Looking for advice!

[Chrissyteacup]

Hey I’m planning on planting in couple of gooseberry bushes and raspberry canes but was looking for tips where’s best/ cheapest to buy from and recommendations of varieties.
I’ve seen them before in places like Aldi but didn’t know if there worth buying there or if I’m better off paying more for them in the long run?

[nickdub]

Hey I’m planning on planting in couple of gooseberry bushes and raspberry canes but was looking for tips where’s best/ cheapest to buy from and recommendations of varieties.
I’ve seen them before in places like Aldi but didn’t know if there worth buying there or if I’m better off paying more for them in the long run?

The main thing is to look hard at the state of the plants. As long as the roots are dampish and the top under the bark if scraped with a thumb nail is green, then you are in with a good chance of them growing .

That being said not all varieties of soft fruit are equal, so if you want particular characteristics it might be worth doing a search or two and reading up about what the different types are like.

BTW propagation of soft fruit is generally pretty easy so if you know anyone who already grows some, it is quite simple to grow some new ones quite quickly.

[Chrissyteacup]

Oh lovely! I tend to shop at Aldi anyway so I’ll keep my eye open for them.
Don’t really know many gardeners Theres a couple at work I’ll ask and my Dad but since he lives in France that’d be a bit tricky!

[bramble]

I Chrissy, I bought my two gooseberry bushes in Aldi, a red and a green one.
I have had a great crop from the red one in particular.
Like Nick said, gooseberries grow very easily from cuttings.

[Jay-ell]

Aldi/Lidle/Moirrisons/Wilko supplied a the majority of my fruit and all the soft fruit bushes (except Joan J Raspberries).

I've a gooseberry I keep meaning to move which started a a pruned stick that got trodden in to the path and red currant bushes that were prunings just pushed into the soil so once you have the starting bushes you can grow more if you like them.

[WeeGarden]

I selected Polka raspberry to grow on my plot because of high yield (my children are berry monsters) and I haven’t been disappointed. The larger berries are about 5g each, sweet and I honestly am not such a connoisseur (nor are my children) to decipher how much better popular varieties such as autumn bliss or Joan J tastes. Would recommend this one.

Gooseberries and currants, I’ve bought front arden centres when they are marked down to £2 at end of season (now?), and taken cuttings from friends so not fussed about variety.

[Jay-ell]

My summer raspberry is Tulameen. I though having an Summer fruiting and Autumn fruiting variety would give a better longer harvest. It does with one niggle - the Tulameen produces an abundant summer crop then goes on to produce an abundant autumn crop together with the Joan J. I had pruned the Joan J to give a summer as well as an autumn crop this year but next year I won't bother.

The outcome of this is that at this time of year my mother stands there shouting at the raspberries every time she goes in and find them covered with ripe red things again (which can be every day).

Two months of harvest left to go.

I'm pretty sure the Tulameen came from Alfi or Lidl as a pack of three. I had them in pots for well over a year till I figured where I was putting them and ended up planting the 2 survivors in 2016 after changing plots and sorting out the Jungle.

The black currants (Ben something or other, I think Ben Lomand but not sure) were bought and planted at the same time. They are productive so my mother shouts at them as well but not as often as they ripen over a short period.

The gooseberries (Hinnonmaki Red) bought at the same time went in a year earlier and are pruned into triple cordons as a hedge. She swears at them - but so do I as they've got thorns. They are, however, gorgeous either green when they're nice and tart or red when they are sweet as sugar.

The rest of the hedge is red currants (Jonkheer van Tets) which as it isn't thorny and because cordons aren't as productive as goblet pruned bushes gets neither sworn at not shouted at.

This year so far I've harvested about £200 worth of fresh raspberries going by Tescos prices, buckets of black currants, a pile of gooseberries and a reasonable amount of red currants for the few bushes - a quantity that's being used but wouldn't have been purchased.

I've made a small fruit bed with 2 blackcurrants, 1 red currant and 1 gooseberries which were all grown from cuttings accidentally propagated.

[Snadger]

If you are after specific named varieties you may have to bite the bullet and buy from a specialist supplier at a premium.

If like me, you just want some soft fruit bushes, which may or may not be named then the above named cheapy shops are fine. Some of these shops forget to water stuff so you need to be picky and choosey.

[Chrissyteacup]

Thanks for all your input! I think from the sounds of your experiences I’ll go down the cheaper route. (It was what I was hoping to hear I just didn’t want to waste my money)
Wow £200 that’s a lot of berry’s I’m impressed Jay! I will hopefully be more productive with everything next year as this year was my first year and I’ve learnt a lot!
I suppose can always upgrade them in the years to come (if we ever stop spending all our money on DIY that is!!) if I’m not happy with them!