Your comments and tips

20 Jan 12, Canh (Australia - temperate climate)

Hey Greg, Unfortunately, the gooseberry plants are more are popular than I first thought. Pretty much everyone at my work I've talked to about the gooseberry plant they all seemed to want one so I am out of stock, lol.. I will pot a few more this weekend but if you're happy to get a few cuttings from me to see if you can get it to strike you're most welcome. Otherwise you have to wait for about 3 weeks or so. Like I said in my post, it's very easy to take off and very quick to establish. I live in Kambah so not far from you. My mobile is 0403 706 007 send me a text and i'll reply with my address or i can drop a few cuttings to you if you don't want to wait for the ones i am making this weekend to take off.. Canh

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16 Jan 12, Annie (Australia - temperate climate)

I would absolutely love to buy a small gooseberry tree off you, I live in batemans bay and am able to pick it up it that's ok with you. My phone number is 0478004132 or if unable to contact me on that number my partner Robs number is 0449818956. Seeing that comment you posted made my day!! I haven't had a gooseberry in years and would love my own plant! :) please be in contact :)

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20 Aug 13, Danielle (Australia - temperate climate)

Thanks for the information Canh; it's very useful! I'm going to try growing some from seed from my mom's plant and I think I'll give growing them from cuttings a go too!

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22 Oct 15, Indrajit Roy (Australia - temperate climate)

Dear Canh I live in Canberra. Once I tried to grow gooseberry but I failed, as it could not survive Canberra's winter chill. I am interested to grow cape gooseberry by taking (if possible) small cutting from you. If you live in Canberra, I may (if you allow me) drive down to your place and collect the cuttings. Looking forward to hear from you. Kind regards, Indrajit

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26 Jan 18, Wilson (USA - Zone 4b climate)

To some that posted replies on this page... Cape Gooseberry is not a gooseberry tree, it is a ground cherry.

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12 Jan 12, Frog (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I recently found my childhood memory cape gooseberries when revisiting Mt Tamborine. The new householder I visited did not know how precious her plants were to me, and hopefully now to her. I have some fruit, which I won't eat, as I want to plant. Do I dry them, store in fridge and plant March, as 'green harvest' mentioned or just leave whole fruit in ground, and magic happens.

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19 Jan 12, Carol (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

My gooseberries has taken off and are quite large bushes. I have an ongoing battle with little cucumber beetles (I think). I have grown them in three different suburbs around Toowoomba (different plant sources) and have always got this annoying and persistent beetle making a mess of the bushes. Pyrethrum seems to keep them at bay but not eradicate them. The berries look great until I open the paper pod and there is only a tiny shriveled up thing inside. Is the pyrethrum destroying the berries or the bugs? Or maybe would there be a problem with soil nutrition? Does anyone know?

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20 Jan 12, Canh (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Carol, My guess is your plant isn't getting enough water and/ or manure. My cape gooseberry which is now in the green house has gone wild, it's taken over the greenhouse. Not that I mind because it is loaded with fruit. Occasionally I squeeze the green husks to feel how the fruits are developing. The husks that developed in early December has fruits the size of a marble. I don't think they are going to get much bigger than that. New side shoots are still emerging just like the tomato plants and new fruit are developing with these new shoots. How I look after my goose berry is I try to get keep the soil around the plant moist but not damp if you know what i mean. Occasionally I let the soil to almost dry out but never completely dry so the root system can breathe. If you see the leaves starting to wilt from dry soil this will affect the berries in the pods. Try putting dry leaves around the base of the tree to preserve moisture. I don't need to mulch mine because the plant is so bushy it's shading the base itself!! I feed the plant with horse manure. How i do it is, I have a plastic bin about 40 litres with a cover. I put about a supermarket size bag of raw horse manure in the bin then filled it up with water, put the lit on and let it sit for about 2 weeks. I then scoop 4 or 5 cups of this mixture including the grassy bits of the manure from the bin and put into a 10 litre bucket. Fill the bucket up with fresh water, stir them together and water the plants. I feed the plants once every 2 weeks. simple as that..

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31 Jan 12, margaret (Australia - arid climate)

I have two cape gooseberry bushes the problem i am having that some of the branches are half green and the other end of the branch is brittle dry like hollow from inside it looks as if the plant is dying. It is not starving from water or fertilizer so what could be the reason. Both these plants are near the hedge. Thanks margaret

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07 Feb 12, Jackie (Australia - temperate climate)

I have a plant and it nearly died.After some TLC and lots of water it has thrived and now fruits like mad. It has also self seeded and has become ferrel.It must love the scorching Summers in this part of the world. I believe it is good for diabetics .

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