If I have sawfly (I've had two gooseberry bushes stripped in the past), then I am worried for other plants closeby. A red currant and flowering currant are metres away. Would they eat and thrive off the ornamental currant?
I've not heard of them eating flowering currant leaves - nor blackcurrants. But red and white currants are attacked by the gooseberry sawfly.
If you're picking them off the plant, spread newspaper underneath first. They respond to vibration by dropping off onto the soil, where you can't find them...
The Solomon's Seal sawfly is a different beastie, related to the gooseberry one, but specific to Solomon's Seal and its relatives.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Thanks. I've just spent a while trying to remove the critters. They are quite camouflaged! Is there a hope for a plant that has about 1/8 of it's leaves left? And that's the better of the two. I haven't dared look at the other two up the garden yet.
Yes, Wayside, I think your plants will survive... though if this happens every year, they might not do so well. I'd fork gently over the root area in the autumn to expose the over-wintering pupae to hungry birds.
Must try the neem oil... thaniks for the suggestion, Bee witched.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
There's a very good chance you plants will be Ok. I didn't have any leaves on mine but since using the neem I've had no gooseberry sawfly problems for the last 5 years ... and great crops of berries.
Neem is best used preventatively .... but will work on pests that have already arrived. It does not hurt beneficial insects. Only chewing and sucking insects are affected. The main reason is that insects need to ingest the neem oil to be affected, and beneficial insects don't eat your plants. However, you can still kill beneficial insects if you smother them with neem oil, so I tend to spray late evening to be safe.
Good luck ... Bee x
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
I'm another sufferer - had about 9 bushes strip bear 2 years running - so year 3, I used Pyrethum powder (Py?) which helped kill them off, but the caterpillars pupate in the soil over winter then crawl up the "trunk" the following year, (or something like that!) anyway I put weed membrane down which interrupts this lifecycle and this year - freezer full of gooseberries and loads more to pick. I also had them in cherry trees and cleared the base of all grass etc turned the top few inches of soil and let the chickens find and eat them which also worked.
I start when the leaves first come out which is usually April round here .... and I give them a good dousing every 4 weeks or so until end August. It's a quick job ... and also seems to stop them getting attacked by aphids.
Gardener and beekeeper in beautiful Scottish Borders
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Question for Bee please. 3 year old gooseberries & I have sawfly for 1st time. Very interested in the Neem oil, but, do you buy cold pressed & how do you dilute? Worth adding soft soap to stick?
Posts
If I have sawfly (I've had two gooseberry bushes stripped in the past), then I am worried for other plants closeby. A red currant and flowering currant are metres away. Would they eat and thrive off the ornamental currant?
Last edited: 05 July 2016 16:38:44
I've not heard of them eating flowering currant leaves - nor blackcurrants. But red and white currants are attacked by the gooseberry sawfly.
If you're picking them off the plant, spread newspaper underneath first. They respond to vibration by dropping off onto the soil, where you can't find them...
The Solomon's Seal sawfly is a different beastie, related to the gooseberry one, but specific to Solomon's Seal and its relatives.
Nanessa & Wayside,
This is really easy to sort out .... try using neem oil as a spray (totally organic).
See my earlier post on this thread.
Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Thanks. I've just spent a while trying to remove the critters. They are quite camouflaged! Is there a hope for a plant that has about 1/8 of it's leaves left? And that's the better of the two. I haven't dared look at the other two up the garden yet.
Last edited: 06 July 2016 12:39:42
Yes, Wayside, I think your plants will survive... though if this happens every year, they might not do so well. I'd fork gently over the root area in the autumn to expose the over-wintering pupae to hungry birds.
Must try the neem oil... thaniks for the suggestion, Bee witched.
Hi Wayside,
There's a very good chance you plants will be Ok. I didn't have any leaves on mine but since using the neem I've had no gooseberry sawfly problems for the last 5 years ... and great crops of berries.
See this link for how to make the spray.
http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-insect-spray.html
Neem is best used preventatively .... but will work on pests that have already arrived. It does not hurt beneficial insects. Only chewing and sucking insects are affected. The main reason is that insects need to ingest the neem oil to be affected, and beneficial insects don't eat your plants. However, you can still kill beneficial insects if you smother them with neem oil, so I tend to spray late evening to be safe.
Good luck ... Bee x
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
When do you start applying the solution? And do you apply fortnightly, for the whole of summer?
I'm another sufferer - had about 9 bushes strip bear 2 years running - so year 3, I used Pyrethum powder (Py?) which helped kill them off, but the caterpillars pupate in the soil over winter then crawl up the "trunk" the following year, (or something like that!) anyway I put weed membrane down which interrupts this lifecycle and this year - freezer full of gooseberries and loads more to pick. I also had them in cherry trees and cleared the base of all grass etc turned the top few inches of soil and let the chickens find and eat them which also worked.
Hi Wayside,
I start when the leaves first come out which is usually April round here .... and I give them a good dousing every 4 weeks or so until end August. It's a quick job ... and also seems to stop them getting attacked by aphids.
A single bee creates just one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime
Question for Bee please. 3 year old gooseberries & I have sawfly for 1st time. Very interested in the Neem oil, but, do you buy cold pressed & how do you dilute? Worth adding soft soap to stick?