When and how should Gooseberry bushes be pruned?

[Kos]

I've never cut mine back and they just keep growing, but rather than hack them back to nothing and starting again I would be grateful for advice on the proper way to do it.

[Whoever]

Next season's fruit will grow on this year's growth, so depending on how bushy they have grown, you may want to just trim each stalk back a little. If the bush is very dense you can trim some stems out in the middle to let more air and light in which helps prevent disease and speeds up the ripening process. Alternatively, you can cut some stems out altogether, although this is not the orthodox way of pruning. I find that however I prune my gooseberry bushes, they still seem to thrive. I normally prune back in the autumn after all the leaves have died and dropped off, so that it's easier to see exactly what you are doing.