Currants and Gooseberries

Experiences Growing Ribes Species in Bishop

by Alison Collin, Inyo-Mono Master Gardener Volunteer

Gooseberries.  Ribes rossularia These used to be grown in the Owens Valley, but in spite of attempting to grow European Gooseberries for several years crops have generally been meagre.  Varieties tried include Hinnomaki Red (from Finland), Tixi (from Switzerland) both of which have large red berries and are truly delicious but in spite of being grown in morning sun, afternoon shade have produced no more than a dozen berries each in any one year.  This year Pixwell had an enormous crop of rather small berries, probably in response to the precipitation through the winter.  American gooseberries Ribes hirtellum are said to be more heat tolerant.

https://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/gooseberry.html

Black Currants.  Ribes nigrum. For many years it was illegal to grow black currants in the USA because they are a host to White Pine Blister Rust.  These controls are no longer in place.  I have tried to grow these for several years.  The European varieties are a complete waste of time and space since I have tried them in numerous different situations and although they grow and produce dormant buds along their stems these always fail to develop and flower in the spring, possibly due to lack of winter chill.  The leaves scorch in our mountain sun and they are said to tolerate growing in partial shade.

Variety 'Crandall' however makes quite a handsome plant under the right conditions.  It is known as the clove currant because of the fragrance given off by clusters of yellow flowers in the spring.  It produces a reliable crop of large currants each year and these can be made into jam (high pectin content) but the flavor is not as refined as the European varieties.

Jostaberry.  I grew one Jostaberry bush for a few years, and although it grew very vigorously and seemed healthy, it never produced any flowers, perhaps due to lack of winter chill.

Red Currants:  There is a red currant bush in the demonstration plots at the community gardens which produced a small crop this year.  The berries are fairly tart, and can be used as cranberries.