From: "William C. Garthright" <billg@inebraska.com>
To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Gooseberries for TN?
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:09:50 -0500
Here's my list of possibilities so far:
What is your purpose? I didn't comment earlier, because I don't know
what would work best in Tennessee (and because I've only had my
gooseberries for three years). But so far, Poorman is the only one I
really like for fresh eating. Unfortunately - and again, so far - I'm
getting few berries from it.
But for picking green for pies, I'm wildly enthusiastic about Hinonmaki
Yellow. The bush is much smaller than the rest, and it hugs the ground
(mostly due to the weight of the berries, I suppose), so it's a real
pain to pick. But from the first year, it's been just solid with large
gooseberries, far more prolific than any other I have.
All of the others I've planted produce well, grow bigger than I
expected, and are a pain to pick, partly because there's not much room
(note that Poorman has few thorns, which really is a benefit). But the
berries are disappointing fresh (superb for pie, though, whether green
or ripe).
But again, that's just my experience here in Nebraska. And I don't have
disease problems with any of them.
Bill
Lincoln, NE (zone 5)
--
Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think. - Niels
Bohr