What does a jostaberry look like?
The good-sized fruit looks like a gooseberry (with the dried calyx) and has tough skin Fruit is gooseberry-like when green, and has a mild taste reminiscent of black currant when fully ripe Plants could probably be trained for mechanical harvesting Jostaberry has the advantage of being thornless and disease resistant.
Do jostaberries (Ribes nidigrolaria) taste like currants?
American gardeners may be put off by the tart flavor of the berries and the susceptibility of currant bushes to diseases. Jostaberries ( Ribes nidigrolaria ), on the other hand, don’t share these issues. The berries are sweet and luscious when ripe, tasting like sweet gooseberries with a slight flavor of black currant.
How do you pronounce jostaberry fruit?
Following German pronunciation of “J”, it may be pronounced “yostaberry” in English. The jostaberry is a complex-cross fruit bush in the Ribes genus and is thorn less plant which resembles black currant in growth, but with leaves similar, yet larger than the gooseberry.
What is the nutritional value of jostaberry?
Plants could probably be trained for mechanical harvesting Jostaberry has the advantage of being thornless and disease resistant. Nutritional value is probably intermediate, between its gooseberry and black currant parentage, both of which are very high in vitamin C. Fruit quality is subjective.
Are jostaberries good?
Jostaberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. In studies, the extracts and juice of the Jostaberry have been found to have anti-fungal properties, as well as inhibitive effects on some bacteria, such as E. coli.
How do you know when jostaberry is ripe?
When to Harvest. You can start harvesting your berries in July of their second year. Pick jostaberries when they are fully colored, reddish-black, black or dark purple, and soft. Pick them in dry conditions, wet berries do not store well.
How big does a jostaberry grow?
All jostaberries are resistant to aphids and fungi, but 'Orus 8' is particularly so. It grows up to six feet wide and four feet tall. It does have a few thorns, however.
How fast does jostaberry grow?
These are more like a gooseberry when slightly unripe, but similar to a sweetish blackcurrant when fully ripe in late July, early August. Jostaberry bushes begin to crop well after two years, and up to 4-5kg fruit per bush is possible.
How long does it take for Jostaberry to fruit?
Jostaberries take about four years to fruit with a decent crop, and they fruit on last year's wood. It is best to prune in winter when the plants have lost their leaves and keep them to large shrub size below 2 metres.
Do you need to top and tail jostaberries?
The fruit, like both parents, is high in pectin so it makes brilliant jams and jellies and, being subtler in flavour than a blackcurrant, is a useful addition to fruit that's low in pectin, such as blackberries. The one disadvantage is that, like gooseberries, you need to top and tail jostaberries.
Do jostaberries need full sun?
Jostaberries are more tolerant of site and soil conditions than many other fruits, but they prefer full sun to part-shade. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the roots without cramping them. Plant the berries roughly 2 inches deeper than they originally were in the pot (or nursery row, if bare root).
Can jostaberries be grown in pots?
They are self-fertile, non-suckering shrubs which require little pruning. Jostaberry are ideal to be grown in containers, courtyard/patio gardens or in a food garden. They are an excellent fruit to eat fresh or after they have been refrigerated.
Is jostaberry self pollinating?
Flowers are hermaphrodite and the plant is self-fertile following insect pollination. Propagation is usually by cuttings, rather than by seeds.
Does jostaberry need support?
“Red Josta” is another productive cultivar with very sweet berries and red highlights. If you want large, violet berries, “Jogranda” is one cultivar to look at, but note that the drooping branches often need support.
How do you look after a jostaberry?
Jostaberry Growing GuideMiscellaneous ●Well-drained soil with plenty of well-rotted organic matter.Full sun to partial shade. ... Developed in Germany, jostaberries are extremely cold hardy.Top-dress with well-rotted organic matter in spring along with a balanced organic fertiliser.More items...
Do jostaberries have thorns?
Like currants and gooseberries, jostaberries make good bushes for garden boundaries. Unlike gooseberries, they have no thorns.
Why is jostaberry so special?
This plant is special because it does not exist in nature. Jostaberry is a product of human breeding work, obtained by crossing black currant and two species of gooseberries.
How long do jostaberries live?
The lifespan of the Bush is 20-30 years.
How big do jostaberry bushes get?
It turned out different from their parents: the plant is quite impressive and beautiful. Forms a magnificent Jostaberry bushes with diameter up to 2.5 m with long spreading shoots, which do not have thorns. The great advantage of Jostaberry – a weak shoot formation, whereby the plant does not need to be subjected to enhanced pruning.
How to propagate Jostaberry?
For new Jostaberry plants are propagated vegetatively by cuttings and layering. Lignified cuttings can be taken after autumn pruning, they are cut approximately 15-17 cm.it is Important that the cuttings have 4 kidneys: when planting two kidneys are buried in the ground, and the other two are left on the surface. The soil for cuttings should be loose and nutritious. Cuttings are planted at an angle of 45 degrees.
Can you plant jostaberry in a pit?
Since Jostaberry has weak frost resistance, it should be planted in a place protected from cold winds. Soil fit any-in this respect Jostaberry unpretentious. But if it is grown for the harvest, it is better to add organic matter to the planting pit — humus or compost. Planting is carried out in early spring or autumn.
Do jostaberries have currants?
Jostaberry leaves rather resemble gooseberries, but much more, and they do not have the aroma of currants. The flowers are large and brighter than their parents, berries are almost black with a purple tinge of thick skin. They are very firmly seated on the stalks of 3-5 pieces. The taste is sour-sweet, slightly nutmeg.
Can jostaberry be grown as a hedge?
Jostaberry is often grown as an ornamental plant. It is possible to create hedges, bushes place 30-45 cm In a single landing on the lawn Jostaberry is also good, it is possible to form on the trunk or in free growing shrub – in this case, it requires almost no cropping.
What is a jostaberry?
Jostaberry is a complex-cross fruit bush in the Ribes genus. Fruit is globose larger than black currant but smaller than gooseberry and can reach up to 1cm in diameter, glabrous and eglandular containing few to numerous seeds. The fruit first develop into green fruit veining typical of gooseberry fruit. The fruit then turn pink /red as they mature, still with gooseberry characteristics. Finally they turn a deep opaque purple- black more like a blueberry .The skin of the berries is quite tough at this stage, much more so than either gooseberries or blackcurrants. The longer the fruit are left on the plant the better, as this seems to increase the sugar content. Largish berries of 10 millimeters diameter are not uncommon and the taste varies from intermediate between a gooseberry and a blackcurrant and has tangy-sweet flavor.
How tall does a jostaberry grow?
Jostaberry is actually a vigorous, multi branched, small, eglandular, deciduous shrub, growing up to 1 m high but can also reach 2 m. Plant prefers full sun but will also grow in partial shade. It can also survive in very cold sub-zero winters. They prefer sunny positions, protected from strong winds.
What is the name of the berry that grows on a thorn?
Following German pronunciation of “J”, it may be pronounced “yostaberry” in English. The jostaberry is a complex-cross fruit bush in the Ribes genus and is thorn less plant which resembles black currant in growth, but with leaves similar, yet larger than the gooseberry.
How long does it take for a jostaberry bush to grow?
Jostaberry bushes begin to crop well after two years, and up to 4-5 kg fruit per bush is possible. Sometimes, the Jostaberry bushes won’t bear good quantities of fruit until they are 4 or 5 years old. Many people give up on their bushes.
When was jostaberry first introduced?
The original jostaberry was developed in the 1955 in Breitbrunn West Germany by Dr. Rudolph Bauer and released in 1977. Open pollinated F2 cross of (‘Silvergieters Schwarze’ R. nigrum ✕ ‘Grüne Hansa’ R. uva-crispa) ✕ (‘Langtraubige Schwarze’ R. nigrum ✕ R. divaricatum). The process to merge these fruits began in 1883, however ran into problems with fruit set that were eventually solved with a chemical treatment called colchicine. Nowadays it is grown in several parts of the world with suitable environment.
Where do jostaberries come from?
Jostaberries scientifically known as Ribes nidigrolaria and pronounced as ‘yustaberries’ are actually a genetic cross between black currants (Ribes nigrum) and gooseberries (Ribes grossuaria) and is native to Germany. The name Jostaberry was made via combining the German words for blackcurrant and gooseberry, namely Johannisbeere (“Jo”) ...
What are the health benefits of jostaberry?
Listed below are some of the popular health benefits of Jostaberry: 1. Prevent Cardiovascular Disease.
What is a jostaberry?
Jostaberries are a cross between black currants and gooseberries.
What are jostaberries used for?
Jostaberries can be eaten fresh or used in preserves, sauces, pies, puddings, fools, juice, liqueurs, or wine.
How old do jostaberries bear fruit?
Sometimes, the Jostaberry bushes won’t bear good quantities of fruit until they are 4 or 5 years old. Many people give up on their bushes.
When are jostaberries ready to pick?
Jostaberries are ready for picking in July. For the best flavour, they are best left to ripen until they are as dark as that variety will get before picking. They will have a mild black currant flavour, and be sweet with a tangy tartness.
When was the Jostaberry invented?
The Jostaberry was developed from a cross done in Germany over a period of time between the 1930s and 1950s.
Do birds like jostaberries?
Birds love the Jostaberries, so many home gardeners net the bush as the berries appear.
An Introduction to Jostaberries
Pronounced “yust-a-berry,” Ribes × nidigrolaria, is a cross between blackcurrant ( R. nigrum ), the North American coastal black gooseberry ( R. divaricatum ), and the European gooseberry ( R. uva-crispa ).
Best Cultivars
A majority of the time these plants are simply sold under a generic name rather than as one of the named cultivars. However, you might want to keep an eye out for some of these fantastic options:
Planting Jostaberries
When it comes to the growing process, jostaberries take their time to mature so be prepared to wait before you can harvest the berries. Typically, a plant needs about five years before it will start producing large yields.
Caring for Jostaberries
Just like many berry bushes, the jostaberry requires yearly pruning of the canes to keep them productive. To get the most out of your plant, you should prune out old canes, leaving a few new ones and a few year-old canes. Anything older than five years should be pruned out. Jostaberries produce best on year-old canes. Trim them to ground level.
Problems With Jostaberry
While jostaberries are hardier than most other Rubus species, it does still suffer from some pests and diseases from time to time.
Harvesting and Eating Jostaberries
After all the hard work of potting, pruning, and growing your jostaberries, you want to enjoy the benefits of your efforts, and what is better than using jostaberries to create delicious jams or desserts?
