standard gooseberry

[johhnyco15]

after the thinning

[johhnyco15]

[BarriedaleNick]

Looks fabulous!

[Digeroo]

That is very impressive.

[johhnyco15]

thanks for the replys its good to get a pat on the back from fellow  plot holders once in a while here is a pic of the thinnings

[clumsy]

Wow they do look fabulous.

[Duke Ellington]

How tall is it?

[ed dibbles]

What a great crop of gooseberries. Growing as a standard, or espalier as I do, means the bonus of far fewer pricked fingers and scratched hands at harvest time than bush trained ones as I'm sure you will testify.

You also obviously have the pruning right as the other thing to note is that from the photograph the fruit is clearly being borne on short spurs on the older branches. This years new growth is growing upward above the ripening fruit from the photograph's perspective.

Pruning all the current years growth down to a couple of buds every winter will not only keep the standard's shape, reduce pruning in subsequent years, and also produce bumper crops like yours every year. (but of course you already know that. )

Thanks for sharing you super achievement with us.

[johhnyco15]

How tall is it?

hi duke its around 4  1\2 foot tall and around 4ft across its 6 years old and ed yes picking is a breeze just lift and pick i tend to prune as soon as the new wood cures so most of the effort of the plant goes into next years buds  as you see in the pic below lift and pick but i still get  nipped every now and then but it is easy

[Jayb]

Wow, what a stunning looking gooseberry 
I had no idea you could grow them as a standard, how do you start one off, does it take ages to get it producing?

[strawberry1]

crikey, that is lovely. Mine have legs but now I am thinking a much better stake and making the legs longer. Much easier for picking and fewer cat scratches on my arms

[johhnyco15]

Wow, what a stunning looking gooseberry 
I had no idea you could grow them as a standard, how do you setart one off, does it take ages to get it producing?

get a straight shoot cut all the rest off rub off all the buds in 3 seasons it should be at a reasonable height the one in the pic is 6 years old and i get a crop like that every year