So what do you reckon...

[frogdoctor]

Hi experts..

I have two gooseberry bushes, 4 to 5 years in age.. At the end of May this year I noticed that all the fruit had fallen off them.. both bushes look extremely healthy with an abundance of really green foliage, I have not over watered them, neither under watered them. both enjoy the luxury of good soil, there is no visible sign of disease or pest, and both are netted, so the vultures can not get to them.

The only thing I can think of is we did had a few cold days in mid May, with an early morning frost, but not that severe, maybe that could have been the cause, not really sure on that one.

What do you reckon?

John

[gojiberry]

Not sure if gooseberries are prone to late frosts. I know mine still have berries and we had plenty of late frosts. However from the information you gave it is the only conclusion I can think of.

Ian

[binley100]

I reckon it's been a bad year for goosgogs. Last year I had loads of them cooked with them, froze them , gave them away . This year hardly any in fact I've now picked them and stuck them in the freezer as what was left was starting to drop. P'haps like our apple tree they crop better every other year.

[zazen999]

Aye, same here. We've got about 10 on there at most.

[womble]

I lost about half my gooseberry crop to the late frost, never seen it before, but definitely frost.
If your bushes are in the ground, I would be suprised if they needed watering at all tbh.

[Edilith]

Sorry to hear it - it does sound like that frost is the culprit though. Ours are abundant with gooseberries (not to rub it in ), but we've been very lucky for once with the weather here, a few dips in temp. but no frost for ages now.

[Shadylane]

We've also been hit by frost. Lost quite a lot around end of May. They went pink and shrivelled before dropping off. Doesn't normally happen apparently but this year has been a bit freakish with the weather.

[frogdoctor]

Thank you everybody for the feedback..next year I intend to fleece them as well as net them. shame really as I was really looking forward to sitting next to my gooseberry bushes, and eating the fruit, they would have been so sweet, heaven just heaven. never mind..sigh..sob.. sob.. cry.. cry..

[Bountyhunter]

I grow red and green gooseberrys and i ground that loads dropped early, maybe at the same time the sawfly thing got my bushes. Anyway, the ones that are left (loads) are massive, at least as fat as the end of my thumbs! The bushes seem full of fruit so i cant complain.

I am in the South so frosts long gone.