Jostaberry

[tamsin]

Have just bought a Jostaberry plant on a whim (it seemed quite cheap) Anyone any ideas what to expect from it? The label says it is a  gooseberry and blackberry cross, although the fruits look like gooseberries at the moment. Thanks for any help! 

[tamsin]

[Svea]

checked ken muir's website for more details. :)

This fruit was produced by crossing a blackcurrant x gooseberry hybrid with a blackcurrant x R. divaricatum hybrid and is a great improvement on the Worcesterberry. The bush is vigorous, upright and thornless and is resistant to American gooseberry mildew, blackcurrant leafspot and blackcurrant gall mite. The flowers unless protected, are easily damaged by severe frosts in spring. The berries resemble a large blackcurrant, but are about twice their size, having a pleasant flavour, slightly different from both the blackcurrant and the gooseberry. The yield is heavy.

this is obviously for their particular variety (or maybe there is only one varitety of jostaberry, i dont know) :)

svea

[Svea]

PS: the spacings given for blackcurrant and gooseberry are 1.5m, so the jostaberry will probably have that too :)

[Mrs Ava]

I have one in the backgarden and it is absolutely weighed down with fruit this year.  Look like goosegogs, but taste kinda blackcurranty.  All I do is fling a net over it as the fruits start to colour up, then the kids pick 'em and eat them en-route to the kitchen for a jam jamboree!

[tamsin]

Thanks for your help - will look forward to harvesting now!