Gooseberry Sawfly

[garysgarden]

I have a 4 year old gooseberry bush growing in a large container. Every year 'sawfly' has stripped the bush of leaves before fruit has grown. This year I covered the bush with a fleece jacket, and it is now laden with a lot of lovely gooseberries.
I've kept it covered throughout the winter and spring and wondered...... when it is safe to remove fleece?
I live in the south east of England

[boundtothesoil]

I'd keep it on until you've harvested the gooseberries, then let the bush take its chances over the summer.

According to MAFF Bush Fruits Bulletin No.4, 'Three species of sawfly may be found on gooseberries, but the commonest and most important is Nematus ribesii. Adult sawflies first appear in April and May...(Unfortunately) there are three generations, in April, June and mid-August.'

Clearly, you might not be entirely safe until September, but the bush will most likely survive.

[garysgarden]

Thank you for your great advice...... Looking forward to harvest

[Samurailord]

The sawfly got to my gooseberry at home every year, but this year I noticed it before it had been completely stripped and picked off all the caterpillars by hand - over 400 of them!

I have heard that the sawfly also goes after black and red currants - anyone know if that is true or not?

I have a fabulous black currant about 10 feet from the gooseberry but that has never been touched at all.

Andy

[Nes]

Sawfly do go for red currants, though my bush has never been completely stripped. Can't comment about black currants, as I don't grow them - the inlaws in Wales have more than they know what to do with, so I help them out!

[mothhawk]

Spent a less than entertaining half hour this morning giving my jostaberry a thorough going-over and picking off all the caterpillars Several branches have grown half hidden behind the dalek, so I didn't notice them before. The gooseberries are untouched, possibly because they are interspaced between lavender bushes. Going to pick some bunches of lavender and hang them around the jostaberry, see if that confuses the little beggars.

[FB.]

I've been hoping the sawfly would attack mine, so I could feed the grubs to Munch the blackbird because I'm running seriously low on other garden bugs because he's been eating so many!
But guess what: the one time I actually want some sawfly, there isn't a single one to be seen.

[sugar]

You can keep Sawfly under control by pruning: make sure to get rid of all leafs in the bottom 15"/30cm. I really see the difference here in my garden

[mothhawk]

You can keep Sawfly under control by pruning: make sure to get rid of all leafs in the bottom 15"/30cm. I really see the difference here in my garden

I didn't know that, sugar, but thinking about it, the lower leaves were the worst munched. I'll go out and remove them. Thanks for the advice.