Anyone else got Gossegogs yet?

[leicestershirelass]

I think
The sawfly pupae are in the ground around the base of the gooseberry bushes.
In the winter dig this up and turn around the soil and the birds will have a feast.

......... or maybe let the chucks loose on them ...........

[Sanjo]

Haven't seen any buggy bits. Had our first pick of gooseberries for dessert last night. Fair size for early ones and they were delicious. Picked, poached and eaten with half an hour. Can't be bad. Doesn't seem as many on the bush as previously though. Ah well!

[littlewin]

I've got a few but they are very small, but I am delighted all the same !

[Farmer_Gyles]

got loads of gooseberries on my bushes - how do i know when they're ready? pick one and eat it? could eat loads before they're properly ready ....
i've got 3 varieties and no time to do anything with them - should i just freeze them straight from the plant?

[southlondongardener]

Haven't seen any buggy bits. Had our first pick of gooseberries for dessert last night. Fair size for early ones and they were delicious. Picked, poached and eaten with half an hour. Can't be bad. Doesn't seem as many on the bush as previously though. Ah well!

That is very early are these desert ones which are semi-ripe ?
Where do you live ?
What variety are they ?

[Sanjo]

Sorry SouthLondonGardener, haven't got a clue what they are. We put them in several years ago. They show no sign of blushing at the moment but do go pinkish later on. We live in Essex. As they were a fair size we picked them. Usually we have loads and the excess I bottle in Kilner jars. It's great in the middle of winter to say quite casually that I'm just going to make a gooseberry crumble from the gooseberries from our garden. I had hoped to make some jam this year but as I said in my earlier reply we don't have so many this year. We have two bushes which are well established. Sanjo

[southlondongardener]

Quick question do they taste nicer than shop ones ?
I am growing them for the first time this year. When I buy them from the shops they are not that nice but my late gran many years ago had lovely gooseberries in her garden.

[parrot1974]

Coooo you lucky b*ggers... I jut have healthy leaf growth here

Me too Not even a sign of a flower this year!

[Lavenderblue]

daft question number 800 - how do you know when they are ripe without actually eating one?

[Michelle]

I haven't got any flowers on mine either... looks very healthy and green though. It's a Pax.

It spent its first year on the lotty and didn't do a lot but I had to dig it up and put it on a pot when we gave up the plot last year. I was hoping to have a garden to plant it in by now, but no such luck, so it's just living in my parents' garden on the patio.

Do you think I've upset it by keeping it in a pot?!

[Mrs Dobby]

daft question number 800 - how do you know when they are ripe without actually eating one?

No idea, we tried one the other day, a bit unripe yet methinks, if the looks on both our faces are to be believed! Just wish I'd got a piccy of Mr D's fave! loL!

[Demeter]

daft question number 800 - how do you know when they are ripe without actually eating one?

Depending on the variety, they will change colour a bit when ready to eat. Mine are invicta and go to a more mellow / yellow green rather than the acidy green they are before they are ready.

Also try having a feel. They soften a little when ready, and also they should come quite easily off the plant. If you tug it gently and the berry resists coming off then it's not ready yet.

[janto]

hi been picking the last 3 weeks bit sharp first week but now the crumble and tarts flowing well.

[Farmer_Gyles]

thanks dementer - thats what i needed to know too
can i bag and freeze them straight from the plant? i'll be cooking most of them ...

[Robbyboy1974]

Looked at my Gooseberry bush a couple of days ago. Loads of gooseberries on it, so feeling excited.

Just gone out now, and something has stripped all the leaves off my gooseberry bush. No leaves on it at all.

The fruit is still there. As they are all pretty big now, i've picked them and put them on the windowsill hoping they will ripen.

Does anybody know what could have stripped all the leafage? the same thing happened last year, but i lost the fruit last year aswell.