North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov]

Thanks for bring that up Donna. There is certainly a big difference
between 7a in the mountains and 7a near the coast of NC. I am in the
middle of the state in the Piedmont at 500 feet.




wrote:
I guess I didn't consider the second part of the question.  I haven't
heard
of too many people even on this group doing much with currants or
gooseberries in the south.  they don't like the heat.  (I'm saying this
partly to bring the defenders out of the woodwork.)  That said, Richard
Moyer mentioned that his gooseberries came through the freeze.  I can't
see
that our one bush has anything on it.  It was a sprout taken from a
fruiting
bush in town.  I haven't done anything for it, never have even
fertilized
it, and it does make a few berries most years.  And I met this little
old
lady in east TN who told me about the horrors of gooseberry picking.
Her
mother grew them for a cash crop, and so once a year she sent the kids
out
to pick them while they were green.  No gloves, and they had to pick
enough
bushels to load up the wagon to take it to the market.  Green is the way

gooseberries were traditionally sold in England too, hard and sour and
easy
to transport.  But apparently this TN family let the remainder ripen for

their own use.  So we know there are some varieties that are suited for
the
south, though I don't know about as far south as you are.  What's your
elevation?  The lower it is, the further "south" you are.  I'm at 1,000
ft,
but I could go about 100 miles "north" by going 15 miles east, 1,000 ft
higher.  Donna

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