Your comments and tips

25 Aug 18, Lucy (Australia - temperate climate)

I just had great success with seeds from last years fruit. As they are tiny seeds and prone to drying out I use old sour cream, yogurt, etc. tubs, pierce a couple of drainage holes in bottom, half fill with moist seed raising mix, sow seeds and then pop the clear lid on to keep moisture in. Approx. 4 weeks and the seeds have emerged, now I'm hardening off by having lid slightly off and opening a bit more each day.

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Mar 18, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)

2-6 weeks I read for germination. Warm moist soil. Use a light spray to wet the soil. Maybe cover with shade cloth.

Reply or Post a new comment

18 Jan 18, Stephanie Meggitt (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

We have an approx 12 month old cape gooseberry that has fruited really well. Looks like it is ready to be pruned now. Is it worth taking cuttings (would like a couple more bushes) and would I just put them in water till they shoot or is more required. Thanks

Reply or Post a new comment

19 Jan 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Give it a try - put about 8-10" of the vine in the water. Change the water each 3 days - it might take 2-4 weeks for roots to shoot. I'm doing Malabar Spinach at the moment.

Reply or Post a new comment

06 Jan 18, some one (Australia - temperate climate)

How long did u have to wait before taking cuttings. Mine are about 60cm high and just finished fruiting. But also from the mane stem only has 2 shoots about 40cm high

Reply or Post a new comment

30 Dec 17, Jason (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)

My cape gooseberry has Black leaves all over and on the vey top they are green . Its currently fruiting seems to be growing well. Has direct sun light all day long .

Reply or Post a new comment

29 Dec 17, Denise Gravatt (Australia - temperate climate)

Bushes growing well, replanted them 2 years ago in same garden. Plenty of foliage, healthy, but no fruit. Venus Bay, Victoria, Australia. Would appreciate your comments please

Reply or Post a new comment

30 Dec 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Soil: The cape gooseberry will grow in any well drained soil but does best on sandy to gravelly loam. Very good crops are obtained on rather poor sandy ground. Irrigation: The plant needs consistent watering to set a good fruit crop, but can't take "wet feet". Sounds like Brad has it pretty much right - mulch and watering - not too much water thought - depends on how hot it is.

Reply or Post a new comment

28 Dec 17, Brad (Australia - temperate climate)

Have a cape gooseberry going on 3 summers now. Not much fruit in first year, bucket load in 2nd summer, now bucket loads in 3rd summer. Red spider mites would attack it from about March through to start of winter, but we just cut it back to about 20cm from base and the spider mites disappear heading into the winter. Noticed about a month ago after the hot weather hit, that alot of new flowers would just fall off at the slightest touch. Put this down to lack of water, so we placed sugar cane mulch to about 6 inches thick and out to a radius of about a meter, then stretched shade cloth over the mulch and pegged down (to keep the blackbirds from destroying the mulch). Under the mulch cover we also placed weaper hose and had this going for a few hours each day, and problem soon resolved with loads more flowers and setting fruit.

Reply or Post a new comment

15 Dec 17, michelle (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi Trish; about your Cape Gooseberry fruit being attacked by 'borers', maybe it;s earwigs. The larvae do that to rose buds, maybe it's the same for the C.G fruit.

Reply or Post a new comment