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Upstate New York

Blackberry, Currant and Gooseberry recommendations

16 years ago

I posted this previously on the Fruit and Orchards and MetroNY, NJ forums, but did not get any replies.

We live in Brooklyn, NYC. Zone 7a. Brownstone backyard.

I am looking for recommendations:

Blackberries: Have a 5'x 2.5' area reclaimed from the patio.

Hence, need erect, thornless, hardy, and highly productive cultivar (possibly only 1 plant). What has the best tasting large sized fruit? I was thinking of Apache. Any other recommendations?

I also have some partial shade areas and was thinking of planting currants or gooseberries, as they seem to be the only ones that will produce well in the shade. I have space for one plant of each only.

What do gooseberries taste like and which ones are the best ones for taste?

I just bought some currants at the Farmer's market around here and made some jam with them. The red currants are definitely a keeper.

Any preferences in cultivars for both currants and gooseberries, with regard to taste and productivity, as well as for disease resistance especially for the gooseberry? Do they adequately self-pollinate? I was thinking Rovada for the currant and Poorman or Invicta for the gooseberry. They also should be somewhat landscape-worthy plants.

Please give me your picks or experiences with the above fruits.

Thanks!

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Comments (6)

laurelin
16 years ago
I grow the black currant 'Prince Consort' in my garden. The bushes are on the north side of the house, and only get a few hours of sun in the summer, and none at all through the winter. They are vigorous, hardy, and fruit well in a tough location. I have five bushes planted together in an arc around a bird feeder, and keep them trimmed to about 4' tall (they'd like to be taller, but don't mind the trimming at all). I purchased them through the Miller's Nurseries catalog (Canandaigua, NY) about 6 years ago.

Laurel
remy_gw
16 years ago
Hi,
I grow Triple Crown Thornless Blackberry. It is semi-erect, so it does not need much support. I have one plant. It is incredibly productive! I make tons of jam that I think tastes great. Blackberry jam is so easy to make, just berries and sugar. No pectin is needed.
Of course unfotunately, I've never tasted Apache.
As far as the others, I don't grow them. I do grow a Jostaberry which is a cross of the two. I picked it to plant because the spot does get afternoon shade. It makes a nice well behaved shrub. I have it in a flower border. It makes a lot of berries on its own. I've had no disease problems.
Remy
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I have clove currants--haven't checked for "babies" this year yet. Last year I got a few, and doubled my row! I'll check and get back to you. I'd love some t'less blackberries. Do you know the variety?
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Gooseberries and currants (all - black, red, white, pink) don't need cross-pollination, they are self-fertile. Black currants definitely will do great in your part-shade (mine do and I am not far away from you). Others also will be OK. Don't plant them too close to the house, especially black currants - berries will stain the siding. I don't have Tixia gooseberry, I have Hinnomaki Red and Invicta. I eat Hinnomaki Red straight from the bush - love it, not really shrilled about Invicta - berries are too "furry". I also have black gooseberry - my favorite, bush is huge and thorny but berries are very tasty. If you have extra cuttings of Tixia, I can exchange for other seedlings or cuttings, if you are interested. Yelena
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Blackberries are extremely invasive, I tried to remove one bush 4 years ago, but its seedlings still come every year all around my berry patch. The same situation with raspberries. They are better planted in a pot if you have limited space or don't want constantly remove unwanted seedlings. Rovada is a very productive red currant variety, it ripes after Red Lake (about 2 weeks later) and bush is smaller than Red Lake, berries are larger that Red Lake's. I also like Pink Champaigne (pink currant) - berries are sweeter. There are also black currants, they like partial shade more than red, pink and white varieties. Gooseberries are very different is taste and size of berries and bushes. Invicta has big sour-sweet green berries with small "fuz" (kinda "furry"). I like Hinnomaki Red more despite that berries are smaller and red in color - they are great to eat when ripe and to make "emerald preserves" when berries are still green (groundhogs prefer them too). The only thing - branches are weeping. There are also varieties that are similar to blueberries in taste, color and size - Black Velvet, for example. I have Black Negus (European gooseberry variety) and it's an extremely productive huge bush, berries are good for making wine. Any way, there are a lot of varieties of currants and gooseberries, suitable for any taste and purpose. Warning- some regions prohibit planting and growing currants and gooseberries and many mail-order catalog companies won't send seedlings to you unless you have a permission from a state.
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yeshwant91
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks! My post has finally yielded fruit! :-)
Laurelin, thanks for the info about your black currants. I may go with Red currants, although I suppose they have the same or similar cultural requirements. What do you do with the currants?
Remy: I am glad to hear from someone growing Triple Crown in these areas. Questions for you: When you say little support, do you have a trellis for it? How big does the plant get?
How do the berries taste fresh? Are they big or medium sized? I also want to eat fresh berries as well as pies, jams, the works! So excited!
remy_gw
16 years ago
Hi again,
I grow it in a corner of my vegetable garden, so it really is a confined space. It grows upwards and is pretty stable because the stems coming out of the ground are very strong. As they rise though the ends are more pliable and they will eventually head back towards the ground. So I just make sure they head out towards the top of the fence. A trellis or a few poles would work just fine too.
The berries are of course growing now. If I remember, I will take some pics when they get ripe to post for you. I don't consider them small. I think they taste very good fresh. I have put out bowls when people have come to visit and they eat them. I hope they're not just eating them to make me happy!
Remy
jolj
13 years ago
Soooooo yeshwant91, what did you do & how did it turn out for you.
I have the "JAN" Blackberries from Stark & should get some berries if I can keep the deer off the new growth.
I have a gooseberry(forget what kind)it fruits for 3 years now.
My Red Lake currant is hanging on, but no fruit yet.
You read right I am in zone 7b/8a South Carolina.
in ny zone5
13 years ago
I am in zone 5a, upstate NY, and have 4 bushes of red current and 2 bushes gooseberries. I eat the berries from the bushes. The gooseberries grow behind a 6 ft cedar fence in a bright shade and produce weell. The red currants grow in full south sun and produce a lot of berries. I bought all of them from Miller's nurseries perhaps 20 years ago.
For many years I also had a row of yellow raspberries, growing in semi shade and producing well, also from Miller's in Canandaigua, NY.
Good Luck!

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