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Whats leaving holes in my currant bushes?

ali11wellsNpDKpztRali11wellsNpDKpztR Posts: 1
in Problem solving
New to gardening but decided to get stuck in during lockdown. My newly planted young currant bushes have been attacked by something eating the leaves. No sign of the culprit on the plant. What can I do to prevent further damage

Posts

  • Joy*Joy* Posts: 571
    Welcome to the forum. It would be easier if you added a photograph.  The little rectangle with the mountain is where the link is. It sounds as though it might be the same problem I have, sawfly. Currently I'm trying to sort it using neem oil which I bought at Holland and Barratt but it is cheaper online. You mix it with warm water and a drop of washing up liquid and spray it on at dusk so that you don't destroy useful insects. Are any of the leaves rolled up? That is where the little blighters hide.
  • robairdmacraignilrobairdmacraignil Posts: 782
    I agree the little caterpillars from saw fly can be a problem with currants and gooseberry. I normally just leave it to the small birds in the garden to eat what they can. The currants and gooseberry produce new leaves anyway so its not developed into a serious issue here when I have done nothing about it except encourage wildlife in the garden.
    https://www.youtube.com/user/sustainableveg/videos
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Interesting. We have gooseberry and blackcurrants bushes very close to each other. Every other year the sawfly strips the gooseberry bushes but we have never had any probelms with the blackcurrants. Long may it last.
    The gooseberry bushes always come back the next year but sometimes fruiting is lowered.
    We don't use anything on them and agree to let the wildlife have their meal.
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