Growing gooseberries into standard stems is trendy. This saves space and is nice to look at. However, some special requirements apply to the cut. You can read about what these are and how they are implemented here.
How do I cut gooseberry standard stems correctly?
In order to prune gooseberry standard stems professionally, the closely spaced, dried out or rubbing shoots should be thinned out in February or March. Maintain 5-7 leading branches, remove branches growing close to the ground and leave 2-3 strong side shoots per leading branch.
How to cut a tree trunk professionally
No one plants gooseberries as standard stems in their garden just for a decorative appearance. The central interest lies in a rich harvest of juicy berries. Targeted pruning makes an essential contribution to this. Otherwise, a gooseberry tree will grow old within a short period of time. Follow these instructions to enjoy delicious fruit for many years to come:
- The best time for shape and maintenance pruning is in February or March
- thin out all shoots that are too close together, rubbing and dried out
- cut off all branches growing towards the ground except for 5-7 leading branches on astring
- Leave 2-3 strong side shoots per leading branch and shorten the others down to 2 eyes
The central premise for the successful pruning of standard gooseberries is to pay attention to the growth characteristics. This fruit tree always blooms and bears fruit on last year's long shoots. The strongest specimens should be preserved if possible and only shortened minimally, if at all. Create a harmonious crown that is airy. Vitality is only ensured when sun and light reach all areas.
A courageous rejuvenation cut saves a bald tree trunk
If you miss the annual pruning of a gooseberry standard, the punishment will follow immediately. The plant ages and only bears poor fruit. A rigorous rejuvenation cut provides relief. Here's how to do it:
- the entire crown is trimmed down to a maximum of 5 leading branches
- cut all bare shoots at the base
- shorten the selected leading branches down to 2 eyes
The aim of this measure is to attract new shoots above the grafting point. For this purpose, all parts of the plant that consume energy unnecessarily and do not contribute to a new crown must be removed.
Tips & Tricks
Don't want to be constantly battered by thorns when cutting gooseberries? Then use pruning shears to prune (€38.00 on Amazon). Thanks to the long handles, you can keep the scratchy fruit tree at a distance and concentrate completely on the perfect cut.
