caterpillars on gooseberry

[GriffR]

We have 4 gooseberry bushes in large pots and last year I swear those pesky sawfly caterpillars totally cleared the leaves from one of the bushes in a virtually a single day (fruit all quickly died after that) !!. We did try the eco way of manually removing them but once a second bush started to look the worse for wear they all got sprayed (I am afraid my stomach's love for Gooseberry jam quickly overuled any environmental awareness responsibilty !!)

Since then I did come across this organic solution

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening...ry-sawfly.html

[jackyspratty]

We have 4 gooseberry bushes in large pots and last year I swear those pesky sawfly caterpillars totally cleared the leaves from one of the bushes in a virtually a single day (fruit all quickly died after that) !!. We did try the eco way of manually removing them but once a second bush started to look the worse for wear they all got sprayed (I am afraid my stomach's love for Gooseberry jam quickly overuled any environmental awareness responsibilty !!)

Since then I did come across this organic solution

Organic gardening and pests: the gooseberry sawfly - Telegraph

Thanks for his GrffR. We had no gosegogs last year because of the caterpillars, hours and no leaves left! We have foxgloves so this is great for us. Thanks

[womble]

Aren't foxglove leaves deadly poisonous?

I think I'll wait for some more info from someone who knows about such things, before trying it, but I like the idea, very much.

All I need now are some foxgloves...

[Buleste]

Aren't foxglove leaves deadly poisonous?

I think I'll wait for some more info from someone who knows about such things, before trying it, but I like the idea, very much.

All I need now are some foxgloves...

If you eat Foxgloves then yes you are in danger. The answer is, don't eat it and if you have kids then tell them to leave it alone. Also when you prepare the concoction do not use a container that is going to be used for food or drink and wear gloves and a mask if you are worried.

[womble]

If you eat Foxgloves then yes you are in danger. The answer is, don't eat it and if you have kids then tell them to leave it alone. Also when you prepare the concoction do not use a container that is going to be used for food or drink and wear gloves and a mask if you are worried.

Well I wasn't planning on drinking it, even I who am known for being a bit daft, ain't that daft.
But I was planning on eating the gooseberries, I know pesticides get taken in by the plant and then you eat them later. Just because it's a natural product doesn't mean it won't do the same?
I don't know the answer, I'm asking

[Buleste]

Just wash the goosgogs before you eat them. That should get rid of any residue left from the Foxglove tea (if you get palpitations after eating one goosegog then soak them rather than wash.). After reading the article I would think that Jenny, Head gardenerof blah blah has tried the goosegogs after washing them and felt no ill effects. Alternatively you could stop spraying the Foxglove tea about a fortnight before you harvest. Or you could try the Nemaslug Grow Your Own but that only works once your infected so it may not save your crop.

[purplekat]

foxgloves contain a very strong heart drug- so I'd be very wary of putting a solution on something I was going to eat

[supermum]

Managed to get back onto the lottie today and found a flock of hungry sparrows munching on loads of pesky 'pillars. Not enough sparrows though so I tapped each branch and sprayed the 'pillars that had fallen onto the ground...... I'm sure there are some still on the gooseberry bushes but here's hoping the sparrows return soon.

[womble]

I was just wondering if rhubarb leaves made into a spray would work against these. Just had a look online and they say that it works against cabbage whites on brassicas, so should do.

There seems to be two ways of making it. Either you boil up the leaves, or you leave them to break down in water, as comfrey tea.

I don't really fancy boiling them up in the kitchen, so I may have a try at the leaves breaking down in water.
Anyone tried this?

[angie a]

On the BBC programme 'The Victorian Farm' they suggested, for controlling sawfly, elder leaves boiled up with water, then shavings of soap added to it. Cool, then spray on to goosberry bushes. Has anyone tried it, & does it work !!

[Madasafish]

Washing up liquid solution works.. Spray it on.
Or soap. Or sugar soap (decorating)...

[womble]

Washing up liquid solution works.. Spray it on.
Or soap. Or sugar soap (decorating)...

What, for sawfly caterpillars?

[Scottishnewbie]

this thread is brilliant timing for me as i was watering the garden tonight and see that TWO of my bushes have sawfly! picked off what i could see but didnt have my specs so sure i must have missed some - will i still have bushes in the morning?

[divvy]

I found saw fly on mine this year . I removed what I could and then sprayed. They still stripped a lot of leaves and this year I got 14 gooseberries from 3 bushes. Next year I am going to remove some of the soils around the base , therefore taking them with it and replace with fresh , then spray , and , I did wonder , as the pesky blighters live in the soil below the bush , would it be a good idea to paint grease on the bottom of the branches ? .

[womble]

Well I've had my rhubarb liquid ready for a couple of weeks, but it hasn't been needed, apart from a handful of caterpillars I've squashed, they have been controlled by nature.
Way to go nature!

Organic gardening works.