Gooseberries used to take up a precious chunk of ground in our allotment so we decided to experiment a bit. Instead of planting gooseberry bushes straight into the ground, we tried growing them in large pots.

They established really well, grew strongly, and produced a great crop. Having them in pots came with some unexpected benefits. We could position them exactly where they got the best light, move them if needed, and keep a closer eye on watering and feeding. It also made pruning and harvesting much easier, not to mention easier netting to keep the pigeons away! When we had them in the ground and thought we could wait another day to net, we usually found that they were completely stripped the next day!

We like to grow gooseberries because they’re so versatile and we don’t often see them in the shops. They’re great for crumbles, pies, and jams and even eaten straight off the plant, if they’ve sweetened up!

We grow red and white gooseberries and some good varieties to try are Invicta, Leveller and Hinnonmaki. They provide consistent yields and are hardy and self-fertile.

Gooseberries are really easy to take cuttings from too. Hardwood cuttings can be taken in late autumn/early winter or softwood/semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Take a 15 to 20cm cutting, remove lower leaves, insert into moist soil or pots and water well. They root really easily!

Pots are a great option if you’re short on space, whether that’s on an allotment or even in a small garden. As long as the container is big enough, filled with good compost, and watered regularly, gooseberries are really happy. We’d highly recommend giving gooseberries in pots a go. We’re really glad we did!