rebecca, how can you grow something but never try it!!?? Elderflowers have great affinity with gooseberries. There are many recipes for using gooseberries, sweet and one or two savoury.
Get out there today and pick some. Cook something with them. And taste them.
I know, it was always something the "grown ups" ate, so i never tried it. The mother in law usually has them now. I just grow things because i love growing things! I do love elder flowers and berries though. I will try some gooseberries when they are softer as i tend to like sweet things. Ive learnt a lot today thanks for posting Jennie
I make gooseberry wine and blend it with elderflower wine. The gooseberry on its own is bit acidic, but it blends beautifully with the elderflower and makes a lovely wine.
That sounds like a question for Dove! I just use horse manure on mine each year, i did have some carbon gold soil improver last year which seems good. They also occassionally get a foilar feed of sm3 or liquid seaweed, but thats usually by accident!
So many people seem to have never tasted gooseberries. No idea why, when i was young i used to pick my granddads, and now grow my own. I've never understood why they shops never sell them either.. I assume it's because they are so easy to grow yourself that anyone who wants them just grows their own.
Aled: they do well with garden compost and some wood ash to provide extra potassium (which helps fruit formation - use it in early spring when they're getting going). And, like all fruits, lots of water when the fruit's swelling, i.e. now. If it ever stops raining where you are.
Gooseberry jam is my fave but unfortunately the sawfly larvae like the leaves even more than I like the fruit
Agree about picking half now and half later. Alternate fruits along the branch.
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Invicta is a cooking variety so in my experience the fruits don't soften much - you could pick some now and leave some to get a bit riper.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks dove
rebecca, how can you grow something but never try it!!?? Elderflowers have great affinity with gooseberries. There are many recipes for using gooseberries, sweet and one or two savoury.
Get out there today and pick some. Cook something with them. And taste them.
I make gooseberry wine and blend it with elderflower wine. The gooseberry on its own is bit acidic, but it blends beautifully with the elderflower and makes a lovely wine.
What's the best fertilizer to use on gooseberry?
So many people seem to have never tasted gooseberries. No idea why, when i was young i used to pick my granddads, and now grow my own. I've never understood why they shops never sell them either.. I assume it's because they are so easy to grow yourself that anyone who wants them just grows their own.
I have to admit i expected them to be sour, so just never bothered. Have promised to try them this year.
Very interested in all of this wine making talk tho!
Aled: they do well with garden compost and some wood ash to provide extra potassium (which helps fruit formation - use it in early spring when they're getting going). And, like all fruits, lots of water when the fruit's swelling, i.e. now. If it ever stops raining where you are.
Gooseberry jam is my fave but unfortunately the sawfly larvae like the leaves even more than I like the fruit
Agree about picking half now and half later. Alternate fruits along the branch.