PRUNING GOOSEBERRIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1323, 7 April 1877, Page 18

PRUNING GOOSEBERRIES.

There is only' one good way of training and pruning gooseberries of the bush form, and is very easily understood. Beginning with the young bush from the nursery, which will, perhaps, be furnished with from three to six shoots, the operator must prune, so as to have them all pointing outwards, without crossing each other, and so as to leave the centre of the bush open. Bought plants are not always methodically pruned, but they should be put into shape when planted, if a portion of the branches have to be sacrificed. The shoots which are retained should be shortened back to from six inches to nine inches, according to their vigour, and with an eye to the symmetry of the bush. All varieties are not of the same habit, some growing erect, and others like the red Warrington, after a spreading form ; but all conform to the same system of pruning. After the bushes have got fairly established, the shoots had better not be shortened back 'at all, but only thinned out pretty freely, always preserving the balance as nicelyaspossible, taking care to keep the centre open, seeing that all have space enough, and that they grow outwards. With vigorous bushes, the knife should be used freely, and a sufficiently thinned bush should look almost like a skeleton when^ finished. No artificial spurs — that is, spurs formed by leaving a bud or two of the shoots which are removed — should be left ;. but such shoots should be cut clean off" at the back. The plan of leaving the bearing shoots their entire -length induces the formation of natural buds in quantity upon the old wood ; whereas spur-prun-ing only promotes the growth of; spray, which chokes the bush up in a single season.'