In ancient English legends, thorny gooseberry bushes were considered to be the home of forest fairies and spirits.
There is probably some truth to this – there is something magical about the fruits of this plant, because they can be used to prepare a truly huge number of delicacies.
But how do you know when exactly gooseberry season is?
This is largely determined by weather conditions characteristic of a particular season, as well as the varietal characteristics of the crop.
Usually the first sweet berries appear on the bushes in June, but the peak still occurs in July.
To determine the ideal time for picking gooseberries, it is worth using the observation method - as soon as you notice that the berries have become soft, you can safely go to the garden with baskets, where you will put the picked fruits.
Please note: as a rule, gooseberries ripen unevenly, so it would be wise to split the harvest into several stages.
Another important point is that you can pick gooseberries for juice, compote and other preparations earlier, when the berries have not yet reached full ripeness.
Despite the sourness that is inherent in gooseberries during this period, it can be easily overcome by adding them to jams and other preparations.
