How to Grow Gooseberries in Your Garden or in Pots

Gooseberries are super easy to grow and can thrive in almost any kind of soil as long as they have lots of sun. They can be grown as bushes or trained against a wall or fence to save space. Alternatively, you can also grow gooseberries in pots or containers.  Today we'll show you how to grow gooseberries in your garden as well as how to grow them in pots or containers. Gooseberries are part of the berry family and they have a sweet and tarte taste that kids especially love!

How to Grow Gooseberries

Planting Gooseberries:

• Before planting, mulch the area with organic matter such as garden compost or bark chips.
• Plat bare-rooted gooseberries between late autumn and early spring.
• Select good quality,  2 or 3 year old bushes and space each bush 4-5 feet apart.
• Space gooseberry cordons 12-15 inches apart. Plant each cordon tied to a 5 1/2 foot bamboo cane that is secured to horizontal wires spaced 2ft and 4ft apart.

Caring for Gooseberry Plants:

• For potted gooseberries, check the soil frequently and don't let it dry out. Water regularly.
• For outdoor gooseberries, water once every 14 days.
• In late winter, feed with a balanced granular  fertilizer at 100g per square meter.

Harvesting Gooseberries:

• Gooseberries are usually ready to pick starting in early July.
• Be sure to protect them with gauce netting, otherwise birds will pick them right off.
• Pick green, under-ripe fruits for making jams, pies, tarts, and sauces, in June. Take off every other fruit, leaving the remainder to ripen into July.

So now that you know how to grow gooseberries, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to planting!

Happy Planting!