How to Grow:
It is best to plant gooseberries after your last spring frost or 8 weeks before your first fall frost. You can see specific dates for your location using our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App.
Gooseberries are planted a few inches deeper than the pot they are transplanted from. It is not common to plant these within a square foot garden, but if it is kept trimmed, you can plant it with at least 2 square feet. Gooseberries will need a trellis that is in the full sun to part shade to thrive. Take care to notice what plants are around the area as well, see the companion plant section below. Water regularly.
Companion Plants:
Companion planting is a vital part of organic gardening. Companion plants assist in the growth of others by attracting beneficial insects, repelling pests, or providing nutrients, shade, or support. There are also plants that do not like being next to each other. Some plants get too tall and can provide too much shade for your plant. Sometimes certain plants attract the same pests, so it is important to try and separate these. Herbs are especially great companion plants because they help to repel pests from your other plants!
| Good | Bad | |
| Beans (Bush & Pole) | Mint | Potatoes |
| Chamomile | Nasturtiums | |
| Chives | Oregano | |
| Kiwi | Peas | |
| Marigolds | Tarragon | |
| Marjoram | Tomatoes (Bush & Vine) | |
See companion plants for 80+ foods in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web app!
Pests:
Pests can be one of the most difficult challenges you face in the garden. We strive to grow food without the use of pesticide and luckily there are natural solutions for most of these nasty pests! The pests listed below are common pests for gooseberries:
Learn more about how to manage pests and attract beneficial insects in our FREE iOS, Android, and Universal Web App!
Harvesting:
Gooseberries will begin to produce fruit within 2-3 years after transplanting. It’s best to wear gloves while you harvest to protect yourself from the thorns. Harvest gooseberries in early summer around June to July. You can simply pull the berries off stems or shake branches to dislodge the ripe berries from the stems to the ground.
Cooking & Eating!
Learn more about growing over 80 different foods, including how to manage various pests in our FREE iOS, Android, or new Universal Web App!
5 thoughts on “Gooseberries: How to Grow and When to Plant in Your Backyard or Patio Garden!”
Like the currants, these only became available here recently. Prior to that, we would have mail ordered them. They are so much better than the natives that make almost no berries.