Gooseberries ideal for diverse Canadian growing conditions

摘要

While the Pilgrims have long been credited with bringing gooseberries to North America, the continent is known for its own wild varieties of gooseberries, according to Ed Mash-burn, president of the International Ribes Association. He was a guest speaker at the recent Alberta Horticultural Congress in Edmonton. Mashburn, who lives in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, grows about 90 varieties of gooseberries, his favorite being Hoenings Earliest which has "a large golden yellow, hairy berry with excellent flavor. It ripens early and is a heavy producer. The bush is thick, dense and thorny, upright at first but spreading more in the third and later years." "It does require pruning and is hard to pick," Mashburn added.