Maintaining Gooseberry Bushes

Question: When I moved to this house, I inherited some established gooseberry bushes. They seemed OK for a while, but the last few years they have fewer leaves and just don’t look happy, even though I’ve added compost to the bed. They’re against the north side of the house. Is that too much shade? What else can I do to help them?

Answer: Gooseberries (Ribes hirtellum and R. uva-crispa) are a less commonly seen fruit in most gardens, but definitely worth saving if you have them. A few things you could look at relative to your gooseberry bushes:

Shade: The north wall itself may not be giving too much shade (you said they looked better previously), but has anything else changed in the area, such as nearby trees or hedges growing and adding to the shade the bushes are getting? If they are getting more shade than they used to, you may need to move the bushes.

Soil and water: What is the soil like? Are the bushes getting any supplemental water? Space near walls tends to be dry, and gooseberries prefer rich, well-drained soil with good moistureholding capacity, and dislike dry, sandy soil. Besides making sure they are getting enough water, you could add a layer of organic mulch to help keep the soil moist between waterings.

Diseases: Are the bushes producing fewer leaves or are the leaves falling off? Are there any signs of discoloration on the leaves (a white coating, or dark/orange spots)? Gooseberries can get powdery mildew, rust, and a couple varieties of leaf spot, all fungal diseases. These issues are worse in areas with poor air circulation and high humidity, and can cause premature leaf drop. If you suspect this might be the case for your gooseberries, thin the branches and prune back the bushes, if needed, to increase air circulation in and around them. Remove any leaf and twig debris from underneath, and add a layer of mulch to keep any fungal spores in the soil from splashing back up onto the bushes.

Pruning: Have you been doing any pruning out of older canes from the bushes? If the bushes are starting to look crowded, they should benefit from thinning out, even if disease isn’t an issue. Older canes are often less productive, and regular pruning not only improves air circulation, but also helps stimulate new canes to grow.