# Gooseberries



## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

*gooseberries*

Wow-you must have really nice gooseberry bushes. Mostly the critters get my gooseberries so I only get a few of them. The Invicta gooseberry is my favorite bush, pixwell and hinamachi are okay, welcome is okay also.
Glad you get lots of berries. I am envious.


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

*gooseberries*

power napper,what kind of critters get your berries?I!ve never had any thing bother mine.I made a mistake three years ago,my bushes were 5ft. apart in both directions,well my bushes grew to 41/2 to 5ft. around and I couldn!t mow between them,so I put black plastic down and around under the plants and wood chips on top of the plastic.To make a long story short I!ve lost 2 bushes and some of the others look like they have a blight?I am taking up the plastic now and hope this will bring them back.I don!t remember what kind these were I bought them in the sixties and have started many plants off of them over the years.They get as big as your thumb nail and bare heavy.Just thought I!d warn people about plastic mulch on gooseberries.


----------



## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

Brooks b
Are you saying mulch in general isnt liked by the gooseberries? I transplanted some gooseberry bushes from my folks place last year and also planted a couple of late sale bushes from Starks and they didnt do that well at all last year! I mulched them real heavy w/ shredded trees mulch. I did read I should have cut them way back but they looked so pitiful I didnt want to stress them more than needed. I have all sorts of wild goosberries around here. Thorns are good and sharp thats for sure!!! but the fruits are tiny.


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

*gooseberries*

Zane,I think I got the plastic to tight around the plants.I ask the Extension agent one time, about plastic mulch around blueberries to keep the weeds out, and he said not to do it?I can!t remember why,I!ll have to contact him and find out.I!m thinking it applies to gooseberries to?If I find out I!ll post it.:scratch:


----------



## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

So are they very good to eat?


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

*gooseberries*

Magnet-man,WHAT never ate gooseberrie cobbler? that!s unamerican.(just kidding) I can!t think of anything to compare it with for taste,except maybe rubarb pie.any help out there:scratch:Jack


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

The only fresh fruit on the planet I am allergic to is gooseberries, and my farm is inundated with them.

I can have them cooked, mom used to make gooseberry jelly and pies, I didn't care for either when I was little, I wish I could try it again. 

I remember that the green ones would make you pucker up. I had my son eat some of them to see if he was allergic, he really liked the purple ones.


----------



## pgmrdan (Nov 20, 2007)

magnet-man said:


> So are they very good to eat?


In my experience I've found that people either love them or hate them. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground. Fortunately, I love them and now that I have some ground to plant them I need to get a bunch of bushes. I did find a wild bush on my place this summer as I was clearing ground for my apiary. I'll need to transplant it this spring.

brooksbeefarm, where did you purchase your bushes? Starks? (Aren't they in MO?)

Thanks,
Dan


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

*gooseberry plants*

Pgmrdan,I bought my plants in 1965 from a nursery(sorry I don!t remember their name)it could of been stark bro!s?.I have bought plants from these two places and had good luck with them (healthy plants)
Stark Bro!s Nurseries
PO box 1800,Louisiana,Mo. 63353 Ph.1-800-325-4180

Pense Nursery inc.
2318 hwy 71 N.E. Mountainburg, AR. 72946
Ph. 479-369-2494

Ask for their Catalog. Good luck


----------



## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

*Goosberries*

Brooksbee- The blueberries and plastic thing makes sense because they have a wide root structure and need lots of water(but not too much!) We mulch ALOT around the bluberries, maybee the Gooseberries are the same way? I have a ton of wild gooseberries(my son likes em the greener the better!) and they sure have the thorns and I also have 3 tame. 2, I bought from Starks a few years back when I was passing through there. FYI-They have some really good in-house sales in Aug. around school start time. I am courious about the purple goosberry. I think its a pixwell? Anyone try it and like it? I have a neighbor that said they produce very large berries and I thought they are thornless? maybe I just wish the thorns to be gone! I had to buy my goosberries again this year but we always have gooseberry pie and ice cream on the next couple Holidays. The jam is the greatest. Wakes you up in the morning on toast!


----------



## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

Brooksbee- The blueberries and plastic thing makes sense because they have a wide root structure and need lots of water(but not too much!) We mulch ALOT around the bluberries, maybee the Gooseberries are the same way? I have a ton of wild goosberries(my son likes em the greener the better!) and they sure have the thorns and I also have 3 tame. 2 I bought from Starks a few years back when I was passing through there. FYI-They have some really good in-house sales in Aug. around school start time. I am courious about the purple goosberry. I think its a pixwell? Anyone try it and like it? I have a neighbor that said they produce very large berries and I thought they are thornless? maybe I just wish the thorns to be gone! I had to buy my goosberries again this year but we always have gooseberry pie on the next couple Holidays. They jam is the greatest. Wakes you up in the morning on toast!


----------



## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

Brooksbee- The blueberries and plastic thing makes sense because they have a wide root structure and need lots of water(but not too much!) We mulch ALOT around the bluberries, maybee the Gooseberries are the same way? I have a ton of wild goosberries(my son likes em the greener the better!) and they sure have the thorns and I also have 3 tame. 2 I bought from Starks a few years back when I was passing through there. FYI-They have some really good in-house sales in Aug. around school start time. I am courious about the purple goosberry. I think its a pixwell? Anyone try it and like it? I have a neighbor that said they produce very large berries and I thought they are thornless? maybe I just wish the thorns to be gone! I had to buy my goosberries again this year but we always have gooseberry pie on the next couple Holidays. They jam is the greatest. Wakes you up in the morning on toast!


----------



## Dave Burrup (Jul 22, 2008)

*Black plastic*

Plastic used as a mulch will often times smother the root system of the plants it is around. Some plants do not have a problem with this. It is much better to use landscape fabric. It is pourous and will last for many years.


----------



## brooksbeefarm (Apr 13, 2008)

*gooseberries*

For those who don!t know,if you or someone you know has a good gooseberry plant and you want one like it. Dig a little trench under the bush and pull one of the limbs down(leave attached to bush) and cover it in the trench. I usally put a rock or brick on top to keep the wind from blowing it out of the ground.In a few weeks it will take root and you can cut it lose on transplant it.I have some in the ground now and will transplant them in the spring.Works great,Good luck.Jack


----------



## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

brooksbeefarm said:


> Magnet-man,WHAT never ate gooseberrie cobbler? that!s unamerican.(just kidding) I can!t think of anything to compare it with for taste,except maybe rubarb pie.any help out there:scratch:Jack


I never have had rhubarb pie even though I listen to Prairie Home Companion.


----------



## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

Magnet-Man,

You should have come to the NEOBA christmas party last year. I brought a brisket cooked in rhubarb and honey that was pretty good stuff. 

Neil


----------



## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

NeilV said:


> Magnet-Man,
> 
> You should have come to the NEOBA christmas party last year. I brought a brisket cooked in rhubarb and honey that was pretty good stuff.
> 
> Neil


Are you going to do a repeat performance?


----------



## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

MmMMM made a great goosberry pie and a crisp w/ the leftover filling!!!! Sure was fun having Thanksgiving early this year!!!! Also had some deer minced meat pie! real good and my first actual "meat" pie.


----------

