I decided it was time they get a pot in the incubator...which is just my small area where baby plants stay until they are big enough to get a permanent home in my yard.
So, what is a jostaberry? Glad you asked. It's commonly thought of as a cross between a blackcurrent and a gooseberry. Here's what that online encyclopedia says (it's actually accurate this time).
any idea what their chill hour requirement is? can they grow here in fla?
ReplyDeletehi there Central Fl Gardener. 100-500 chill hours. Viticulturists in USDA zones 9 and 10 usually stick to muscadine grapes. It thrives in zones 3-8.
ReplyDeleteSince you are further north than me, you might have better luck with them. Let me know if you want to trade anything. I have more than I need. Here's some info.
Cultivation
The jostaberry probably has the same environmental needs as the black currant, except it may tolerate heat slightly better. It grows vigorously. Frost damages the flowers, which can be a problem because the plant blooms early in spring. Most of the fruit forms on two or three year old wood. The jostaberry resists various mildews better than most Ribes species.
Comment
Jostaberry (R. nidigrolaria) is a new "invention," and little is known about it. It was invented by the German, Rudolf Bauer. It can be espaliered. Another hybrid of black currant and gooseberry is Orus 8, which favors its gooseberry parent: It is thorned, slower growing than the jostaberry. Orus 8 leafs out early in spring, and frost has little effect on production; its fruit is mediorce for fresh eating--small, thick-skinned, pulpy--but may be okay for preserves. (There's an Orus 10 in the works.)
Do you know where I can get an Orus 10 Jostaberry cutting for planting in my home garden? I've looked everywhere and I can't seem to find anything.
ReplyDeletePlease email me at stooge5@lenetek.com