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INVICTA - Gooseberry plant

freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
in Fruit & veg
So I purchased a Gooseberry Plant about 2 weeks ago... no idea what I'm supposed to do with it! I'm just in the middle of sorting my garden out as I need more earth to raise the level of the ground, so I don't really want to be planting it out yet... any advice on keeping these muckers healthy through the winter will be much appreciated :D
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  • freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    That looks a very nice gooseberry bush :)  How soon are you going to be able to plant it?  If it's in a couple of weeks it'll be fine as it is until then as long as you don't let it dry out ... if it's not going to be for quite a while I'd move it on into a bigger pot.  But they're tough as old boots so it won't need protection for the winter or anything like that.  Just pop the pot in a quiet corner for the duration. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384
    Put it into a pot about twice that size using a John Innes #3 compost, leave it outside where it'll get sun and rain, water it in dry spells until the leaves drop and the job's a good un.  They are tough plants but the roots will probably be pot-bound by now so in danger of drying out.  The roots need some space to grow while the plant is still growing strongly.  Plant it out as soon as you can next year, as long as the ground isn't waterlogged or frozen.  A very healthy looking young bush. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
    Dovefromabove said:
    That looks a very nice gooseberry bush :)  How soon are you going to be able to plant it?  If it's in a couple of weeks it'll be fine as it is until then as long as you don't let it dry out ... if it's not going to be for quite a while I'd move it on into a bigger pot.  But they're tough as old boots so it won't need protection for the winter or anything like that.  Just pop the pot in a quiet corner for the duration. 
    thank you :) and I have some Westland multi-purpose compost... will this be good enough to transplant it into a bigger pot for now? 
  • freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
    BobTheGardener said:
    Put it into a pot about twice that size using a John Innes #3 compost, leave it outside where it'll get sun and rain, water it in dry spells until the leaves drop and the job's a good un.  They are tough plants but the roots will probably be pot-bound by now so in danger of drying out.  The roots need some space to grow while the plant is still growing strongly.  Plant it out as soon as you can next year, as long as the ground isn't waterlogged or frozen.  A very healthy looking young bush. :)
    thank you and does it have to be John Innes ? i only have Westlands multi-purpose at the moment  :(
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I wouldn't use multi purpose ... it's only for short term planting (bedding/tomatoes ... that sort of thing).  It's light and doesn't really have any 'body' and really won't be any good for your goosegog bush and it's such a lovely bush it'd be a shame not to give it the best and risk setting it back.  

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384
    No, use the Westlands mpc which will be fine as long as it will only be in the pot for a few months.  Might be an idea to mix it with a bit of the soil from your garden which will help it get established when planted.  JI#3 is soil-based, so you will just be mixing your own formula which is all the JI numbers really mean. :)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
    Dovefromabove said:
    I wouldn't use multi purpose ... it's only for short term planting (bedding/tomatoes ... that sort of thing).  It's light and doesn't really have any 'body' and really won't be any good for your goosegog bush and it's such a lovely bush it'd be a shame not to give it the best and risk setting it back.  
    I must agree with you, it is a nice bush... I would hate for it to have a bad time. I really need to do some research on soil and compost... I am new to gardening but am really eager to get out and start growing. could do with knowing more about what soil is good to use for a top layer in my garden :( 
  • freddyblack1993freddyblack1993 Posts: 49
    BobTheGardener said:
    No, use the Westlands mpc which will be fine as long as it will only be in the pot for a few months.  Might be an idea to mix it with a bit of the soil from your garden which will help it get established when planted.  JI#3 is soil-based, so you will just be mixing your own formula which is all the JI numbers really mean. :)
    this is exactly what I want to do make a big batch of my "own" soil mix formula whatever you would call it! is there any ingredients like what could I use as a base ingredient?... 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384
    I would use good quality topsoil and as much well-rotted manure as you can get if you're effectively creating your soil from scratch.  That will give your garden a perfect start and all you need to do is top-up with a 2 inch layer of more well-rotted manure each autumn.  Use more manure in the areas which will be beds or borders etc.  Local suppliers of topsoil will be cheapest but inspect it if you can before buying/accepting.  It should be reasonably loose and crumbly with no large stones, bits of wood or roots etc.  You can substitute some of the manure with other organic matter such as mushroom compost or even cheap multi-purpose compost but that will only improve soil structure and does little to improve fertility in the long term (MPC contains fertilizer which is gone after about 6 weeks.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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