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gooseberries

biofreakbiofreak Posts: 1,089

At last thanks to your advice re prevention of sawfly I have gooseberries galore!!! BUT when do I crop them? How do I know when they are ready?

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Posts

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    biofreak Try gently squeezing them if they're soft there ready, I think it will be next month
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Taste them. If they are large but sour they are ideal for cooking. But if you like to eat them raw leave until fully ripe.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I've just picked every other one of mine at the sharp green stage - they're going to make a lovely gooseberry and elderflower pie - the rest will stay on the bush to ripen into sweet golden yellow globes of loveliness (Hinnonmaki Yellow).  The bush has been surrounded by seaside windmills stuck into the ground putting the fear of God into the blackbirds (well, that's the theory ... image).


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Invicta2Invicta2 Posts: 663

    I have 5 gooseberry bushes and 4 black currant bushes and birds have never shown an interest in either of these fruits. The only fruit I have to net are strawberries [I dont have any tree fruit]. Is this because I live in a suburb rather than out in the country?

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    At the moment the blackbirds are concentrating on trying to get the live mealworms we put out for the robins and their fledglings - don't think the've noticed the goosegogs yet ........  Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!  image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • biofreakbiofreak Posts: 1,089

    At the expense of upsetting other threads - get a Cat!!!!! Boots the bengal is a godsend. Last year the few gooseberries I had dropped off and were very hard still - hence the question. Will try a few this w/e. Thank you.

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