Gooseberry Botanical Name: Ribes grossalaria (Ribes)
General Description/History: Fruit are green at full size and ripen to either red or a translucent yellow/green, depending on variety. The gooseberry is a woody bush reaching from 1-1.5m tall and about the same width. It is characterised by nodal spines up to 15mm long. Flowers are small, single, yellow green or slightly pink. Fruit are borne on one-year-old wood. Select firm, plump fruit free from blemishes. The green fruit is ideal for jam making while the red fruit is used as a dessert fruit, eaten fresh or as part of a fruit platter. Gooseberries require winter chill to facilitate flower bud development and growth, good yields can only be achieved in cold districts. Gooseberries require shade from the hot summer sun. Windbreaks that provide shade achieve this. Gooseberries will not tolerate poorly drained soil or excessive salt, but they will grow on a wider range of soils than most other berries. During the growing season the soil must not be allowed to dry out, so mulching and watering are essential. Gooseberries are generally propagated from one-year-old hardwood cuttings. Pruning is important in order to establish a good framework of vigorous shoots with an open vase like centre so that light can penetrate the bush. Birds are undoubtedly the biggest pests as they can damage both buds and fruit. Gooseberries therefore have to be netted. Diseases that affect gooseberries are mildew and grey mould. Gooseberries are a native of Europe and North Africa. Recent breeding work has utilised several North American wild species as donors of disease resistance. Gooseberries were extensively grown in Southern Victoria and Tasmania last century, but have failed to maintain popularity and demand. Most varieties available in Australia today originated in Northern England, where “Gooseberry Clubs” were organised before 1900 and gardeners vied to produce the largest fruit.
Varieties: Please click pictures to see seasonality
Red
Growing Areas: QLD - Stanthorpe District NSW - Camden, Gosford, Hunter Valley, Orange, Tumut, Windsor, Young VIC - Goulburn Valley, Melbourne, Mid Murray, Silvan District, Sunraysia SA - Adelaide Hills TAS
Nutritional Value: A good source of vitamin C and dietary fibre.
Storage/Handling: 0°C and 90-95% relative humidity. Consumer Storage: Store in an airtight plastic container in the refrigerator crisper for a short time.