Your comments and tips

23 May 14, Frank - Albany WA (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

grows well in well tilled free draining soil . I have a few plants which are growing voraciously one close to 2mts high which i have to prune every 3-4 weeks. I like to go out and just pick and eat 10 -20 'berries' straight off the bush- different flavors depending on the ripeness f the berries.

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07 May 14, Allie (Australia - temperate climate)

I just bought seeds from Fair Dinkum Seeds (fairdinkumseeds dot com). Now to try growing them...

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30 Apr 14, Cher (Australia - tropical climate)

They are so very hardy and tolerant of weather extremes. I've grown them in many areas of Australia, mostly Queensland, and my latest offerings have just survived a drenching from cyclone Ita and are looking great. The harvest is always eaten straight after picking!

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24 Apr 14, archie archive (Australia - temperate climate)

On a West facing balcony in Perth I planted a Cape Gooseberry I bought around September last year. It has been slow growing in its 40cm pot (but it is at least growing unlike the one I bought in 2012 which reached 30 cm and had three fruit). It began setting fruit about six weeks ago and has suddenly spurted - it is over 1.5 mtrs tall (above the pot soil level), bushing and is setting many fruit with many more flowers. My concern is that it is now only a couple of months to the cold weather and I wonder if the fruit will ripen in time and if the plant will over-winter. I remember picking fruit from my Grandfather's self-sown bushes many years ago in Kelmscott but cannot remember which season that was.

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23 Apr 14, elissa (Australia - temperate climate)

All those people looking for seeds I got mine from theseedcollection.com.au

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15 Apr 14, Marion Joli (Australia - temperate climate)

Does anyone know how these plants handle frost?

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02 Apr 14, Diane Elliot (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have saved seeds from my late parents' home. I am so glad to know that Eden Seeds will save me if they are too old to grow. I also used to raid the plants every season.

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12 Apr 14, David Bullock (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Diane, good luck with your seeds, have you planted them yet &/or have they struck? My parents passed away years ago & the house was sold, didn't think about saving seeds then, as almost every second person had them in there back gardens, never thinking that the metre high variety would almost become extinct. Colleen

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06 Mar 14, Colleen (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

My Father always had cape gooseberries in his garden & I have fond memories of rummaging beneath the metre high bushes to pick up the ripe fruit that has dropped, so bought myself one. It has grown into a straggly climber approx 2 1/2 metres tall & no matter how I prune it I can't control it. Also the fruit doesn't fall when ripe, in fact they can't be easily pulled of the vine but need to be cut. Nursery people don't know what I'm talking about & I only have a small area to plant out. Hope you can help.

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05 Mar 14, sue (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

bought 2 plants in local nursery. getting nice lot of fruit

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