Get the best gooseberries

Q I’ve been reading about the flavour of old-fashioned gooseberries and would like to plant some of the older cultivars. What is the best way to grow them, and how do I avoid mildew? Fiona Westfield, Grantham, Lincs.

- Anne Swithinbank

A I recall an old gooseberry bush in my grandpa’s garden whose large berries were so delicious we would pick and eat them raw. The memory of that sweet gooseberry flavour makes me sympathise with your curiosity to explore some of the older cultivars. To a large extent, they have been sidelined by newer varieties such as green-fruited ‘Invicta’, pink ‘Captivator’ and ‘Hinnonmaki Red’, offering not only tasty fruit but also excellent resistance to American gooseberry mildew.

This fungal disease appears as whitish-grey and then brown patches on leaves and fruits, with young shoots stunted and twisted. With a growing trend to garden more organically and avoid using garden chemicals such as fungicides, choosing disease-resistant cultivars is an important tactic. Although heritage gooseberry varieties are generally prone to mildew, good cultivation can often win the day and it is said that a weekly spray of one part skimmed milk to 10 parts water helps to prevent the disease.