General Chat

been up today to pick some before birds get them and hubby said fella a couple up said they were a cross bred one with gooseberry/ Just made some jam out of it and they smell like gooseberrys and are bigger than blackcurrants, tastes ok though, four big kilna jars of it now

Never heard of that Dawn!! Enjoy anyway Ann x

Sounds like you've got a Jostaberry.

Aren't you lucky Dawn two for the price of one - how lovely - enjoy Norah

We grow a red gooseberry and perhap thats what you have. they taste good and make great jam xx Jill

Did you know that a once-in-a-lifetime event has come along in the world of horticulture? It's the introduction of a new berry, the Jostaberry, which is a cross between a gooseberry and a black currant. The Jostaberry was under development for more than 30 years by the late Dr. Rudolph Bauer in West Germany. This plant is a complex cross, but the result is a totally new berry that combines the best qualities of both parents. The objective in developing the Jostaberry was to 1) create a good quality berry; 2) a higher yielding berry than the currant; 3) a thorn-free plant (gooseberry thorns aren't a desirable plant trait); 4) a plant with immunity to or resistance against various diseases. Dr. Bauer achieved these goals. The Jostaberry has a new flavor bringing out the best of a gooseberry with the mild hint of black currant. The gooseberry thorns are gone; immunity or resistance against major diseases is built-in, and the production is higher than either of its parents. Jostaberries are high in vitamin C and are excellent for eating, juicing, freezing and processing. The plant needs a lighter soil with high organic content; mulch also is recommended. The Jostaberry is winter hardy for a location such as Colorado, though it's recommended that in areas that reach below -25 degrees F, a trial planting be conducted first. The plant isn't widely available locally at this time. Ask your favorite local nurseryman or consult mail-order catalogs.

n. for Chris

Ann thanks for that jam tastes ok next lot hubby is going to make some wine with see how that turns out.

You may have discovered something new.....and makes very tasty jam......

Nothing tastes better than homemade jam yummmmmmmm