American gooseberry (
Ribes hirtellum
), European gooseberry (
R. uva crispa
) and wild gooseberry (
R.
spp.) are all extremely hardy deciduous shrubs. They grow arching stems to 5 feet tall and 6 feet wide; most are thorny.
The foliage is medium-green and hawthornlike with small, greenish flowers. The fruit is borne singly and varies from 1/2 inch to about 1 inch in diameter.
Gooseberries are self-pollinating and bear the second or third year after planting. They'll bear from 20 to 50 years.
I have grown gooseberries in full sun and in part shade. I've had best luck with eastern exposure where the berries get morning sun to dry off and shelter from the hot afternoon sun.
The site should have
well-drained soil with a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. Avoid windy sites and frost pockets. To plant, you can't just dig a hole. Rather, you need to prepare a site. Dig in organic material but avoid much nitrogen, which can cause abundant growth that is vulnerable to powdery mildew. A balanced fertilizer is needed about every three to four years.
Gooseberries bear fruit
between mid-June and mid-July. To produce the largest, sweetest fruit and healthiest plants, allow them plenty of room and thin to keep them open.
Plant them as cheaper, bare-root plants
in late winter or later as container plants. Plant about an inch deeper than they grew in the nursery to help produce basal branching. Then apply a 2-inch mulch of organic material to combat weeds, retain moisture and feed the plant.
Prune gooseberries
in late winter before new growth begins. Fruit is produced on new wood and on spurs on two- and three-year-old wood. Leave two to three each of one-year, two-year and three-year canes for good crops. Eight to 10 canes is good. Gooseberries may also be pruned as a standard (with all the growth atop a long stem.)
Gooseberries make
good foundation or container plants. They can also be draped from atop retaining walls or used as thorny barriers. Plant them under spreading trees or in shady beds. Areas at the base of downspouts can be planted with gooseberries, as long as the site is well-drained.
Each plant will produce
three to five quarts of gooseberries a year. The fresh berries are reminiscent of rhubarb. However, the tart berries sweeten some as they ripen and are perfect for pies, preserves, sauces, cobblers and jellies. Very ripe berries should be used for desserts and under-ripe berries for preserves and sauce. Your harvest can also be pickled or frozen. Add elderberry flowers to your favorite gooseberry recipe to create a heavenly muscat flavor.
VARIETIES
'Invicta.'
Large, fine-flavored, green fruit on highly mildew-resistant, thorny bush. From England.
'Friend.'
Thornless variety from Ukraine, medium-large yellow berries sweet enough to eat fresh.
-- Vern Nelson
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