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I have a redcurrant bush that was planted last year and so far has been thriving. I've just gone outside and found lots of it's leaves curling up and the underside are covered in what looks like hundreds of tiny white and black flies, any ideas please as to what they are and what I can do?
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Curled-up leaves are common with aphids. I tend to let nature take it's course and the predators deal with them. Predators are deterred if the aphids are guarded by ants. Greasebands will stop ants. Sparrows, robins and other small birds seem to eat a lot of my ants and other bugs in the fruit bushes.
On the rare occasion (about once a year) that an aphid problem seriously threatens a particular plant, I get a water pistol and blast the aphids off every day or two, until the aphids are almost gone. It's quite therapeutic!
Some people add a few drops of washing up liquid to the water, but I prefer to not use any "chemical" in case of unintended consequences on other "friendly" wildlife/insects.
My aphid problems are increasing rapidly at the moment, but in recent days, I spotted various ladybird larvae, hoverflies and parasitic wasps lurking around the aphid colonies. I reckon that my aphids will all be eaten in a week or two. I'm hoping to have enough predators (in a few weeks time) that I can trial posting some to a few grapevine members, to see how well they survive postage and whether it's a viable way to help others out, for only the cost of a matchbox and a postage stamp - rather than have to pay ££'s to buy the natural predators mail-order.
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Cool, thanks F.B. I shall be out there tomorrow with my son's waterpistol - Supersoaker, what fun I shall have!
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