Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
jane writes:
|
| No, there is a difference. Worcesters are a distinct species where
| Jostas are a cross. This should help:
| http://web.ukonline.co.uk/suttonelms...sterberry.html

I live and learn! The OED explains the source of the confusion:

A small black gooseberry of the North American species Ribes
divaricatum, once believed to be a hybrid of the blackcurrant
and the gooseberry and sold as such by a Worcester nurseryman.

1923 Amateur Gardening 27 Oct. p. ix/3 (Advertisement).
Worcesterberry. Cross between gooseberry and black currant.
Fruiting trees. 3/- each. Richard Smith & Co. ... Worcester.

The real Jostaberry fruits marvellously on a heavy clay soil and the
large black shiny gooseberries being so much bigger are a lot less
hassle to top and tail.

The only problem is keeping the birds off them! Needs a fruit cage.

Regards,
Martin Brown
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

The message
from jane contains these words:

(Oh, and Jostaberries are thornless, Worcesterberries most certainly
aren't! So that should help decide who has what!)

Oh. I've josta jostaberry then.

Good luck (and Janet, if you want some Worcesterberry cuttings, you
are more than welcome to come and help yourself!!!)

I should be getting a little motorcycle combination on the road soon -
may I come too, please?

--
Rusty
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The message
from Martin Brown contains these words:

The real Jostaberry fruits marvellously on a heavy clay soil and the
large black shiny gooseberries being so much bigger are a lot less
hassle to top and tail.

The only problem is keeping the birds off them! Needs a fruit cage.

A fruit-cage placed on-end?

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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On 1 Jun, 10:13, Rusty Hinge 2
wrote:
Oh. I've josta jostaberry then.

So do I! Choosed it precisely because it's thornless (tho the size of
the promised berries was very attractive too) - only nettles are
allowed in my newly shaped 'forest garden', these and a floribonda
climbing high, just because it was a present and it would be rude if
I'd take it out (especially as it is a present from a neighbour). Also
I don't have the heart to kill off a good plant just because it's
nasty ...

I should be getting a little motorcycle combination on the road soon -
may I come too, please?

Must have missed tons of posts - been so busy - but so glad to see you
post, and to see you mobile! Your lunaria came and went, and I'd even
forgotten where I had sown the seeds, so when the plant finally got
above the heads of all the others in the border, I wondered for a
while what it was ...! I've supplied my fellow allotmenters with many
seeds and bunches are still hung dried and white and beautifully
translucent in the shed. Thank you and lovely to read you again.

The message
from contains these words:

Must have missed tons of posts - been so busy - but so glad to see you
post, and to see you mobile! Your lunaria came and went, and I'd even
forgotten where I had sown the seeds, so when the plant finally got
above the heads of all the others in the border, I wondered for a
while what it was ...! I've supplied my fellow allotmenters with many
seeds and bunches are still hung dried and white and beautifully
translucent in the shed. Thank you and lovely to read you again.

Been without (due) pension for two and a half years, so no telephone and
no ISP.

The odd emu sent on Webmail from an internet café...

--
Rusty
Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk
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The message
from jane contains these words:

~I should be getting a little motorcycle combination on the road soon -
~may I come too, please?



It's a bit wet at the moment! Said bush is currently (argh)
barricading the path into my fruit area, it's such a thug. I shall
have open season on it in the autumn. Needs a good prune!

Well, cuttings should be at home as my domicile is amongst the tail-end
of the Chilterns - they swoop down towards London, curl over that town,
push their way through Hertfordshire, and Essex, then curl up through
Suffolk to God's own county.

I'm growing about 30 yards of fruit in a wide bed. Hedge of trees at the
back, cordoned-off, so to speak, and consisting of things like apples,
Japanese quince, apricots, peaches, any plummy things I can get to fruit
under those conditions, etc, with other soft fruit bushes in front, and
strawberries, herbs and so-on in front of those.

There will be the odd tree amongst the hedge: I have a hole ready-dug
into which I'm dropping old bones (not mine), leather, woollens, etc,
compost and so-on, and which will be followed by the rooty end of a
Charles Ross apple tree. I expect to plant a big quince and a damson in
the line, and have a Devonshire Quarenden and a medlar elsewhere.

I'll put up some pics of progress. I think you'll find some early ones
at http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/garden.htm - but it's all at very
early stages, and more has been planted, and even more hedging removed.
I ran out of up-and-download allocation on this Vodafone Lite (sic)
mobile broadbean dongle.

Since that time a bonfire has been making potash out of the Lonicera
wossname cuttings, while the larger bits are being saved for winter
heating.

--
Rusty
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On 3 Jun, 20:21, Rusty Hinge 2
wrote:
Been without (due) pension for two and a half years, so no telephone and
no ISP.

Ouch!

The odd emu sent on Webmail from an internet café...

Sounds exotic. But I'm sure you prefer your home comforts. Update that
site of yours so we can see where you was up to for 2 and a half
years, and decide to forgive you or not. The calendula self sown
everywhere around our fruit bushes - it's going to look splendid. Must
taste even better than last year.