If you aren't growing your gooseberries in a fruit cage, cover bushes with netting during June and July to keep off birds. Ensure it is weighted down at the base to prevent blackbirds getting underneath. Hungry bullfinches feed on the gooseberry buds in winter, so use netting to keep them at bay. Also delay pruning until the buds have started to grow in April. Thick growth helps to keep the birds away and you can be sure of pruning back to a living bud.
Standard gooseberries make excellent plants for tubs.
Healthy shoots can be cut in autumn and early winter to use as hardwood cuttings which can be used to raise new bushes. Problem solving Practical tips Varieties Search for plants by plant name or sun exposure and soil type. Send your problems to our experts or read their answers to other gardening questions. Read tips from fellow gardeners. Or send in your ideas for improving this task.