Gooseberries are divided into either European (Ribes grossularia) or American (R. hirtellum) types. These cool weather berries thrive in USDA zones 3 to 8 and can be eaten fresh or turned into delicious jams or jellies. All is well and good, but how do you know when to harvest gooseberries? Read on to find out how to harvest gooseberries and about gooseberry harvest time.
When to Harvest Gooseberry Plants
In order to determine when to begin picking gooseberries, it’s a good idea to know how you are going to utilize them. Why is that? Well, the great news is that you can harvest gooseberries that are not fully ripe. No, they don’t continue to ripen but if you are going to use them for preserves, they actually work better when they are unripe, firm, and slightly bitter. If you want to pick the ripe berries, color, size, and firmness will give you an idea about when to begin harvesting gooseberries. Some types of gooseberries turn red, white, yellow, green, or pink when it’s gooseberry harvest time, but the best way to tell if they are ripe is to squeeze them gently; they should have a little give. As to size, American gooseberries get to about ½ inch (1 cm.) long and their European counterparts to about an inch (2.5 cm.) in length. Gooseberries don’t ripen all at once. You’ll be harvesting gooseberries over a nice, long, four to six weeks beginning in early July. Plenty of time to harvest very ripe berries suited to eating out of hand and plenty of underripe berries to preserve.
How to Harvest Gooseberries
Gooseberries have thorns, so before picking gooseberry plants, put on a good, thick pair of gloves. Although this isn’t an absolute, it does help avoid injury. Commence tasting. Really, the best way to decide if the berry is where you want it in the ripening stage is to taste a few. If the berries are at the stage you want them, just pull the individual berries off the stems and put them in a bucket. Don’t bother to pick the ones up off the ground. They are overripe. To prolong the freshness of the berries, refrigerate them. You can also harvest the gooseberries en masse. Place a canvas, plastic tarp, or old sheets on the ground under and around the gooseberry bush. Shake the branches of the bush to dislodge any ripe (or almost ripe) berries from the limb. Make a cone of the tarp by gathering the edges together and funnel the berries into a bucket. Continue to harvest the gooseberries weekly as they ripen on the plant. Eat the ripe berries immediately or freeze them for later use. Unripe berries can be made into preserves or otherwise canned.
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FAQs
When to Harvest. You can expect your first harvest in the third season. Gooseberries are ready to harvest in late June to mid July when the fruit is full size and soft. One-way to test if the berries are ripe is to squeeze gently between your fingers, they will be soft when they are ripe.
How do I know when my gooseberries are ready to pick? ›
Some types of gooseberries turn red, white, yellow, green, or pink when it's gooseberry harvest time, but the best way to tell if they are ripe is to squeeze them gently; they should have a little give.
Do gooseberries ripen after picking? ›
Gooseberries don't continue to ripen after they are harvested, so if you want to eat them fresh, pick when ripe. Gooseberries vary in color, so the best way to tell if they are ripe is to squeeze them. If you squeeze them when ripe, the gooseberry will give a little.
Can you eat gooseberries right off the plant? ›
Gooseberries are such a tasty fruit. if you've only ever eaten supermarket ones you're missing a treat! Home grown fruits are sweet and juicy, and the range of varieties you can grow mean you can eat some straight from the bush.
Do gooseberries like sun or shade? ›
Currants and gooseberries will grow in full sun to partial shade. You will get more fruit if the plant is in full sun. Space plants at least 3 feet apart. Most currants and gooseberries are self-fruitful.
Do you prune gooseberry bushes after fruiting? ›
When to prune
- From late winter to early spring – prune all trained forms annually, while the plants are still dormant, before any signs of growth appear.
- In mid-summer – prune cordons and fans to restrict growth and maintain their shape.
In the early 1900s, the federal and state governments outlawed the growing of currants and gooseberries to prevent the spread white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola). This fungal disease attacks both Ribes and white pines, which must live in close proximity for the blister rust fungus to complete its life cycle.
Can you eat gooseberries raw? ›
Early in the season they are bright green, with a veined effect on the skin, and quite hard and tart – they are best for cooking with, in particular to make the classic English pudding, gooseberry fool. Later on, softer, sweeter varieties become available, often yellow or red coloured – they are good eaten raw.
Do gooseberries grow back? ›
You should aim to prune your bush gooseberries once a year using the guide above. This means that each year, you're taking out the oldest growth and keeping your gooseberry bushes productive and creating a cycle of new growth to replace the oldest growth each year.
Do gooseberry plants spread? ›
The gooseberry bush itself has arching branches that give it a height and spread of 3 to 5 feet. The flowers are self-fertile and open early in the season, but are inconspicuous. Best production is on stems 1 to 4 years old.
Because gooseberries are self-fertile, you only need one plant. The short, tough, thorny shrubs are long-lived so you will have gooseberries for years to come. The two main species of gooseberries are European gooseberries and American gooseberries and there are several cultivars of each.
What is the best tasting gooseberry? ›
Thin skinned, sweet and so delicious, it's not surprising they are remembered with such fondness.
- ROKULA Gooseberry Bushes.
- GOLDEN DROP Gooseberry Bushes.
- ACHILLES Gooseberry Bushes.
- HEDGEHOG Gooseberry Bushes.
- LORD DERBY Gooseberry Bushes.
- LANCASHIRE LAD Gooseberry Bushes.
- WHITE LION Gooseberry Bushes.
They can't be machine-harvested so they don't fit with the supermarket business model. Supermarkets like uniformity, low production cost, and the hell with quality and flavour. Gooseberries are divine but there's no place for them in the industrialised mass market. You have to find a specialist, or grow them yourself.
Do squirrels eat gooseberries? ›
Gooseberry bushes can be attacked by squirrels, moth caterpillars, and birds (especially bullfinches), which eat the buds before they have broken into leaf and also eat the ripe fruit.
Should I cut back gooseberries? ›
Most gooseberries should be pruned twice a year to keep them in good shape and maximise harvests, but this is a straightforward process and they need little other maintenance. To protect the fruit from birds, put netting over plants as soon as the berries start to ripen.
Are gooseberries ripe when green? ›
Answer: For jams, jellies, and pies, most gardeners pick gooseberries when they have reached full size, but are not fully ripe. At this stage, the fruit are green, tart, and still quite hard. Others prefer to allow the fruit to ripen to a pinkish color and sweeter flavor.
What do unripe gooseberries look like? ›
Less ripe gooseberries are green and resemble very tiny watermelons, while riper gooseberries are purply-red, similar to a red grape.
When to move gooseberry bushes? ›
Spring chores continue around my Bedford, New York farm. If you're thinking of moving any bushes or shrubs, early spring is a good time - when the plants are still dormant.
Can you eat gooseberries when they turn red? ›
Early in the season they are bright green, with a veined effect on the skin, and quite hard and tart – they are best for cooking with, in particular to make the classic English pudding, gooseberry fool. Later on, softer, sweeter varieties become available, often yellow or red coloured – they are good eaten raw.
