Death to gooseberry sawfly

[littleweed]

Hi there, I know quite a few of you have had a problem with this pest this year. Let's hope this finishes it's reign of terror! Pound the roots of white false helliborine into a powder and puff the blighters off. Bear in mind that this plant is very poisonous to us so cover your mouth , nose and eyes. Hope this works, good luck, Jan.

[valmarg]

I've always found it easier to chuck a few peanuts under the gooseberry bush when there is evidence of sawfly, and let the natural predators, ie birds, do the rest. Always sorted the problem in my case.

valmarg

[Snadger]

I've always found it easier to chuck a few peanuts under the gooseberry bush when there is evidence of sawfly, and let the natural predators, ie birds, do the rest. Always sorted the problem in my case.

valmarg

What a good idea valmarg, and very eco friendly. Do the birds not attack your gooseberry crop though?

[Farmer_Gyles]

i've had gooseberries in tubs for a few years and the sawfly got them every year - stripped the bushes bare in a matter of days

caught them in time last year and a quick squirt of insectiside wiped them out

this year i planted the gooseberries in the fruit and veg patch - did have garlic growing there last year - this year only saw one little green caterpillar and soon got rid of that - but the birds got all the gooseberries ...

did the garlic stop the sawfly?

[valmarg]

What a good idea valmarg, and very eco friendly. Do the birds not attack your gooseberry crop though?

Its the blue/great tits that eat the sawfly.

Yes, the blackbirds did eat the fruit, but there was usually enough for both of us!!

valmarg

[littleweed]

Whatever turns you on valmarg, personally if I've gone to the trouble of buying then planting something I don't want to share with all the feathered kingdom. Also if you've had great tits and bluetits this "summer" you are
priviledged. All the twitchers have been bemoaning their absence!

Farmer giles you have it in 1, the garlic will keep all pests away apart from me! Oh, and the tits of course!

[valmarg]

[QUOTE=littleweed;123360]Whatever turns you on valmarg, personally if I've gone to the trouble of buying then planting something I don't want to share with all the feathered kingdom.]

Strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, blueberries, loganberries, blackberries and cherries - couldn't agree more!!

I don't know why I bothered growing gooseberries. I don't particularly like them. I think I must have been given the bush. Anyway, it got covered in gooseberry mildew, and had to go!!

valmarg

[Two_Sheds]

I've always found it easier to chuck a few peanuts under the gooseberry bush when there is evidence of sawfly, and let the natural predators, ie birds, do the rest.

But of course, we shouldn't feed whole nuts in the summer because they can choke little chicks. Chop the nuts up first? Or hang a fat feeder off the gooseberry bush.
Me, I'm digging mine up. I've never got a single goosegog off them, and never see the sawfly either...they eat all the leaves overnight and then disappear

[multiveg]

Vigilance is required - was lucky to spot them in April and get squishing. They then appeared on the currants - squished loads but couldn't reach them all. Then in June, there were more sawfly spotted on goosegogs but wasn't able to get them all - so there were a few branches stripped - but the goosegogs were still there. Have already made jelly, OH got shredded trying to pick them and now the birdies are having some !

[valmarg]

But of course, we shouldn't feed whole nuts in the summer because they can choke little chicks. Chop the nuts up first? Or hang a fat feeder off the gooseberry bush.

Sorry to go off at a bit of a tangent, but when the sawfly is about is when the blue/great tits are looking for natural food to feed their chicks.

The object of putting food out for the birds during the summer (whole peanuts included), is to ensure that the parent birds have a regular supply of food for themselves, in order that they can maintain their strengrh, whilst finding natural food for their chicks. A reliable supply of food for the parent birds ensures plenty of chicks.

This year we have in our garden plenty of young robins, blue/great tits, dunnocks, sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, greenfinches, goldfinches, chaffinches, et al.

They are a delight to watch.

valmarg