I planted a small gooseberry bush last year and this year it appears to have
some gooseberries on it. Not many, but a few. How do I know when I can pick
them? That is, when they are ripe? They are green and not hairy and don't
look like they will change colour or ánything.

Also, my sister gave me a rhubarb and it has quite a lot of leaves with long
stems on it, some of which now seem to have got old and died. Again, how do
I know when I should harvest the rhubarbs? When they have just grown and are
red, or leave them to go green, or what? Does it matter? I'm wondering if
the taste changes as the stalks age and there is some optimal moment for
harvesting, if you see what I mean.

TIA

Ian