Description
Welcome is an old Minnesota selection, a seedling of Poorman chosen at the state fruit breeding farm and introduced in 1957. Its distinction is timing: it is one of the earliest gooseberries to ripen, coming in ahead of the main run of the season.
The bush grows vigorously, upright at first and spreading as it ages, so it finishes wider than it is tall. Spines are few, short and weakly attached, and older wood carries none at all, which makes an established plant easy to pick. The berries are medium to large, dull light red with pink flesh, mildly tart and good quality, with few small seeds.
Overview
- Very early ripening, ahead of the main gooseberry season.
- Medium to large berries, light red with pink flesh, mildly tart.
- Few short, weak spines, and none at all on older wood.
- Vigorous, upright becoming spreading; self-fertile.
Growing Details
Latin Name: Ribes ‘Welcome’
Site and Soil: Full sun to part shade; rich, well drained soil, pH 6.0 to 7.0
Hardiness: Hardy to USDA Zone 3
Rootstock: Grown from cuttings
Bearing Age: Light crop the first year; full crops by year 3 or 4
Size at Maturity: Upright becoming spreading, about 3 to 4 ft tall and 4 to 5 ft wide
Ripening Time: Early season for a gooseberry; June into July
Pollination: Self-fertile; a single bush sets a full crop
Pests & Diseases: Powdery mildew; currant worm strips leaves from the inside out
Additional Notes
- Grower’s Insight: An established bush carries no spines on its older wood, so the longer you grow it, the easier it gets to pick.
- Regional Insight: Gooseberries perform best where summers stay cool to moderate, from the Upper Midwest and New England to the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain states.
- Explore more berries in our collection: Berries
