Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network

Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network

Welcome to world of the gooseberry—sweet, tart, and bursting with flavor!

You may never have seen a gooseberry in your life—and yet they’ve been around for hundreds of years! And thanks to the efforts of gooseberry growers, this delicious berry bush is available in more varieties than ever before!

Gooseberry bushes can grow in open land, in raised beds, and even in containers. There’s no need to worry about frost after the harvest is done—these sturdy bushes are cold-hardy down to 40 below!

First is the collection’s Introduction, where you’ll learn some of the basics about gooseberries and how to choose the right variety to grow. You’ll also get the history of this juicy berry!

Next, in the Feature Articles, you’ll get specifics about gooseberry growing—from the two main types of gooseberry bushes grown for food to the best way to start growing (seed? cutting? young shrub?) to watering, fertilizing, and pruning your bushes so they stay healthy and productive year after year.

There’s a lot to know about gooseberry growing, so even if you’re a veteran, you might learn something new. We aim to gather everything there is to know about gooseberry growing into this single collection!

We have six fun Plant Profiles with the more popular varieties listed, including options for gardeners around the country and those who want to grow gooseberry bushes in containers.

There are many varieties of gooseberries you can grow in the U.S.—but not everyone in the U.S. can grow this special berry. It’s all about location, location, location. We’ve chosen these six gooseberry profiles because these are some of the most commonly grown, and they offer a variety of taste and color. If you’d like us to include another gooseberry variety that appeals to you, please let me know by commenting below.

After all, this is Food Gardening Network, and we want to include the knowledge of all our gardening readers in everything we do. Your input is just as important to us as anything we come up with on our own!

We do think you’ll love the gooseberry Recipes we’ve compiled for enjoying the fruits of your labor. They cover many traditional uses of gooseberries, plus some fun and elegant ways of preparing gooseberries.

Make a traditional pie that’s been gracing dinner tables for hundreds of years and winning blue ribbons at country fairs. Whip up a dessert that looks much harder to make than it really is (we won’t tell). Or make yourself a multipurpose mixer that has something sweet to offer everyone! We hope these recipes will inspire you to experiment, and we hope you’ll share your ideas with us.

After that, you’ll be interested to learn how gooseberries can benefit your health in Nutrition Facts about Gooseberries. The little gooseberry is delicious and packed with vitamins!

Then there are the Health Benefits of Gooseberries where you’ll learn how gooseberries are thought to help heart health, prevent cancer, and contribute to better digestive health. We’ll also tell you about a darker side of the gooseberry bush and how to avoid it.

Because we want you to have everything there is to know about gooseberries at your fingertips, we’ve included a Resources section that’s complementary to this collection. Learn more about tools specific to gooseberry growing, and kitchen tools that will come in handy after you’ve harvested your gooseberries.

As always, we’ve included a brief Glossary in case you need a deeper explanation of any key terms. Be sure to let us know if there’s something else you need explained!

I’m off to bake a gooseberry pie right now, but I hope you’re ready to dive in and become a master gooseberry grower!