Harvest – What should you consider?
The first gooseberry harvest takes place from mid to late May. These are the first, half-ripe berries, which are suitable for preserving and require less sugar. Between June and July, the berries are fully ripe and can be eaten straight away or processed into jam, compote, as a topping for cakes, or into wine. It's best to pick the gooseberries with a short piece of the stem attached. Wash the fruit only before use and remove the stem and the brown "tuft" on the fruit. Gooseberries harvested green will continue to ripen if spread out in a cool place.
Botany – What kind of plant is this?
The gooseberry is a fairly widespread plant in Central Europe, growing as a medium-sized, deciduous shrub up to one and a half meters tall. In spring, the first delicate flowers appear, ranging from greenish to pink and measuring about six millimeters in size. The gooseberry bush is relatively frost-resistant and can therefore be found even in cold regions with cool summers. In the Alps, it can even be found at altitudes of up to 1,500 meters. Depending on the variety, the fruits have red or yellow skin, some are hairy, others hairless. Gooseberries are partially self-fertile, but it is recommended to grow at least two different varieties to increase yields.
Cultural history – How did the gooseberry come to us?
The biggest fans of the gooseberry definitely come from England, where it is one of the nation's most popular fruits. Most varieties were also bred and cultivated there. This is despite the fact that the plant originated in North Africa and only ventured into Europe at the beginning of the Renaissance. The easy-to-grow and very robust gooseberry quickly enjoyed great popularity until gooseberry mildew, introduced from America, temporarily halted its success. Breeders then began to specifically search for varieties resistant to this fungal disease in order to restore the gooseberry's former reputation.
