Bushes have been neglected for years. What's the best way to trim them back. Good yield, but really overgrown.
This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/gooseberries/cutting-back-gooseberry-bushes.htm
My gooseberry bushes are loaded with fruit this year but I would like to know when to pick them they are very hard at the moment.
This article will help you.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/gooseberries/harvesting-gooseberry-plants.htm
I have a gooseberry bush and it's been stripped bare of leaves by little green caterpillars,I am worried that they are going to start on my young fruit trees.how do I get rid of them please
Sawfly larvae cause severe damage to bushes by devouring the leaves. Often complete defoliation will occur.
Prune bushes so that they have an open structure which allows good airflow. Sawfly prefer to lay their eggs into dense bushes. Bushes can also be covered with a horticultural fleece as they are self-pollinating.
Check bushes regularly for leaf damage and remove any larvae that can be found. Where the infestations are severe, as a last resort organic Pyrethrum-based products are available from garden suppliers. These will need to be applied following the label instructions.
During the winter months, dig around the base of bushes to expose the overwintering pupae to insectivorous birds and other predators.
I have two gooseberry bushes which were badly affected last year.
Since the larvae that do the damage emerge from the soil, using a row cover is preventative only if you had no sawflies last year. Closely inspecting the underside of the lowest leaves weekly allows you catch an infestation early where manual control may be possible. The Royal Horticultural Society gives this advice: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=517
We have a red currant, back currant, and a gooseberry and noticed a few years ago they had maggots. Last year we picked and threw away as many of the berries as possible as they started to develop. This year I have started doing the same, as soon as the berries start to develop we are picking them off the plant and throwing them away hoping to stop the worm/fly lifecycle. I have zero interest in a chemical spray. My question is, how far of a territory will the adult fly go to lay eggs? If a neighbor has an infected plant could the fly come to our plant and lay eggs or do they generally lay eggs on the plants that they emerge up from in the spring? Also, how long does the adult fly live? Thanks so much!
This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/gooseberries/gooseberry-maggot-control.htm
Is there anyone out there that could help me please. I'd greatly appreciate. Does anyone know where I can find Gooseberry Bushes? Back in the 60s when I was a young girl, my grandmother had gooseberry bushes and she would make gooseberry jam. Thank you
We don't usually recommend places to purchase. You might try your local gardening centers, or even online vendors such as Amazon, Etsy, and Ebay.
We can, however, offer an article on their care: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/gooseberries/growing-gooseberries.htm
I have a gooseberry bush that was decimated for the first couple of years by what I have found out to be sawfly, not caterpillars. I sprayed and meticulously picked them off but they were ravenous and I have achieved about 4 gooseberries since planting this bush as a consequence. Last year I read an old wives tail and chopped up some banana peel to put underneath and this seemed to stop any further generations. I spent the winter doubting this, but have tried the same thing this year and the plant looks amazing! Not a larvae in sight and loads of little gooseberries coming along. I just wanted to share that...
This is very interesting! Thank you! I will pass this information on.
I have not heard or read this, myself, but if it works for you then there could be something to it.