Topic: Can you recommend a Gooseberry? And pea?

[Smileyk]

I'd like to put a gooseberry bush on our allotment but I haven't a clue which one.  My dad used to grow one when I was a child and we could eat the berries straight off the bush but I've read that a lot need to be cooked in some way.

Can anyone recommend a nice variety that can be eaten as they're picked please:  ;D

Also I like petit pois more than big fat peas - can anyone recommend a nice pea to grow? 

[cleo]

Can`t recommend any gooseberry over another-all sorts get sweet if you leave them to ripen?.

Peas-I like Hurst Green Shaft and then Alderman but they are not specifically grown for petit pois-just looking at Suffolk Herbs catalouge and there is one listed as Waverex Petit Pois-not tried it but worth a go?

[davholla]

I am not an expert but langley gage has according to the books the best flavour.
I bought over fruits form cool temperate and was very happy/


www.cooltemperate.co.uk

[manicscousers]

we grow invicta, also an unknown one..we just leave them to get really ripe
our peas are lincoln, there are 9 peas per pod and really sweet, never grown petit pois  :)

[Deb P]

I'm growing Waverex and Champion petit pois, both very sweet, good crops so far, NOT self supporting though, I won't fall for that again! :-\ You do have to pick quite a few pods for a meal though, and a bit fiddly to de-pod!

Taller peas have proved to be just as sweet though, perhaps I just lucked out in my choice, first year of growing some of them! Purple podded and Show Perfection are growing on wigwams so easy to pick (and see in PP's case!)

Purple podded.....



Show Perfection...

[saddad]

Winham's Industry as a red dessert Gooseberry...
Magnum Bonum as a tall pea to eat fresh...
I could send you some seed but it's too late to sow them this year...
 ;D

[Dadnlad]

For peas Hurst Greenshaft or Alderman but definately not Greensage which has been a nightmare this year

For goosegogs  I'd go for Whitesmith or Whinhams Industry - but we also bought a Langley Gage from  Cool Temperate in the winter so my taste might change !  Oh and Careless is a massive cropper thats great for crumble and  wine
R V Roger in N Yorks has the best range of goosegogs I know

[Jeannine]

We went with Pax rather than Winhams Industry, as Pax is almost spinless and it is restistant to American Mildew, whereas Winhams is very prone.

For a green we went with Invicta

[saddad]

I've had to get rid of my Winham's for that very reason and have two pax but not eaten any yet...
I'll be getting another Winham's...
 ;D

[Jeannine]

Saddad why would you get another one if you had to get rid of your first to mildew I don't understand,Is there a reason for risking it,maybe the WI has some good points more than the others perhaps

[real food]

Apart from the other points mentioned, Pax is very sweet and early, as I have already had my first pickings.

[manicscousers]

that's our other one, careless..the invicta's doing really well, the careless got got by the sawfly while I wasn't there  >:(   :)

[OliveOil]

I went for Feltnam First Pea and they are lovely, but i didnt support them, the thistles are doing that job for me, though i always manage to get prickled. I have so many peas i cant pick them quick enough!

[saddad]

Jeannine the Winham's was the best dessert Gooseberry I've had... it did about 10 years before succumbing to mildew. I intend to train the next one as an espalier type thing to prevent crowding which is what went wrong before but haven't got my act together just yet!
 ;D

[Jeannine]

Ah, that makes sense,I did notice that ny lottie neighbours ones were huge loaded bushes,covered in mildew though, which is why I didn't buy them, but I can see they have advatages too,Thanks Saddad XX Jeannine

[angle shades]

 :) goosegog _ Invicta


climbing peas-Alderman, ne plus ultra


peas- Rondo and Lincoln / shades x

[saddad]

Ne Plus Ultra is great Shades but we are bulking ours up at the moment... had a greedy year and didn't save enough.. or I sent too many out to peeps!
 ::)

[Deb P]

That was one of the varieties grown on the Victorian Kitchen Garden wasn't it?
You can always chuck some this way if you have any spare this year....... ;D