It can make sense to transplant a gooseberry bush for a variety of reasons. The timing plays an important role. We show when and how the plan succeeds.
When and how should you transplant gooseberries?
The time to transplant a gooseberry bush is when the sap is dormant, usually in January or February. Cut the shrub back by a third, dig out the root ball and plant it in enriched soil in the new location. Then water regularly.
The best date
Gooseberries can still be transplanted after a few years. It is important to note that this measure should be carried out during the sap dormancy in January or February. The ground should be largely thawed. During the day itself, low temperatures below zero are also a disadvantage.
Step-by-step instructions for transplanting
When you transplant a gooseberry bush, a greater or lesser volume of roots is inevitably lost. To compensate for this shortcoming in advance, cut the fruit tree back by a third. At the same time, water the plant thoroughly, which further limits loss. Then continue like this:
- tie the prickly shoots loosely together with a ribbon
- remove the soil around the bush with a spade until the roots become visible
- dig up the root ball over a wide area
- Separate deeper strands and loosen the ball
Now lift the gooseberry bush out and place it in a wheelbarrow. You can transport the tree to its new location without long delay.
Careful care after moving
Even though the gooseberry bush is transplanted while the sap is dormant, the procedure still involves considerable stress. Therefore, careful care is essential so that it finds its best footing in its new place. Choose a sunny to partially shaded location that is as warm and protected as possible.
Enrich the soil with compost (€42.00 on Amazon) and horn shavings before moving. The finer the structure, the faster the stressed roots grow back. Plant the shrub exactly as deep as it previously stood. As a result, water the gooseberries thoroughly over the next few weeks. A mulch layer of nettles or comfrey also makes a valuable contribution to he althy growth.
Tips & Tricks
It's not that easy to correctly classify the shoots on a gooseberry bush according to their age. Since the age of the branches is of central importance for successful pruning, there is a simple trick. Mark the branches with rings of different colors. Then next year you won't have to puzzle over which main shoots have to go.