Talkback: Growing gooseberries - Talkback

bshaw

16/02/2012 at 19:09

Caterpillars eat their way through all the leaves on my gooseberries even though I spend hours picking them off, is there anything I can do? We put a cage over them as soon as it starts to get warm to stop the butterflies laying eggs but still have a problem - help.

Jasmine5

17/02/2012 at 12:49

Can you successfully grow gooseberries in a large pot? I had probably two handfulls off mine last year but wondered whether this would continue as it was still in a pot?

Claire de Mortimer

17/02/2012 at 21:59

I always, always get so excited that I eat the Goosgogs before they have had time to ripen.
Mine, I have 2 bushes are planted up in an old bath. And, the caterpillars do turn a lovely bright green after eating the leaves. I encouraged to birds to get in to the bushs by raising them up. And, I've changed my view on squishing the caterpillars - if I concentrate I'm sure that I can't hear a 'pop' and smell goosegogs!!

frank2

01/03/2012 at 21:03

most years I get invaded by caterpillars, they stripo the leaves in no time and prehaps this reduces the fruit crop??

frank ashford Somerset

Railfan15

08/07/2012 at 22:32

Why have my red fruit bushes yielded a crop of green fruits this year? No signs of colour change as they ripened. ll harvested now because of the awful weather.

Red bushes are next to two green bushes.

Alfred Bent

25/11/2012 at 15:23

How does one control gooseberry sawfly?

sotongeoff

25/11/2012 at 15:27

Alfred Bent wrote (see)

How does one control gooseberry sawfly?

You have to start a spraying regime or purchase nematodes at the first sign

jo4eyes

25/11/2012 at 16:30

My bushes were all stipped of their leaves this early Autumn by the sawfly.

I do net to prevent bird damage to the buds, but dont use nematodes nor spray re the sawfly. I'm a bit half-hearted about checking the bushes regularly too, especially this year.

Some yrs mine get virtually no sawfly problem, then others..... I take the chance. J.

Zoomer44

25/11/2012 at 17:34

If sawfly have been a problem this year, you may find eggs and chrysalises have dropped into the surrounding soil ready to hatch next year. Carefully clear away any fallen leaves and gently dig over the soil surrounding your bush, this should destroy most eggs and chrysalises, you don't need to dig too deep they'll be near the surface.

If you decide to spray next year it's more effective to spray before the first sign, in about April.

Verdun

25/11/2012 at 18:30

I have used tar oil winter wash and it was very effective ...never had gooseberry sawfly. But, it's a brutal treatment killing good and bad "guys". I think once every 5 years or so is ok but I'm increasingly aware of the environment these days so will have to think differently. Maybe an organic spray when leaves first emerge. Come on you "green" guys, what can I use instead?

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