Growing gooseberry
berry / bush fruit
WINTER CHILL NEEDED
~800–1600 hrs
POLLINATION
Self-fertile — one plant crops on its own
Pollination
Self-fertile.
Growing it
Zones 3-8. Thorny but tough and productive; like currants, a cool-climate Ribes with the same regional planting restrictions in places.
Will you get enough chill?
Gooseberry needs roughly 800–1600 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.