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Fruit & Orchards

where to buy gooseberries and blackcurrent bushes

14 years ago

Hi,

I would like to buy gooseberries and blackcurrent bushes (2-3 gallons) on line or in a nursery in IL.

I did search the web with no luck.

Could somebody please recommed a store on line where I could purchase these and perhaps other fruit bushes?

Thanks.

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Comments (7)

joberry
14 years ago
Check Indiana Berry or Nourse Farms. Both have very good plants. Nourse may be sold out by now.
lucky_p
14 years ago
Not in IL, but Whitman Farms, in OR probably offers one of the best selections of Ribes varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful: Whitman Farms
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I've grown Pixwell gooseberry (hard and sour) and been less than happy with the fruit. I probably enjoy 1-2 fruit from the plants once a week or so til the birds have stripped it. They're just too tiny and sour even when ripe (and they have an unusual texture that the rest of the family dislikes) The plant has grown well for me and fruited profusely. I added Invicta last year and have yet to taste fruit. I'm adding Hinnonmaki Yellow this spring. I have grown and enjoyed red Currants (Red Lake) for 5+ years. Easy plant (and mine are in 1/2 shade) fruits profusely and tastes kind of like pomegranite, tart but good. I've got 10 or so (2 originally, others are from trimmings stuck into the ground). White and pink currants (for 3 years) have fruited less profusely and while they are not as tart, we prefer the reds. Also the white and pink have had more problems for me than the reds. One year I had the plants defoliated twice by imported currant worms....while looking for a solution at the local garden center I had to explain what currants were and then the "nursery manager" asked why I would import a worm that would eat all the leaves off my plant if I didn't want it to happen. (I don't shop there anymore) I added a black currant last year, and I ripped it out last year as well. After one taste (if you've smelled cat-piss and can imaging what tasting it would be like, that's close) I knew it was something I didn't want to waste space growing (and I drink black-currant juice frequently). I'm going to add another black this year (one with better ratings for flavor that was sold out last year when I bought the other one). I also have 2 clove currants that haven't fruited for me yet (added 2 years ago) but their smell alone in the spring makes them safe from the compost pile. Their fragrant blooms are a high-light of spring for me. ~Chills
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I was just about to ask that same question. If you see berries and then they disappear without a trace I'd blame wildlife. I have about half a dozen nice big gooseberry bushes and if I don't net I barely see any fruit. Between a friendly neighborhood possum, a couple of raccoons, birds, and squirrels they strip them clean. Same with cherries (both sweet and tart), blueberries and currants. If you see them on the ground it could be several things. Some varieties are more fussy and will drop fruit if the soil is too dry, or too wet, or if there were low temperatures during blooming, or your neighbor sneezed when the moon was full, the tulips already opened and two of your windows face east. My Jeanne dropped most of its fruit this year and it's in full sun, but Pixwell, Poorman and Jewel in semi-shade are covered in fruit. You'd think with the amount of rain we are having this year it would be opposite. Go figure! Gooseberries are self-fertile, so bad pollination is not likely to be your main problem. Your best bet with getting new varieties would be mail order. Whitman Farms Nursery has an incredible variety and Lucille is a delight to talk to. Can't recommend her enough! One Green World offers several varieties as well. Hope this helps! Grow Here is a link that might be useful: Whitman Farms Nursery
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sorry I didn' tnotice this post earlier. As far as currants go, it depends upon your preference. I love the red ones and the white ones are ok, but given the flavor of the black ones I had this year I personally wouldn't give them any valuable space in my garden. Red Lake....most common red currant, reliable, good tasting, I've had few problems and would recomend it. White Imperial...ok, not as tart as the red (above) but not powerfully sweet either. I've twice had to spray for currant worms (try asking your local garden center for something to get rid of currant worms, they were clueless for me). Leaves seem more prone to powdery mildew than the red. I can't recall the black I planted, but I will likely remove it next year (once I've bought something else to replace it). Gooseberry....Hinnomaki Gold (something like that) seems to be the best reviewed (sold out when I tried getting it last year),there is a H Red as well. Invicta (what I got instead) grew well, hasn't fruited yet. Pixwell (always be wary of a fruit that brags about picking it rather than how it tastes) grows well, roots readily and mine has fruited well, but the fruit are quite tart and would likely be better cooked than raw. Blackberry....go with triple crown if you can find it. Everyone raves about it and it is thornless to boot. ~Chills
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grow_darnit
14 years ago
Whitman Farms, One Green World, Raintree Nursery all have very good selection. One Green World usually offers pretty good size, but none of them will be 2-3 gallon size. Never seen them in nurseries either, you could call around and ask if anyone carries them, but online will be your best bet. Good luck!
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olga_6b
14 years ago
I second Whitmans Farms. Selection is oustanding. More varieties are available in spring, which are not listed on their site. If you are interested in any specific currant or gooseberry, just call and ask. More likely then not, you will get it. I got this spring trree varieties of currants that I was looking for and couldn't find anywhere. They were not listed on WF site.
Olga
alan haigh
14 years ago
And the best thing about Whitman Farms is that all orders come with a conversation with Lucille, the owner. I just love her.

Also if you are ordering a quantity she'll give you the best price of all mentioned sources by far. She grows plants for Raintree and others.
alphabluemerle
13 years ago
I just bought mine from Stark Bros Nursery. They are located in Louisiana MO but also have a web site that you can order from.
jolj
13 years ago
I know I am late to the party, but here goes.
I ordered from Henry Fields, planted in march & the bush flowered & had berries that year. This will be my fourth year & I am ordering more plants, because the one I have has had fruit every year.
I am going to try "Pixwell", do not remember what the other was called. By fall it was a nice 3 gallon plant. I always buy one gallon, in 3-6 months in the ground it will be 3 gallon or bigger or I will not buy from that place again.
I have nothing bad to say about Henry fields, but Rain tree has more varieties. I am getting a "Poorboy" from them.
I know people say gooseberries will not grow south of N.C. line. But mine does fine, even with Global Warming.

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