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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Feb 1, 2018 15:15:04 GMT -5
I bought two Jostaberry plants today and will be planting them within a few minutes. They are a cross between gooseberry and black currant. The package says zones 3 to 8. I am in zone 8 B bit I think planting them in partial shade might keep them cool enough. Anybody have experience with them?
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Post by tomike on Feb 1, 2018 15:19:08 GMT -5
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Feb 1, 2018 15:37:01 GMT -5
Maybe, or at least it agrees with what I had already found. It did suggest that I plant it in partial shade which is what I am looking for. Tractor Supply had several unusual berries. Unfortunately they also had gooseberry plants for sale and it said right on the package zones 2 to 6. We are in zone 8B or possibly even 9 depending on the chart. I am going to try working some potting mix into the holes and hope for the best anyway.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Feb 1, 2018 15:57:02 GMT -5
Nothing to add, but good luck!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Feb 1, 2018 18:08:08 GMT -5
There are two potential issues with being at the southern end of the range for temperate fruiting plants: 1. How well the plants can handle the summer heat. I think you're on the right track with planting in partial shade (hopefully the plants will get some shade in midday and early afternoon). A thick layer of mulch can help keep the roots cooler and reduce heat stress. You should also provide plenty of water, especially in the first year. 2. Whether the plants will get enough chill hours in winter. (If you don't get enough chill hours in a given year, your plants will leaf out weakly, and either they won't bloom, or blooms will be scattered over a long period. With few blooms open at the same time, you'll probably have poor pollination and little or no fruit. If the plantw don't get enough chill hours for successive years, they will eventually weaken and die.) I tried to find information about how many chill hours jostaberry needs, but the information was conflicting. This source: www.ksl.com/article/39056558/jostaberry says they need 1,000 chill hours. If you're near the coast, you probably don't get that much. But some other sources said they don't need much winter chill. Since you've already bought the plants, you may as well plant them and see what happens. They may do just fine. EDIT: Grammar
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Feb 1, 2018 19:04:59 GMT -5
Well this year they would have had it but not most years. I'm going to plant them where the shed shades them in the afternoon. That happens to be next to my blueberries. I do need to find some bird netting though, My dog is too lazy to chase birds and squirrels away.
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Feb 3, 2018 20:47:13 GMT -5
Planted this afternoon. I hope to update this post in a year or two.
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