Well, the truth is I hate gooseberries - cooked, that is. They actually send my taste buds into active revolt, probably more so than Brussels sprouts. Raw, however, that’s a whole different kettle of berries! I like them just before they are ripe, so not too sweet and still a little firm and tart.
So now it’s time to give my gooseberry bush a bit of a haircut (aka pruning) - a prickly task to say the least and one for a brave heart and good, padded gloves if you’ve got some! The idea is to remove any dead, diseased or crossing branches, creating a kind of goblet shape. This will allow for plenty of air to circulate, thereby helping to guard against diseases and giving the dreaded gooseberry sawfly no place to hide. These nasties will decimate the foliage on your gooseberry bush in days. Cut back the branches by a third down to an upward-facing bud. Go careful though - those goosegog thorns really do bite!