first goosegogs

[solway cropper]

I haven't bothered much with the fruit this last few weeks as it tends to look after itself and anyway I've been too busy trying to protect tatties and tender veg from the frost. Well, this afternoon I noticed a profusion of small gooseberries on the bushes....won't be long now. We're having rhubarb crumble for pud on Sunday with the first fruit of the year (yes, I know it's a veg). Then soon it'll be strawbs, blackcurrants, rasps, plums......

Half the fun of growing your own is the anticipation.

[binley100]

Our goosgogs don't weem to be as prolific as last year (my pruning p'haps)
but the raspberries have loads of buds on them

[Jeanied]

Mine are the size of small redcurrants at the moment - and I'm so proud of them!!

[sarraceniac]

Our goosgogs don't weem to be as prolific as last year (my pruning p'haps)
but the raspberries have loads of buds on them

I reckon that the goosegogs have been knocked back a bit by the hard winter Binley. Although of course they are fully hardy ( even here in the frozen north mine are about the same size as Jeanied's) raspberries seem to love cold. Mine are in full flower. I also hadn't bothered much with the fruit this year, as yet, but this thread made me rush out to take stock. The currants are all loaded with flowers, the cooking gbs have nice looking baby fruits, the dessert gbs are not quite as far on but are showing promise. Early straws laden with flowers but my Camb. favs. are not showing signs of fruiting yet. Early rasps looking good. The two new bushes, a jostaberry and a black goosegog only went in this winter so I won't get fruit this year but they have taken well. In trees, my new Morello, only planted December, is laden with blossom, my Rene Descadres russet apple has been in for 3 years and is blossoming for the first time, FB says it can be a bit difficult, but my new in March Egremont russet is already blossoming . The quince bush has blossomed well and has some fruit on but not the 3 year old tree this year. The medlar looks like the blossom is just arriving, can't wait to start bletting in November.

Yes, the anticipation is nearly as much fun as the harvesting.

[gojiberry]

My gooseberries are fully loaded this year and I was even thinking I would have to thin them out. They are gaining weight all the time and are about the size of blackcurrants if not a bit bigger.

Ian

[northepaul]

I bought two gooseberries last year, though one was actually a gift from the company I bought my damson from - long story.
The one which was a gift has loads of tiny gooseberries on, () the other has none...?
My rasberries - I have some tulameen which are growing like crazy, some polka which are still sticks and not come to life yet...(could be dead) and two allgold which are also going mad.
My blueberries are covered in flowers and bees.
My redcurrant a small amount of green fruit, but its only a baby...wasnt expecting anything at all.

[janeyo]

Can I butt in and ask if you need 2 bushes for polination? I have one, in a large pot bought early this year and it has put on masses of growth but no sign of any fruit?
Thanks

[lindyloo]

i am so jeolous!!! i cant seem to grow gooseberries very well, and my blueberry which i bought this year, has not really done a great deal of growing either.

[Flummery]

Can I butt in and ask if you need 2 bushes for polination? I have one, in a large pot bought early this year and it has put on masses of growth but no sign of any fruit?
Thanks

No - one will do. It might prefer more than a pot.

[Mick O]

The 90 year old lady next door has a goosgog that produces loads of fruit every year. Have been given small self seeded plant. Took down allotment after work today. Raspberries have loads of buds so hoping for good crop.

[scripted]

I've got gooseberries about an inch in length and about half an inch wide.
currents are looking good but have had a bit of greenfly. ( anyone else? )
my stella cherry looks good and i have flowers on my blueberry but it looks a bit ill at the moment.

[binley100]

My goosgogs may not have so many berreis this year but they're certainly producing lots of icky green caterpillers. Two days now we''ve been picking them off.

[Brengirl]

My goosegog is a grafted half standard Invicta. It's in a large container outside my kitchen door next to the peach. It has not produced a lot of new growth but it does a least have about 1lb fruit - more than last year.