On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 22:10:39 +0100, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:

Rod wrote:
On Sat, 2 Jul 2005 14:30:53 +0000 (UTC), "Sunny Girl"
wrote:

Hi

How can I tell when my gooseberries are ready?

Wendy

For cooking etc, they're ready any time they're big enough. For
dessert they're ready when the blackbirds have eaten them ;~))

And for wine, they must be unripe. I don't understand why

Define criteria !
I've been doing 5gall of gooseberry anually since '70
the later I can leave them (ie.beginning to burst but before the birds
find them) the better !
When they are unripe it is a characteristically country gooseberry
wine,,
(I know, my mother used to make it, floating yeast on toast in a
covered crock etc ! ),,
,, later it can be a nice white wine !