Gooseberries

littlewelshgardener · « **on:** May 15, 2007, 21:52 »

I have recently taken over a new allotment which has some gooseberry bushes. They are now covered in fruit, one bush has fruit that have a red tint the others are green. How do I know when they are ready to be picked?

WG. · « **Reply #1 on:** May 15, 2007, 21:55 »

Hi LWG & welcome to the forum. Someone will be along with an answer for you very soon

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #2 on:** May 15, 2007, 22:10 »

Taste one

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** May 15, 2007, 22:13 »

Not very helpful that

try this:

Most varieties of Gooseberry bush produce both cooking and eating gooseberries - those for cooking being harvested earlier than those for eating.

In order to encourage the best berries, pick about 10% of the fruit in May time when they are pea-sized, these can be used for cooking. This will encourage the remaining fruits to become larger.

When the gooseberries look ready for harvest in July time, first pick those fruits which are shaded at the bottom and in the middle of the bush - these will be the first to stop improving. Leave the fruits on the outer edges of the bush to be picked a week or so later.

I love gooseberries

ruffmesiter_69 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 16, 2007, 08:33 »

Quote from: "Aunt Sally"

Not very helpful that

try this:

Most varieties of Gooseberry bush produce both cooking and eating gooseberries - those for cooking being harvested earlier than those for eating.

In order to encourage the best berries, pick about 10% of the fruit in May time when they are pea-sized, these can be used for cooking. This will encourage the remaining fruits to become larger.

When the gooseberries look ready for harvest in July time, first pick those fruits which are shaded at the bottom and in the middle of the bush - these will be the first to stop improving. Leave the fruits on the outer edges of the bush to be picked a week or so later.

I love gooseberries

perfect advice, couldnt agree more,

mum of 3 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 16, 2007, 08:59 »

we too have loads of gooseberries on our bush,cant wait to get the crumbles made

yummy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 16, 2007, 20:51 »

I read the same advice page a couple of days ago and went down the plot to pick some off.

Mine are a mixture of green and red tinged at the moment too.

Little Miss Muffet · « **Reply #7 on:** May 16, 2007, 21:45 »

i like gooseberrys straight from the bush when there wipe they are excellent raw.cant stand them cooked

fatgit · « **Reply #8 on:** May 16, 2007, 21:50 »

We have a black gooseberry bush, and as I've never even seen a black gooseberry before, I kept leaving it last year, as I didnt know if they were ripe or not - in the end, I decided to try one and see, and they were perfect.
The problem was, the birds and squirrels had decided they were perfect too, and all I got off the bush was 1/2 a pound.

So, don't leave it too late!

Oliver · « **Reply #9 on:** May 29, 2007, 11:21 »

Quote from: "Little Miss Muffet"

i like gooseberrys straight from the bush when there ripe they are excellent raw. can't stand them cooked

Agree - they are horrible cooked! Sour too.
But wait for them to fatten up and go sort of translucent , with slight red patches, nice and fat and juicey - they are something else and they taste sweetly yummy - even the kids who visit our plot are impressed - they eat them straight from the bush. July time. But don't hang about because I have seen blackbirds eat them WHOLE - well he smaller ones!

The red ones (Whinham's Industry) are 'dessert' goosegogs and make lovely jam and wine, but are perfect for eating raw. They are usually quite big too.
O
By the way - they are quite liked by gooseberry sawfly too - this is a little black fly that lays its eggs on the plant (they are TINY). and when the eggs hatch hundreds of tiny caterpillars emerge and eat EVERYTHING. They can strip a bush of leaves, buds, baby fruits, the lot. There is not much you can do about this - but the next year things should be ok. We have only had this happen twice in 30 years, but it looks pretty startling when it happens! Just thought you might like to know. Olly

MoreWhisky · « **Reply #10 on:** November 26, 2009, 21:40 »

Ive got my bushes in now ) , can someone tell me do these need netting next summer to keep the birds off?

Cheers MW

Christine · « **Reply #11 on:** November 27, 2009, 21:07 »

Yes.

MoreWhisky · « **Reply #12 on:** November 28, 2009, 00:04 »

Thanks Christine another thing on next yrs to do list )

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