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==Background Information== | ==Background Information== | ||
===Taxonomy=== | ===Taxonomy=== | ||
===Common names=== | ===Common names=== | ||
===Etymology=== | ===Etymology=== | ||
===Varieties=== | ===Varieties=== | ||
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===Growth Habit=== | ===Growth Habit=== | ||
The roots are shallow but spread laterally to a significant degree.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
===Reproduction=== | ===Reproduction=== | ||
Gooseberry is self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).<ref name=crawford2016 /> Flowers in spring.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Flowering fairly resistant to frost.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Bee pollintated.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | Gooseberry is self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).<ref name=crawford2016 /> Flowers in spring.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Flowering fairly resistant to frost.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Bee pollintated.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
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===Soil Type=== | ===Soil Type=== | ||
Slight preference for heavy soils, but can thrive in almost any soil.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
===Soil pH=== | ===Soil pH=== | ||
pH 6-8.<ref name=seymour2014 /> Consider adding some lime if the pH is less than 6.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
===Shade Preference=== | ===Shade Preference=== | ||
Full sun.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | Full sun.<ref name=crawford2016 /> | ||
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===Aspect=== | ===Aspect=== | ||
===Exposure=== | ===Exposure=== | ||
==Cultivation: Techniques== | ==Cultivation: Techniques== | ||
Typically purchased from suppliers as bare-rooted or potted bushes. These are best planted in winter,<ref name=crawford2016 /> or autumn.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | Typically purchased from suppliers as bare-rooted or potted bushes. These are best planted in winter,<ref name=crawford2016 /> or autumn.<ref name=seymour2014 /> To prepare the site, one method is to dig deeply and mix manure or compost in the top layer, over a wide area (gooseberry has shallow, lateral spreading roots).<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
Bushes should be spaced 1.5m apart.<ref name=seymour2014 /> As cordons, gooseberries should be spaced 30cm apart (in the row).<ref name=seymour2014 /> With the deep bed method, the spacing can be reduced to 1.2m.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | Bushes should be spaced 1.5m apart.<ref name=seymour2014 /> As cordons, gooseberries should be spaced 30cm apart (in the row).<ref name=seymour2014 /> With the deep bed method, the spacing can be reduced to 1.2m.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | ||
Gooseberries are good for small gardens since they fruit heavily and do not take a lot of space.<ref name=seymour2014>Seymour, M (2014). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/new-self-sufficient-gardener/oclc/972683557?referer=br&ht=edition The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce.] Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.</ref> | Gooseberries are good for small gardens since they fruit heavily and do not take a lot of space (particularly if trained as cordons), and can also be used to utilise shaded areas.<ref name=seymour2014>Seymour, M (2014). [https://www.worldcat.org/title/new-self-sufficient-gardener/oclc/972683557?referer=br&ht=edition The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce.] Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.</ref> | ||
In a temperate climate [[forest garden]], gooseberries perform excellently in the shrub layer since they are quite shade tolerant.<ref name=crawford2016 /> Along with other ''Ribes'' spp. such as [[blackcurrant]]s (''R. nigrum'') and [[Currants|redcurrants/whitecurrants]] (''R. rubrum''), some consider gooseberries to be the backbone of the shrub layer.<ref name=hart2019 /> They are woodland plants in their natural state.<ref name=hart2019 /> Some even state that gooseberry is one of the most useful plants for the shrub layer (UK).<!--creating a temperate forest garden-youtube vid - get source--> | |||
===Propagation=== | ===Propagation=== | ||
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===Maintenance=== | ===Maintenance=== | ||
===Watering=== | ===Watering=== | ||
===Pruning=== | ===Pruning=== | ||
===Problems=== | ===Problems=== | ||
* '''American Gooseberry Mildew:''' first sign is white felt covering young leaves and shoots. Berries have a brown covering. Do not give bushes too much nitrogen to prevent it. Remove and burn any afffected shoots. One method is to spray with a mixture of soft soap (228g), washing soda (500g) and water (23 litres), and again during flowering and again when fruit is set.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
* '''Gooseberry Sawfly:''' green and black spotted, yellow tailed small caterpillars. They can reproduce 3 times in a signle growing season and can eat all the leaves from gooseberry bushes.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
* '''Red Spider Mite:''' Tiny red mites gather on leaves, which will turn bronze with a white underside, and eventually dry up and die. Use a jet of water to dislodge them.<ref name=seymour2014 /> | |||
==Harvest== | ==Harvest== |
Revision as of 09:46, 14 April 2019
This article is about the plant species Ribes uva-crispa, a shrub with edible fruit commonly referred to as Gooseberry. The berries are usually green, but different cultivars produce a range of yellow, red or white fruit. The flavour is usually tart but modern varieties tend to be sweeter. In a temperate climate forest garden, gooseberries perform excellently in the shrub layer since they are fairly shade tolerant.[1] Along with other Ribes spp. such as blackcurrants (R. nigrum) and redcurrants/whitecurrants (R. rubrum), some consider gooseberries to be the backbone of the shrub layer.[2] They are woodland plants in their natural state.[2]
Background Information
Taxonomy
Common names
Etymology
Varieties
- "Whinhan's Industry": especially shade tolerant and therefore more appropriate for forest gardens.[2]
History
Originally a woodland and hedgerow plant, the first selective breeding took place in the British Ilses in the 16th century, particularly by amatuer growers in the industrial midlands.[3] Traditionally, gooseberry was grown in orchards in the Fens (Eastern England).[2] Yearly gooseberry competions with awards for the largest gooseberry took place in Lancashire,[2] and still take place in some UK villages.[3]
Behaviour
Range
It is sometimes debated whether goosebrry is native to the UK, but it almost certainly is.[3] Some gooseberries growing in the wild do represent garden "escapes" which have been bird sown.[3]
Morphology
Single trunked, multistemmed deciduous shrub.[1] Mature height 1-1.5m and similar spread.
Leaves are 3 or 4 lobed and have blunt toothed margins.[3]
Flowers are green-white,[1] or green-red and drooping.[3]
Fruit are grape sized but more rounded.[3] They are usually hairy.[3] Bushes will crop for about 25 years.[1]
Growth Habit
The roots are shallow but spread laterally to a significant degree.[4]
Reproduction
Gooseberry is self fertile (one plant will fruit by itself).[1] Flowers in spring.[1] Flowering fairly resistant to frost.[1] Bee pollintated.[1]
Cultivation: Site Selection
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 5.[1]
Soil Type
Slight preference for heavy soils, but can thrive in almost any soil.[4]
Soil pH
pH 6-8.[4] Consider adding some lime if the pH is less than 6.[4]
Shade Preference
Full sun.[1]
Shade Tolerance
Tolerates quite a lot of shade.[1] Under shaded conditions it tends to be more "leggy", fruiting higher up.[1]
Aspect
Exposure
Cultivation: Techniques
Typically purchased from suppliers as bare-rooted or potted bushes. These are best planted in winter,[1] or autumn.[4] To prepare the site, one method is to dig deeply and mix manure or compost in the top layer, over a wide area (gooseberry has shallow, lateral spreading roots).[4]
Bushes should be spaced 1.5m apart.[4] As cordons, gooseberries should be spaced 30cm apart (in the row).[4] With the deep bed method, the spacing can be reduced to 1.2m.[4]
Gooseberries are good for small gardens since they fruit heavily and do not take a lot of space (particularly if trained as cordons), and can also be used to utilise shaded areas.[4]
In a temperate climate forest garden, gooseberries perform excellently in the shrub layer since they are quite shade tolerant.[1] Along with other Ribes spp. such as blackcurrants (R. nigrum) and redcurrants/whitecurrants (R. rubrum), some consider gooseberries to be the backbone of the shrub layer.[2] They are woodland plants in their natural state.[2] Some even state that gooseberry is one of the most useful plants for the shrub layer (UK).
Propagation
- Hardwood cuttings: take cuttings in late autumn and place them in outdoors nursery bed.[1]
Maintenance
Watering
Pruning
Problems
- American Gooseberry Mildew: first sign is white felt covering young leaves and shoots. Berries have a brown covering. Do not give bushes too much nitrogen to prevent it. Remove and burn any afffected shoots. One method is to spray with a mixture of soft soap (228g), washing soda (500g) and water (23 litres), and again during flowering and again when fruit is set.[4]
- Gooseberry Sawfly: green and black spotted, yellow tailed small caterpillars. They can reproduce 3 times in a signle growing season and can eat all the leaves from gooseberry bushes.[4]
- Red Spider Mite: Tiny red mites gather on leaves, which will turn bronze with a white underside, and eventually dry up and die. Use a jet of water to dislodge them.[4]
Harvest
In the wild, gooseberries can be found scattered in woods and hedgerows in most of Europe.[3] Wild gooseberries fruit from early July onwards.[3]
Acidic, green gooseberries can be harvested in May but they need to be cooked.[1]
For cultivated varieties, yield is about 4kg per year per bush under full sun conditions.[1] Yield is reduced in shade.[1]
One method of quickly harvesting gooseberries is to pull the branches through your hand while wearing a thick glove. Catch the fruit in a sheet. To separate the fruit from fallen leaves and thorns etc, place the contents of the sheet down a board which allows the round fruit to roll down into a container.[4]
Preservation
Fresh fruit will store for only 1-2 weeks.[1]
Uses
- Wine -- See: Household Cyclopedia, Wines and Ciders (1881)
- Jam -- Gooseberries are high in pectin and are useful to add to low pectin fruits which would otherwise not set easily when making jam.[5]
- Jelly
- Fruit leather -- pulp needs thickening.[1]
- Sauces
- Pies
- Can be bottled, pickled and served cooked with food.
Secondary uses:
- Bee plant[1]
Cooking
- Gooseberry Pie
- Gooseberry Fool, a traditional English desert.
- Fennel and Gooseberry sauce for mackerel.
Nutritional Values
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Crawford, M (2016). Creating a Forest Garden: working with nature to grow edible crops. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322621.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Hart, R (2019). Forest gardening : rediscovering nature and community in a post industrial age. Green Books. ISBN 9781900322027.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Mabey, R (2012). Food For Free. HarperCollins. ISNB 9780007183036.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 Seymour, M (2014). The New Self-Sufficient Gardener: The complete illustrated guide to planning, growing, storing and preserving your own garden produce. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 9781409346784.
- ↑ Crawford, M; Aitken, C (2013) Food from your forest garden : How to harvest, cook and preserve your forest garden produce. Green Books. ISBN 9780857841124.