Oblivious of the bitter cold, Stephen Muyita, a farmer, tends to a fruit crop whose value to many remains unclear. As he leads the team into his farm, we pass through hundreds of gooseberry bushes that sway under the weight of luscious, yellow berries.

Gooseberries, variously known as etuntunu, are not only eaten fresh or dried or in salads but are also excellent in pies, puddings, cakes, or eaten fresh.

Nutritious gooseberries

The fruits, which often grow wild and bring childhood memories to some, make delicious jam, fruit-based sauces and wine and can also be stewed with honey and eaten as a dessert. They are also highly nutritious and have medicinal value.

They are a good source of carotene and ascorbic acid, vitamins A, C, B, and iron; proteins, phosphorus, alkaloids, and flavonoids.Medicinally, the boiled leaf can be used as a diuretic and is said to be anti-asthmatic. It also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, and the juice is said to regulate cholesterol levels and protect the liver from oxidative stress.

But as we discovered during our visit to the farm, those are not the only great attributes of this fruit that has a sweet tangy taste: The cherry-sized fruit, yellow to orange in colour with smooth, waxy skin, also bears golden returns.

Gooseberry Yield

The average yield per acre is two tonnes, while under proper management, it can go up to four.

โ€œThe golden berry Physalis peruviana grows virtually everywhere, even in poor soils, attaining a height of between 2 to 6 ft (1.6 โ€“ 1.8m),โ€ says Muyita.

Growing the golden fruit

Propagation of gooseberries

Use treated seeds or stem cuttings with rooting hormone. Cuttings flower early and yield well but are less vigorous than seedlings. They produce fruits in about one-two years. Sow seeds in seedbeds from April to August.

Transplant seedlings at 15cm-20cm. Seeds have an 85-90 per cent germination rate and germinate 10- 15 days after sowing.

The plant requires lots of sunshine and sets fruit successfully provided the minimum temperature is above 5 ยฐC. Relative humidity of 70-80 per cent and a temperature of 7ยฐC to 13ยฐC, at night and 22ยฐC to 28ยฐC during the day is ideal.

Soil should be well-drained sandy-clayey soil, with organic matter and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.

Balance nutrition because under highly fertile alluvial soil, vegetative growth is high but fruits may fail to colour properly.

Weeding is not necessary. However, slashing them rather than uprooting once in a while, is recommended.

Field preparation for growing gooseberries

Do a soil test and add the required nutrients.

Prepare field to a fine tilth through two to three ploughings.

Add 20 tonnes of manure per hectare.

Divide the field into small plots for convenient transplanting and irrigation. Use raised beds for poorly drained soil.

Planting gooseberries

Obtain disease-free seedlings from a recognized nursery like Farmers Trend nursery.

Dig pits twice the size of the seedling root ball 1m between crops and 2m between rows. Plant on gentle slopes or mound the rows where soil is poorly drained.

Mix the dugout soil with compost or manure and put half back into the hole. Add an organic fertiliser if possible. Remove poly cups and place seedling into the hole.

Water the seedling before and after planting. Keep soil moist until well established. Irrigate during fruit formation to avoid plants going into dormancy. Planting between April and August encourages early fruiting.

Susceptible to strong winds so create windbreaks to protect plant. Have a weeding, spraying, and fertilising routine.

Foliar spraying of one percent potassium chloride before and just after blooming enhances fruit quality. Calcium enhances tissues and calyx formation.

Cultural Practices: Fertilisation, training, pruning, and sprouting improve the plant canopy, quality, and appearance of the fruit. Pinch out new shoots to encourage bushy growth. Prune crop after the cold season.

Flowering and fruiting of gooseberries

The crop self-pollinates as flowers have both male and female organs. Pollination can be enhanced by gently shaking flowering stems or praying lightly with water. When the flower falls, a calyx husk which encloses the fruit forms. This happens in 70 to 80 days.

Pest and diseases of gooseberries

Cutworms: Attack the golden berry in seedbeds.

Mites: May cause defoliation. Hares: Damage young plants. Birds (francolins) eat fruits.

Powdery mildew and Leaf spot: A whitish, powdery growth appears on leaves, shoots, and branch tips. Infected berries may crack.

Infected leaves may drop prematurely during hot weather.

ย Root rot: Are prone to root rot and viruses in poorly drained soil. Overwatering also increases chances of the diseases.

Harvesting gooseberries

Fruiting season lasts from February to May. Harvest when the husks turn beige every two to three weeks. Fruits may be picked when partially green and allowed to ripen, but may not be as sweet as the plant ripened ones.

The Cape Golden berry bears fruits in its first year. Optimum yields come in the third year and can last between three and five years, depending on variety

Storage of gooseberries

Can last 30โ€“45 days when inside the calyx husks at room temperature and four to five months when in cool storage (less than 2ยบC).

Weeding gooseberries

Weeding is not necessary. However, slashing them rather than uprooting once in a while, is recommended.

Marketing gooseberries

Gooseberries can be sold in the local market directly after harvesting or exported. The fruit is favoured in breeding and cultivation programmes of many countries.

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