Allotments 4 All

Hi all!  Well, this year as the harvest has been so bad, I am finding myself really looking at the garden as a whole and trying to make it more efficient.  The Italian artichokes I tried have been a disappointment so they will go in the autumn, and I am forced to admit that the gooseberries are maybe not suitable. I only make some jam out of them as no one in my house will eat them, and they do take up space, as well as being really annoying due to their big thorns.
So I am thinking that I will have to remove them. So I have two questions: how do I go about it without ripping  myself to shreds? and  what would be a good thing to try in their stead? They are next to the raspberries, in a corner. It is well exposed. A friend has a thornless blackberry that gives good fruit, I was wondering if that would be an idea, and could I grow from a cutting? Or is there some other fruity alternative that I may not think of?

they do take up space, as well as being really annoying due to their big thorns. Ah..I've renamed my bushes as b****rd bushes for I'm always shredded when it comes to picking time.. ::) ;D Is you family 'chutney' eaters? I grow loooots of gooseberries and one can only eat so much sweet things so this year I made gooseberry and chilli chutney..OHHH...loooovely and you get through quite a lot of berries to get just few jars. It something that I'm looking forward doing next year by the 'bucket load'.
Blackberries grow big..and you do need to allow them grow so without trying to restrict too much or you don't get worth while amount of berries from them. They are certainly a option but have you got room for it? They can be easily grown from cuttings...one only need to bend end of the 'cane' into ground..wait and it roots and then cut off from original source and you have got yourself a new plant.

Oh..and as to removing gooseberry if do decide go for it..easiest is to have pair of loppers and chop it into smaller pieces..burn the branches and dig the rootball out and get rid or leave somewhere to dry out and die..once the roots are dead you can get deal with it..compost, bury, hide..what ever takes your fancy.

To mitigate the gooseberry picking "experience" I have begun training my bushes as espaliers although fans would probably do as well.

As for fruit you haven't thought of what about a loganberry, blueberry or even a grape vine. Grape would do particularly well in weatern france I would have thought.  :)

Sorry, I am guilty of starting this thread and then bogging of for several days.
No, the family aren't chutney eaters. So that potential avenue is closed. I guess I have come to the conclusion that the fruit is just not as useful as I thought it would be.
I do already have a grape vine, unfortunately, but that was a good idea.
Yes the blackberry could get easily out of hand.
Perhaps I will just remove the goosegogs and leave that area blank for now, and see if something comes along that would fill the spot neatly... good advice about removal - chop it into pieces and burn. Are the roots very resistant e.g will I need a pickaxe to handle it?

I'm sorry to hear that you are giving up on gooseberries, but I agree if no one will eat them something must be done. They are not worth the work if all you can do is jam them. Have you got a good variety? Are there any varieties that your family likes?
With regard to the spiking problems gooseberries should always be grown in a restricted form, cordon, fan, espalier or what you like and thoroughly summer pruned several times each year. Picking will not then be a blood sport. Even commercial growers do this.

Are the roots very resistant e.g will I need a pickaxe to handle it?
Depends how old your bushes are how much resistance the roots will give, but they are not generally very deep rooted. I would say gooseberries are one of easiest from fruitbushes to remove..as that is for root wise. I did couple of years ago lift few OLD and BIG bushes with just spade so I should think you are ok without a pick axe.

Hi. They are 4 or 5 years old. I only have red ones, which are quite tart, I somehow expected gooseberries to be sweeter. They make nice jam but there is a limit to how much jam one can stomach!
I admit they are not well pruned and are pretty wide, I guess the patch is over a metre wide? So I think I am gonna get slashed to pieces getting them out  :(

I only have red ones, which are quite tart, I somehow expected gooseberries to be sweeter.
Oh they can be!
Hmm.. :-\..I wonder if you are picking them too early for fresh eating. Even so called 'cooking type' gooseberries ripen up into nice sweetness and the tartness will  mellow down if given enough time. Even if the the berries are fully red, they don't sweeten up to the skin until they go quite soft.
My OH never liked gooseberries..he just couldn't see point with them until once I picked him particularly big one from bush that was fully ripe. You should have seen his face..total taste bud revelation was shining through it.. ;D Now he say that gooseberries are bit like kiwis but better and he keeps asking from me when they are ready for eating... ::)
If you can split the skin when squeezing one and all the insides start coming out..it is ripe and sweet.. ;)

Quote from: goodlife on September 04, 2012, 14:00:14

Code Select Expand

I only have red ones, which are quite tart, I somehow expected gooseberries to be sweeter.
Oh they can be!
Hmm.. :-\..I wonder if you are picking them too early for fresh eating. Even so called 'cooking type' gooseberries ripen up into nice sweetness and the tartness will  mellow down if given enough time. Even if the the berries are fully red, they don't sweeten up to the skin until they go quite soft.
My OH never liked gooseberries..he just couldn't see point with them until once I picked him particularly big one from bush that was fully ripe. You should have seen his face..total taste bud revelation was shining through it.. ;D Now he say that gooseberries are bit like kiwis but better and he keeps asking from me when they are ready for eating... ::)
If you can split the skin when squeezing one and all the insides start coming out..it is ripe and sweet.. ;)

I agree 100% ripe gooseberries are wonderful.  Give them one more year.
Also try a different variety Hinomaki red are great.

Mmm I am now in a pickle! As far as I know they are Wineham's Industry. I do eat a couple when I pick and they are in general pretty much ripe, but I just can't get the family to eat them in things other than jam.
I do feel quite bad about pulling them out but I am quite interested in making some space (I will be hauling out some of the raspberries too as they are completely feral!). I would love to grow some other fruit but not sure what. Bit afraid of a blackberry (a tame one!) in case it gets too big.