buy a garden tool with red handles. So it is more visible on the earth, and it is possible to reduce the time of searches due to own forgetfulness.
When is spring pruning of the bush?
The best time to cut gooseberries in spring is the beginning of March. The favorable period can be adjusted depending on the climatic conditions of a particular region, the condition of the shrub itself.
After trimming gooseberries, all the leaves and branches are collected in one pile, burned. This is an effective prevention of fungal infections and other diseases. In addition, the entire garden tool is disinfected.
Features gooseberry pruning
In order for the plant to bear fruit, first form a bush, and then regularly prune new or diseased shoots. After the procedure, be sure to feed gooseberries. In the spring, choose nitrogenous fertilizers - 50-70 g per 1 bush.
Fertilizers are introduced into a previously dug hole 30 cm deep. After that, dig it and water it well. This will increase productivity, smooth out interference in the growth and development of shrubs.
Bush structure
Outwardly, it is a wide bush, which reaches a height of 1.5 m. The width of the crown is about the same. The length of the root neck is 30 cm, the width is no more than 5 cm. In the spring, small buds appear on the branches, from which young shoots grow. Root branches emerge from the buds at the base of the shrub.
In a young plant of 1 year of life, root shoots grow more intensively. The first summer, green leaves become brown, by autumn the stems dry out, and next spring shoots appear. This is the base of the bush. It is important to control the annual growth, the length of which varies from 8 to 30 cm, depending on weather conditions.
A young plant 1-3 years of life intensively bears fruit. To maintain yield, cut the gooseberries regularly, and row up its crown every season. Separately, remember the root system, in which horizontal shoots are also formed. Remove basal shoots in early spring.
Bush formation
The shape of the bush and the splendor of the crown completely depend on the age of the gooseberry. Experienced gardeners, just by looking at the plant, can tell how old he is. General characteristics of the first years of life of gooseberries are described below.
First year
The first pruning of gooseberries is carried out in the seedling stage. On examination, remove all diseased and crooked shoots of seedlings, cut the rest to 3 or 4 buds. The main thing - do not injure her. Make the cut inclined, 5 mm higher. Plant a seedling in open ground, water it, observe the growth of shoots.
Some gardeners are afraid to cut shrubs 1 year of life, believing that they will damage the root system, disrupt growth and reduce the yield of gooseberries. This is an erroneous opinion, since in 1 year of growth on the shrub many stems appear, the root system is strengthened. Gooseberries are particularly survivable.
Second year
At this age, the shrub has 3 biennial branches and about the same number of annual shoots. Identify up to 7 healthy stems that grow from the ground, shorten them to a height of 30 cm. Cut the remaining shoots to a height of no more than 20 cm.
Check the root system separately. Remove horizontal shoots up to 20 cm high. Otherwise, the growth of strong branches slows down, shoots take all the water and nutrients from the ground to themselves. Disinfect the garden tool after pruning.
Third year
At this age, the basis of the bush is 12-18 healthy and strong branches that grow from the ground itself. In reality, there are more shoots, and some of them appear randomly, the access of light and air is disrupted.
First remove the horizontal shoots. With a developed root system, in principle, it should not be. This does not end cropping. Look through the branches of the bush, remove the weak, broken and sick. After, cut the healthy stems 15 cm from the top. This is a kind of "growth stimulation."
Fourth and subsequent years
The plant is considered an adult, bears fruit well. Ideally, 15-20 branches of different ages should remain. To maintain productivity, carefully look at the gooseberry stalks, remove curves, diseased and dry branches. Cut young shoots growing from the roots, be sure to get rid of horizontal shoots, stems from 5 years.
Bush formation methods
More often gooseberries are cut in the fall. This is explained by the early awakening of the bush in the spring. Already in the second half of March, young buds appear on the branches, and after 3-4 weeks - the first leaves. If you decide to cut gooseberries in spring, choose one of the methods below.
Classic way
In this case, you can get a rich harvest. The gooseberry pruning method is the most common, safe for plants and yield indicators. Remove broken, diseased and dry branches altogether, cut off the rest to a length of 15-20 cm from the top. Features of the procedure depend on the year of plant life:
- 1 year. Completely eliminate basal shoots, on cut branches (no more than 3-4 pcs.) Leave up to 5 buds.
- 2 year Remove basal shoots, leave up to 8 healthy branches, if necessary, cut a third of the stems.
- 3-4 year. Delete last year’s branches by a third, leave 3-4 new shoots. The number of branches after trimming - no more than 15 pcs.
- 5-7 year. Cut off all branches older than 5 years and basal shoots, leave 20 healthy and strong shoots.
Stamp method
In this case, a healthy central shoot is selected, which is considered the trunk. Branches are kept, departing from it. Delete the rest using the classical method. Cut the remaining crown. In this case, the trunk needs support. Use a regular stick, which is fixed at the base of the gooseberry.
Advantages of the method:
- uniform growth of the crown;
- heat and light;
- high productivity;
- saving space on the site.
Disadvantages:
- low frost resistance;
- weak immunity;
- rapid aging of the bush;
- life expectancy up to 12 years.
Trellis method
This pruning method is not suitable for all gooseberry varieties. You need a lot of strong and healthy branches, necessarily making trellis. In this way, it is better to use when planting gooseberries:
- Install several stakes on one row, then connect them with wire with a distance between tiers of 15 cm.
- Choose on the bush the longest branches in the amount of 3-5 pcs., Fix them on the wire.
- Remove basal shoots again.
To understand how gooseberry trellis is used, think of grape trellis. The principle of application is identical, the design features are the same.
Anti-aging pruning
Gooseberry yield decreases after 5 years. The plant needs anti-aging pruning, which will return a decorative look, increase fertility. Pruning technology depends on the age of the shrub:
- Up to 10 years. Completely cut old, deformed, diseased and dry branches, but not more than a third of the entire plant. Check the tops of the remaining stems. If there is a problem, trim them at the level of the first lateral process.
- Over 10 years old. The method of imaging is more radical. Remove all branches, leaving only 5 healthy and strong stems. If necessary, trim their tops. If done correctly, the buds and young shoots will appear immediately.
Gooseberry bushes older than 20 years are not pruned. After this procedure, the old plant may not bear fruit at all, or die.
Neglected pruning
Some gardeners ignore overgrown shrubs, and pruning branches is postponed until later. At this time, the plant suffers, may become ill. High probability of fungal infection. About tasty and sweet berries in general there is no question. It is still possible to save the situation if you act in this order:
- Tidy up the shrubbery. Remove horizontal shoots, lifeless shoots, broken and deformed branches.
- Leave 5 healthy and strong stems, which also cut 15 cm from the top (up to 1 shoot on the side).
- Coat fresh gooseberry slices with soda.
- Add mineral fertilizer to the open ground near the bush to a depth of 30 cm, water the plant with water.
- Regularly monitor the growth of the plant, do not allow another thickening of the crowns.
Useful Tips
When spring trimming gooseberries, take advantage of the valuable recommendations of experienced gardeners. Nothing complicated, but you can save the decorative bush, increase its fertility.
Helpful hints:
- Trim the bushes to the first buds. If you do not have time, postpone the procedure until the onset of autumn.
- Perform external cuts, otherwise new shoots are unsuitable for growth and future yields.
- Sick, broken and dry branches are the first to remove, because they absorb all the valuable components necessary for the growth and yield of gooseberries.
- Remove branches older than 8 years; you do not have to rely on their bearing. Berries are sung faster on young stems.
- Perform a rejuvenating pruning gradually, otherwise the plant experiences extreme stress, which negatively affects its bearing.
- Do not break the branches. Cut thin shoots with secateurs, thick shoots with delimbers. Pre-sharpen your garden tools.
- Remove annual gooseberry growths in the early spring, perennial growths in the autumn.
If there is gooseberry on the plot, do not disregard it. With competent pruning, the bush perfectly bears fruit for more than one year, gives tasty, and most importantly - useful fruits.