Gooseberries anyone?

I just received a Trixa Gooseberry and will plant it this weekend (weather permitting). I think that they will fruit in the shade - but I haven't a very good idea as to how big it will be or whether it will need a trellis. Anyone have some advice for me?

No trellis needed. Will eventually be as much as 4 ft across.

Like Lucky says, they are a shrub sort of plant with many leaders. The only thing I would add is that Gooseberries are one host for White Pine blister, a fatal diesese of Pinus strobus. If you have white pines and notice the symptoms klisted in the link below, you may have to choose between the pines and the Ribes (Gooseberries and related plants.)
http://www.forestpathology.org/dis_wpbr.html

By the way, the variety name is "Tixia".
I've got some cuttings of it rooting this spring, courtesy of my friend Ed, who formerly operated Northumberland Berryworks and was head of The International Ribes Association. It's one of his favorites, but it'll have to go in a shady spot here, as the only gooseberries that can take full sun in my hot zone 6 are Pixwell and Glendale.

I'm bumping this beacuse I need information on pruning my gooseberry. How does it fruit - old wood - new wood - I couldn't tell this year. BTW - I ate them fresh and froze some to make a bit of jam with.

I have been told that Tixa is currently patented and propagation is illegal. I have one of them and have been disappointed in the quality of the fruit. While it is large, it never sweetens up for me and fruits tend to drop before I pick them. If you use the fruit for cooking and pick before fully ripe, this should not be a problem. For pruning gooseberries, a good source is Lee Reich's Uncommon Fruits book. There are many other kinds that taste better.

I have that book! That is how I discovered gooseberries in the first place.

Does it answer your questions about pruning?

I will have to find the book and look it up. (I was hoping for an instant answer, though.) :)

Sorry, its not a simple answer and Lee does a good job discussing the various options. For what its worth, you don't need to worry much about pruning for a year or two.

I'm going on year three, so I better make find the book - and reading it - a winter project! Now I need to find out why my elderberries didn't have but a couple of blooms - I put them in last fall and they are huge but only a few flowers.

Gooseberries can be winter pruned, so you have time.