Hinnonmaki Green Gooseberry Plants

Hinnonmaki Green Gooseberry Bushes

Hinnonmaki Green is a goosegog that's been specifically bred for hardiness and disease resistance (including being mildew resistant). So that's a big tick right there in your list of 'things to look out for when choosing a gooseberry bush'. It's also extremely hardy, vigorous and a consistently prolific cropper. Three more ticks. Whether you consider it being a mid-season variety of particular importance is subjective, but it means you'll be harvesting the large, well flavoured berries in around mid July. It's also a compact plant for a gooseberry bush, so makes a wise choice for those with smaller gardens. The flavour is delicious – and it comes highly recommended both for eating fully ripe straight from the bush, or for transforming into pies, jams, preserves or for freezing. If you're after an earlier fruiting variety, or a gooseberry with pink or yellow berries, have a look at the rest of our gooseberries here.

How to grow Hinnonmaki Green

Gooseberries are a soft fruit that's easy to grow. They'll thrive in all kinds of soil, although they do like it to be well prepared (so dig out any stones and roots before planting), and ideally slightly acidic, and prefer a sunny spot. You can even grow them in roomy containers, but mulch each spring with some well rotted garden compost or manure and don't forget to water. Birds love the berries, too, so protect the ripening fruit with netting if you'd rather eat them yourself. Pick fully ripened berries with care, as they can get very soft. If you have a glut, no worries: they'll freeze well for a few months, and you'll have the wherewithal for pies, jam or crumbles throughout winter. Mature bushes will need a light prune in winter. For a longer season of berries, plant alongside an earlier variety such as Invicta, or for fun with colour, combine with a pink gooseberry such as Captivator, always leaving around 1.5m between bushes. We recommend using rootgrow when planting to help the bushes establish well and crop heavily.

Did You Know?

The Hinnonmaki Green was specially bred in the early 1900s in Finland for hardiness from the cold, and for disease resistance. The name comes from the Hinnonmäen testing station, where it was bred.