Dave's Garden - Gardening Community
Sponsored Links: Organic Gardening - Garden Decor - Garden Plants - Garden Pests - Garden Supplies

Beginner Gardening Questions: growing berries in miami - mission imposible?

  Welcome!  
You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!

Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.

  Login  
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.

Username:

Password:

Forum: Beginner Gardening QuestionsReplies: 4, Views: 52
Print -
AuthorContent
goofybulb
El Paso, TX
(Zone 8a)

August 04, 2007
02:22 PM

Post #3817224

Hello!
I moved to Miami 5 years ago, and i cannot help missing the best fruit of my childhood: currants and gooseberries. One can never find them for sale here!
Does anybody know if it is possible to grow those berries (usually zones 3-7) in the humid and hot zone 10? I would gladly give it a try and do all my best for them, however I don't want to witness their death just because they are in a completely bad climate.
please advise if you can.
bermudakiller
Union Grove, AL

March 05, 2008
12:01 PM

Post #4625623

I have raised gooseberies here but they never produced any berries and I'm in 7b. I called the Alabama state extension service and they told me, after several days of hunting for information, that they did not do well this far south. Shade and heavy mulch are needed for survival. I'm going to try them anyway and see what I get but zone 10 will probably not do a thing. There are new varities being tested from New Zeeland that require fewer chill hours but my guess is that zone 10 has about 0 chill hours.
goofybulb
El Paso, TX
(Zone 8a)

March 06, 2008
03:33 AM

Post #4628668

Thank you, Bermuda, for your answer.
I also contacted a berry nursery (Nourse farms - http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/112/ ) and they said pretty much the same thing. I guess my berry memories will remain unsatisfied until I move out of Miami. However, I discovered great fruits here, so I still can get good-tasting vitamins...
On their website, they have gooseberries recommended for zones 3-7. They have a very good reputation here on DG. And, they have some info about growing conditions, and are very friendly and prompt in answering emails. Maybe they can help you get a good harvest this year.
I think my homecountry is equivalent to zone 7 (the most weather-similar city I visited was Washington, DC). Also true is that these berries grew best towards the hill and mountain side (Granny's house), and yielded poor crops in the plain (my parents').

I wish you good luck and happy gardening!
Alexandra
Assorted
Brownsville, TX

March 06, 2008
11:32 PM

Post #4632141

Ordered two gooseberry types that said zone 9... but where i live, we have cold fronts that goes down to 40 degrees, plenty of "chill hours"

There is a nursery near your town, pine island nursery. They are listed in the watch dog. they have a bush called rio grande cherry tree or something like that.

hmmm, also the wolf berry tree might make it in 10... I ordered two of them for zone 9.

chilean guave plant might produce where u live.
bermudakiller
Union Grove, AL

March 13, 2008
07:42 AM

Post #4657792

Thanks Alexandra, I use Nourse farms myself and like their plants, had excellent luck with raspberries last year.Still haven't gotten them into the ground, poor things, but they bore up a storm in pots, going to add a couple of new varities and probably Ben Sareck (sp) current. this Spring.

You cannot post until you register, login and subscribe.

Other Beginner Gardening Questions Threads you might be interested in:

SubjectThread StarterRepliesLast Post
zone 9 berry/fruit bushes, any ideas? Assorted 17 May 2, 2009 3:48 PM
first raised veg garden- top soil question sdant00 1 Mar 27, 2009 6:29 PM
Just Beginning NoGreenThumbnTN 30 Mar 13, 2009 1:36 AM
plant id milliedunn 8 Jun 6, 2008 4:05 AM
What kind of plant is this? gloria4u2 9 Aug 16, 2007 9:46 PM


We recommend Firefox
Overwhelmed? There's a lot to see here. Try starting at our homepage.

[ Home | About | Advertise | Mission | Acceptable Use Policy | Tour | Privacy Policy | Contact Us ]

Back to the top

Copyright © 2000-2009 Dave's Garden. All Rights Reserved.
 

NameMedia Home and Gardens
Gardens.com Bloom.com Share on FacebookShare on Stumbleupon

Hope for America