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defoliated gooseberries

Chris268Chris268 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
My gooseberry bushes have been totally stripped of leaves in days although fruit still there. Any idea of cause and how to treat bushes?

Posts

  • PalustrisPalustris Posts: 4,307
    Gooseberry sawfly. Water the bushes and give a high nitrogen feed to encourage new leaves. Used to happen every year to the wild ones growing in the lane where we lived. Still got a good crop from them.
    Next year keep an eye out for the beginning of the trouble and either insecticide or hand pick off the caterpillars.
  • Chris268Chris268 Posts: 3
    Many thanks. Very helpful
  • BigladBiglad Posts: 3,265
    Think I may be in the same club ;) 


    East Lancs
  • Chris-P-BaconChris-P-Bacon Posts: 943
    I had Sawfly last year but I'm ok this year. (I have a medium sized bush in a container)
    A fruit grower gave me a tip - keep the soil in the container 'turned over' - I used a old kitchen fork and turned over the top couple of inches of soil from late January onward - I did this perhaps once a week. Seems to have worked??

    The RHS suggests tolerating them if possible?....LOL!!
  • Chris268Chris268 Posts: 3
    Thanks Chris
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