12 ms·

This lack of availability in supermarkets reminds me of gooseberries. Lovely fruit to bake with or just eat, but apparently not economically viable to have them

This lack of availability in supermarkets reminds me of gooseberries. Lovely fruit to bake with or just eat, but apparently not economically viable to have them in stores even during their season. I have a shrub in my backyard, but it doesn't yield much more than a handful.

chriskanan 3y ago
Are you fertilizing? I have one in a pot that yields probably 200 berries per year. The issue is the thorns. I bought a couple thornless varieties last year. Hopefully will get some fruit this year from those.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- Freak_NL 3y ago
  I should give it more love really.
chriskanan 3y ago
Regarding why we don't see them in stores, in part I think that's related to them being perishable but also because gooseberries and currants were both banned in the USA until 1966 because it carried a disease that hurt the white pine tree. Here is a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZAk1a0dqiM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZAk1a0dqiM
- eigenket 3y ago
  Maybe but they've been around in Europe for a long time and (as far as I know) have never been banned anywhere over here. They still aren't commonly seen in supermarkets anywhere in Europe I've been or lived (you sometimes see them in farmers markets and the like) so I think growing them commercially generally just isn't worth it.
  - OJFord 3y ago
    They're just not used a lot, at least in the UK, so they'll appear in supermarkets occasionally (perhaps only once/season) as a limited batch. Otherwise you could get them at the market or a 'pick your own' farm which (IME at least) tend to have more berry varieties than anywhere else.
    - ascorbic 3y ago
      If they were more widely available they'd certainly be used more. There's no shortage of rhubarb in supermarkets when it's in season, and gooseberries can be used in a lot of the same dishes (crumbles, fools, stewed etc). However gooseberries can also be used for lots of berry dishes. There's definitely a market.
wlesieutre 3y ago
Trader Joe’s has them
Aloha 3y ago
Or boysenberries.

chriskanan 3y ago

Are you fertilizing? I have one in a pot that yields probably 200 berries per year. The issue is the thorns. I bought a couple thornless varieties last year. Hopefully will get some fruit this year from those.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
Freak_NL 3y ago
I should give it more love really.

chriskanan 3y ago

Regarding why we don't see them in stores, in part I think that's related to them being perishable but also because gooseberries and currants were both banned in the USA until 1966 because it carried a disease that hurt the white pine tree. Here is a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZAk1a0dqiM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZAk1a0dqiM

eigenket 3y ago
Maybe but they've been around in Europe for a long time and (as far as I know) have never been banned anywhere over here. They still aren't commonly seen in supermarkets anywhere in Europe I've been or lived (you sometimes see them in farmers markets and the like) so I think growing them commercially generally just isn't worth it.
- OJFord 3y ago
  They're just not used a lot, at least in the UK, so they'll appear in supermarkets occasionally (perhaps only once/season) as a limited batch. Otherwise you could get them at the market or a 'pick your own' farm which (IME at least) tend to have more berry varieties than anywhere else.
  - ascorbic 3y ago
    If they were more widely available they'd certainly be used more. There's no shortage of rhubarb in supermarkets when it's in season, and gooseberries can be used in a lot of the same dishes (crumbles, fools, stewed etc). However gooseberries can also be used for lots of berry dishes. There's definitely a market.

wlesieutre 3y ago

Trader Joe’s has them

Aloha 3y ago

Or boysenberries.