Cape Gooseberries

[Jelliebabe]

Is anyone else growing Cape Gooseberries this year? I can just see my very first flower coming on 2 of mine! When do they fruit?

Having looked only yesterday on the search threads, I wish I had done this before as I didnt realise they were such big plants - I got the seeds from another grape who wrote on the packet that they "grow big" I was expecting a coupla feet but apparently they grow 4-6 feet! Oooops! And I've growing 4!!!

[lettucegrow!]

Ooh, mine are still only about 4'' but think that's cos I used Arthur bower dirt which has proved not be very good for lots of my seeds this year. Back to b&q stuff next year!

[Paulieb]

I've got 3 plants grown from seed (from Real seeds), and they're chugging away nicely but still only small, 6 inches tall and 8 inches wide.

All 3 are in big pots (40cm wide), cos limited on ground space, so will be interested to see how they go. Will try to get one in the ground if I can tho.

Never grown them before either.

[kingkano]

I've got 3 plants going, still quite small although they all have a couple of fruits on. When I grew them previously they did end up massive plants! 6ft tall sounds about right and very bushy.

[ginger ninger]

I've grown these in the past, all I can say is...


...They take over the world

Mine perished with powdery mildew, but not until I'd had lb's of fruit off it. If I remember rightly I was picking them till October time. Lovely dipped in melted chocolate.

I've found this quote:-

" The fruits are usually picked from the plants by hand every 2 to 3 weeks, although some growers prefer to shake the plants and gather the fallen fruits from the ground in order to obtain those of more uniform maturity". Hope this helps.

[greasyfire]

Im only growing one bought plant since my cat trampled my cape gooseberry seeds and tomatillo seeds

[pjh75]

Really?! 6ft? These are my two... tried with them before but this is the first time they germinated. The pots are 10", I thought they would just stay in those pots in the greenhouse... I guess not.

[kingkano]

In a greenhouse they will go mental. I grew 1 in a conservatory that was up to the roof and arched over lol

[Hillwalker]

There are 2 heights of the Cape Gooseberry. I got mine from this supplier: Interseeds items - Get great deals on Flower Seeds, Vegetable items on eBay.co.uk Shops!

[zazen999]

There are 2 heights of the Cape Gooseberry. I got mine from this supplier: Interseeds items - Get great deals on Flower Seeds, Vegetable items on eBay.co.uk Shops!

That 'dwarf' version still grows up to 90cm, which is basically a metre cubed like all Cape Gooseberries.

[Hillwalker]

That 'dwarf' version still grows up to 90cm, which is basically a metre cubed like all Cape Gooseberries.

So essentially, either cordon or bush?