HelpfulGardener.com

This bit of stick was in a glass of water until it showed the beginnings of a root, then planted in a cup of soil. Two days later it has the cheek to sport a gooseberry!

The stick has some confusion about its maturity.

When I was a kid growing up in southern Oregon, the shortest way to the Pacific Coast was by wing and only about 50 miles. However, the mountains to the west were rugged and there was no highway so we had to drive about 2 1/2 hours and into California to reach the ocean.

That was okay because Mom's sister lived at the end of that minor highway and it was a very pretty route, along a mountain river, through an evergreen forest, and passing many dogwood trees in bloom during the spring.

After a little over an hour, we would come to a small restaurant off on the west side of the highway. Mom liked to stop there for gooseberry pie and coffee. I liked the pie also but probably had a glass of milk.

I took a recent Google Streetview drive through that small community. The little restaurant is still there. It looks like the owners are new but, how would they not be ? I hope that they still serve gooseberry pie.

Steve

digitS' wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 8:16 am

The stick has some confusion about its maturity.

Don't we all?

When we first came to B.C. I think there were only 2 routes to the other side of the Rockies: A 300 km rugged detour to the north round the 'Big Bend' of the Columbia river, or by a shorter but maybe even more rugged way, south into the U.S. then east through/over the Cascades. We never braved either one; the Rogers Pass highway was opened shortly after we got here.

As for gooseberries, they seem to be a largely neglected fruit. I like them a lot. The variety we have is called Pixwell. I don't know why - it has formidable thorns; but its cuttings strike very easily.

We lived 100 miles north west of Chicago Illinois winter of 1962 & 63 when I was in 7th grade. Mom found a bush full of berries in the back yard she had never seen before. Several people told her they are wild goose berries an make good, pies, cake, muffins. She made a pie, then cake, then pancakes, muffins, another pie, another cake, goose berries are GOOD. There were no wild goose berries in southern Illinois where we moved from. If I had some goose berries I would make a cake. I'm not sure they will grow in TN.

When I was 4-6 years old I lived in a very small village. There was a big patch of wild gooseberries by the river and all the kids would gorge on them. Oddly I don't recall my mother ever using them, even though it was wartime and stuff was scarce. Maybe only the kids knew they were there.

Our little bush isn't long established so we can't get much of a harvest yet but I'm looking forward to it. I have 4 cuttings started - maybe I'll recreate the childhood patch but have it all to myself.

Gary350 wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 1:50 pm

If I had some goose berries I would make a cake. I'm not sure they will grow in TN.

Gary, they're said to be easy to grow and definitely hardy. Lots of info on the web. In your location they might not like the summer heat, or all that standing water you sometimes have in your yard. Maybe worth a try though.

yeah, gooseberries will definitely grow in tennessee. there are a lot of wild ones in my area in nc...even though they've outlawed everything in the ribes genus in this state.