I have 6 bushes, varieties are Invicta, Hinnomaki Red and H Green plus a young Leveller which I remember fondly from my dad's allotment inthe 1970s [it had huge sweet yellow fruit]. They are very versatile fruit and I think they make the best fruit fool. When you consider the cost of under ripe ones in supermarkets the value they provide is excellent. These new varieties are mildew resistant and the only problem I have [other than thorns of course] is sawfly, but I find a daily inspection prevents them from defoliating the plant. They are reasonably tolerant of soil types, and of light shade. I would always include gooseberries in any garden
I was surprised at how many varieties there are when I was looking. Chris Bowers has a good range. Of the ones I planted, a hybrid 'worcesterberry' is my favourite - thornless, too - a real boon come picking time!
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
For saw fly give them a winter wash I know that's too late now but next winter it does work I used to use armilatox but can't get it now so use jays fluid. Have to use it on red,white & pink currants, black currents not affected.
Thanks Logan, I've made a note of that I have raspberries also that have been in a few years now, they are fairly rampant on their own but always up for tips!
Bought 2 Hinnomaki Red last month, first time for Gooseberries. Looks like a great year for Blackcurrents, in a fruit cage, so hopefully we get to eat them and not the Birds.
So I'm doing something right with my raspberries! they are rampant with me not touching apart from the yearly prune! Saved myself a fortune on softfruit! Thanks Logan, although I did just realise where I'd heard of jays fluid, we had a spate of cat poisonings and disappeances in Ipswich recently and it was mentioned as a likely suspect, apparently, like antifreeze, jays fluid is both attractive and deadly to cats!
As the owner of two particularly stupid cats I don't think I'm gonna risk that one!
WonkyWomble with the antifreeze it was probably put in the water for the birds,the winter wash won't hurt the cats you're just spraying the bushes they won't be able to drink it.
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I have 6 bushes, varieties are Invicta, Hinnomaki Red and H Green plus a young Leveller which I remember fondly from my dad's allotment inthe 1970s [it had huge sweet yellow fruit]. They are very versatile fruit and I think they make the best fruit fool. When you consider the cost of under ripe ones in supermarkets the value they provide is excellent. These new varieties are mildew resistant and the only problem I have [other than thorns of course] is sawfly, but I find a daily inspection prevents them from defoliating the plant. They are reasonably tolerant of soil types, and of light shade. I would always include gooseberries in any garden
I was surprised at how many varieties there are when I was looking. Chris Bowers has a good range. Of the ones I planted, a hybrid 'worcesterberry' is my favourite - thornless, too - a real boon come picking time!
Thanks Logan, I've made a note of that
I have raspberries also that have been in a few years now, they are fairly rampant on their own but always up for tips!
Hi Logan, thanks for the tip, do you use the Jeyes fluid undiluted?
I have noticed that sawfly seem to prefer green gooseberry varieties to red ones in my garden, anyone else come across that?
Bought 2 Hinnomaki Red last month, first time for Gooseberries. Looks like a great year for Blackcurrents, in a fruit cage, so hopefully we get to eat them and not the Birds.
So I'm doing something right with my raspberries!
they are rampant with me not touching apart from the yearly prune! Saved myself a fortune on softfruit! Thanks Logan, although I did just realise where I'd heard of jays fluid, we had a spate of cat poisonings and disappeances in Ipswich recently and it was mentioned as a likely suspect, apparently, like antifreeze, jays fluid is both attractive and deadly to cats!
As the owner of two particularly stupid cats I don't think I'm gonna risk that one!