How do you tell when gooseberries are ready

[Digeroo]

It is many years since I have had gooseberries.  I cannot remember how to tell if they are ready.

I did so love them pureed with strawberries.

[Digeroo]

[Chrispy]

Going by my dads advice, a few days after the birds have scoffed the lot.



I would like to know, the twig that I was given when I stated allotmenting is now a bush full of fruit

[goodlife]

I start cooking my fruit as soon as they are 'big enough'..not the so much 'deep' green fruit but as soon as they start getting bit of 'see throughness' and still quite green. But at that stage they are just for 'stewing'. Once they get hint of yellow in their colouring they are sweetening up and getting ready for using fresh purees (no cooking).
Mine are now big enough in size but they are still touch too green so another week of so and they should be ready for pot..YUM..I love cooked 'raw' gooseberries.. ;D

[Digeroo]

Going by my dads advice, a few days after the birds have scoffed the lot.

;D ;D

I wonder how the birds know.

[saddad]

The fruit softens... a gentle squeeze does it.... or peck if you are a bird...  :-X

[elhuerto]

Yep, I just give them a squeeze before the taste test (usually performed by one of my unsuspecting kids)  ;D

[artichoke]

I've got so many bushes (from cuttings taken a few years ago) that I have to start picking as soon as they are any size at all, or I would never get them all picked. Haven't quite started yet, but am trying to get last year's all finished up before I start again - "allotment cake" is a good recipe for rendering gooseberries edible and popular at almost any stage.

[strawberry1]

I picked my 20 today, before the birds. A few are big enough and anyway I want a tart sauce for mackerel

[Kleftiwallah]

If you eat one, and your cheeks touch on the inside.  .  :-X .  .I'd give them a few more days.      Cheers,     Tony.

[Stevens706]

I like to eat them raw and sour, so I keep trying the larger ones each time time I'm there, tried 2 this morning guess they are a week away.

[antipodes]

Just about all the leaves on mine have been eaten by caterpillars  :'(  But will the fruit be OK? They are laden with berries... But as they are only just blushing red, I suspect another couple of weeks before I can use them.