Gooseberries grow in almost every suburban area. This shrub is not picky about care and annually pleases gardeners with sweet berries, from which you can make jam, jam and stewed fruit. However, sooner or later gooseberries are transplanted. This has a positive effect on productivity. Consider this procedure in more detail.
When to transplant gooseberries in the fall
The optimal time for this event is September or October, depending on the onset of cold weather. The fact is that at this time the shrub has already passed the fruiting stage and is at rest. Some gardeners, in their reviews talking about when you can transplant gooseberries, argue that it is better to do this in the spring. This is not entirely true.
It should be borne in mind that during this period, plants, on the contrary, are “tuned” to begin to bear fruit as quickly as possible. It is very difficult to calculate the time when the bush has not yet passed into the preparatory stage. Therefore, in order to correctly determine when it is possible to transplant gooseberries in the spring, you need to be a real specialist in that field. If the plant already starts to produce buds, then it is undesirable to disturb it. Usually, when the shrub moves during this period of time, it does not take root. Therefore, when it is better to transplant gooseberries, experienced gardeners recommend this procedure in the autumn. In this case, there is no risk of disturbing the rhizome of the bush. If you transplant, when the buds have already begun to form, then the plant will weaken and begin to hurt.
Having decided when it is possible to transplant gooseberries to another place, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work. Much will depend on this.
Seat selection
It often happens that a gardener regrets that he planted a particular plant without first planning the arrangement of beds and trees. Keep in mind that gooseberries grow well on fertile soil, so it is important to keep this nuance in mind.
This shrub likes open sunny places. In this case, the plant must be reliably protected from strong gusts of wind. Also, having figured out when to transplant gooseberries, you need to consider that it should grow in fairly dry areas. If groundwater is too close to the surface, then the shrub will often suffer from fungal diseases. At the same time, it will bear fruit in very small berries.
Which land is better according to reviews
In order not to step on someone else's rake, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the recommendations of experienced gardeners.
Loam with sand is most suitable for this plant. If only clay dominates in the area, then it must be diluted with sand material, and vice versa.
It is also not recommended to plant shrubs in acidified soil. To avoid this, it is recommended to sprinkle the soil with lime before transplanting gooseberries to a new place.
The plant should not be transferred to the place where currants grew before. After these crops, the land is too depleted.
How to make the right transplant
Since the thorny shrub blooms very early, deciding when to transplant gooseberries, it is better to give preference to the autumn period. If the procedure is performed in September or October, then you can trim the bush by deleting all the old branches. It is best to leave only the youngest shoots. Those who give advice on when to transplant currants and gooseberries better often say that this procedure can also be followed in the spring. However, you should not risk it.
Autumn transplant should be done as follows:
- Dig a trimmed bush from all sides at a distance of at least 30 cm from the gooseberry trunk.
- Chop all thick roots with a sharp ax.
- Using a crowbar and a shovel, remove the shrub from the soil, lay it on a film and relocate to the new planting site.
- Dig a hole the diameter of which will be slightly larger than the gooseberry rhizome. In this case, the depth of the excavation should be approximately 50 cm.
- Pour four buckets of water into the pit.
- Pour the mixture made from the removed soil and compost.
- Set the shrubbery in the recess and fill all the voids with fertile soil.
- Tamp the ground.
- Shed the base of the bush with 3 buckets of water.
Having decided how and when to transplant gooseberries, you should not relax. The plant requires follow-up care.
Mulching
In order for the plant to recover as soon as possible after transplantation, immediately after its final watering, it is necessary to cover the ground with special material. For mulching, you can use:
- Dry peat crumb (it is better to take grassroots).
- Several times rotted manure, which must be carefully chopped.
- Sawdust of deciduous trees. If you use needles, it will oxidize the earth.
- Bark or wood chips.
Mulch helps protect bushes from excessive evaporation of moisture. In addition, weeds will not break through this natural material. At the same time, the mulch layer should be at least 10 cm. Do not be afraid that water will not come through the material.
Mineral fertilizers
Gooseberries take about 1 month to take root. The main sign that the plant normally accepted the move is the appearance of new buds, from which fresh leaves will begin to hatch. If the foliage continues to turn green, this means that the gooseberry has fully taken root and will give a long-awaited crop. A few weeks after this, you can begin to feed the bush. For this, it is best to use nitrogen fertilizers. They contribute to faster and healthier growth of new stems and foliage.
If, deciding when to transplant the gooseberry, the choice fell in favor of spring planting, then the feeding procedures will be the same.
Organic fertilizer
In this case, we will also talk about additives containing nitrogen. Most of it is in bird droppings. However, it is strictly forbidden to use it in its pure form, otherwise the gooseberry may get serious burns or even die. In order not to take risks, you need to carefully dissolve the litter in water and insist it for at least 7 days. The resulting infusion should be poured under the base of the bush in the amount of one bucket per plant. Before fertilizing the mulch must be removed.
Also, according to the reviews of experienced gardeners, it is better to choose top dressing liquid. There is no difference what fertilizers are used (mineral or organic). Before performing the procedure, gooseberries must be carefully watered.
Soil microflora is activated only at positive temperatures. Therefore, it is recommended to feed in April, when the air warms up to +12 degrees. In addition, it is worth considering that microflora should not be used in conjunction with mineral fertilizers.
Chemicals are not recommended, as they begin to mineralize the earth.
Summer plant care
In the hot season, you need to pay special attention to the watering of gooseberries. If it does not rain in the summer, then the shrub should be supplied with water at least twice a week. Such watering continues until July. In the middle of the summer season, it is worthwhile to make water a little less (1 time in 7 days is enough). If the summer is too dry, then it is necessary to shed not only the soil, but also moisten the crown of the bush. This procedure is called sprinkling.
It must be understood that gooseberries “breathe” with the help of the entire surface of the foliage and stems. In the dry period, the tissue of the plant begins to narrow, due to which oxygen penetrates worse into the cells. If you cool the crown with water, it will relax the cell membranes.
You can water the plant only in the early morning, when the sun has not yet begun to burn the bush, or in the late evening, when the street is not so hot. If the water turns into "boiling water", then this can cause irreparable harm to gooseberries.
Preparing for fall and winter
In order for the plant to feel good in the cold season, it is necessary to carry out certain preparatory work. To do this, abundantly water the gooseberries when the ambient temperature drops to +8 degrees. Under each bush, at least 50 liters of water must be added. The plant must receive so much moisture that its nutrients are enough before the snow begins to melt.
In addition, gardeners recommend the introduction of phosphate fertilizers. This will help strengthen the gooseberry rhizome. Then the bush will not freeze much during the cold season.
After this, you need to protect the trunk circle. To do this, fit:
- Dry lawn grass.
- Mowed hay. It is better to sort it out and remove all seeds.
- Sawdust.
- Foliage of healthy plants.
It is not necessary to cover the crown, since it tolerates frosts well without additional protection.
Possible mistakes
Gardeners know whether it is possible to transplant gooseberries, when it is best done, and what measures are required to protect the plant. However, often beginning gardeners make some mistakes:
- A shrub is transplanted as an ordinary seedling. It is important to understand that it is impossible to completely expose the roots of an adult plant. An earthen lump must remain on them. Otherwise, the plant may not take root.
- Water the newly transplanted plant with too cold water. The temperature of the liquid should not be lower than +18 degrees and not more than +25. If the water is cold, then the plant will begin to feel bad, wilt and, ultimately, may die. However, the situation cannot be corrected even with the help of powerful fertilizers. Artesian wells were installed in some areas. The water in them is extremely cold, so it can in no case be used to irrigate gooseberries without preheating. In addition, the soil could get very warm during the day. If iced water is poured onto hot land, this will cause a sharp drop in temperature.
Although gooseberry is a fairly unpretentious plant, it requires periodic watering and top dressing. In this case, he will always delight with a large harvest of large and sweet berries.