Interesting, gooseberries and blackberries are on my list for spring.
3 Likes
I could see gooseberries doing well there, but blackberries, I don’t know, unless you’re growing them in a greenhouse? Am I right recalling you grow strawberries in a GH?
1 Like
I think my gooseberry is invicta. Sort of a transparent green. Very prolific–I just need to make good use of it. Jams, jellies, pie? What should I try first?
1 Like
I love it your not crazy
2 Likes
I didn’t know what a gooseberry was until we moved here to my wife’s family farm. She said they grew them here when she was younger, so I decided to plant a few of them for her. She said her Mom would make jams/jellies with them.
We have three of them, all planted in 2017. One has produced a small amount of fruit the last couple of years. They tasted to me like a small, tart grape, not really sweet. We have Oregon Champion, Jeanne and Poorman. OC so far has been the biggest and most prolific plant.
1 Like
Pixwell is the most prolific and probably easiest to grow. My Black Velvet died. Have grown Poorman, which I like, and Hinnomaki Red, which is sweet once you get past the sour peel.
I like to nibble on them, but don’t have a favorite recipe. If someone does, I’ll stop and listen.
1 Like
Yep the Blackberries are growing in the greenhouse, along with my grapes. I had Chester but I wasn’t happy with the flavour, I took it out. I want something with great flavour since I can grow them in the greenhouse.
It is another level of crazy with a greenhouse that is used for my experimental fruit, and new methods of growing it. I learned how to grow the blackberries in the greenhouse from, I think it was fruitnut? He gave me the inspiration to use this space for those fruits that would not survive here outside. I can grow tons of tomatoes etc, in the garden, my greenhouse space is saved only for fruit.
When sweetened, gooseberries are wonderful, my mother makes a delicious gooseberry torte.
3 Likes
I tried twice to get HR growing, and for whatever reason, I couldn’t get them to survive more than a year. Same thing happened with Double Gold raspberry. So, I won’t try for the plant murder trifecta.
2 Likes
Okay makes sense. What varieties are you considering? I’m wondering if the UArk varieties (Osage, Ouachita, Freedom, etc) are available for sale there? Also, aren’t you also growing strawberries in the GH?
1 Like
Mine is fairly tart as well, but may be good for cooking. I will give it a try. It looks like there will be a lot of berries if the weather cooperates.
there are several z3 hardy blackberries sold in Canada. one is called balsors hardy. i don’t remember the other ones name. don’t know how the taste is but seeing it was bred by the Kentsville station in N.S I’m betting its good tasting. wish i could get it here. might even survive out side for you if layed down and protected.
3 Likes
the UK has many gooseberry recipes. they even make pies with them.
3 Likes
northof53, you may have said earlier, but did you inherit your greenhouse when you bought your home, or did you build it?
1 Like
I was growing strawberries in the greenhouse, and it worked exceptionally well, I have since moved them out, I can grow good strawberries in the garden and since my space is limited I have decided that anything I can grow well outside, goes outside.
3 Likes
I am looking at Balsors Hardy, I can get it but the shipping always has me hesitating before I hit the Buy button.
Rosdonald
We built it ourselves, it is a double walled plastic hoop house heated with our wood boiler.
4 Likes
About 80 of the 120 bulbs have come up so far. Took the dogs for a walk thru the orchard yesterday morning and saw tracks thru the bed. Wondered which dog had walked in it as they’re trained to stay out. Upon closer inspection I see it was a deer, who chewed off about half of the tops!
Thought they would be ok with all of the clover and alfalfa I have growing out there, but fenced it in last night.
5 Likes