No berries on gooseberry plant

[Marb67]

Well I have had decent crops in previous years on my gooseberry before the sawflies ravaged them but this year, despite very healthy foliage growth, plenty of bees I have not a single berry forming on the 2 bushes I have (one red and one green berry)

Has anyone else had no crop at all or is this just me ?

[nickdub]

Mine are OK - did you notice if yours flowered normally ?

[Nicos]

I had a lot of tiny berries which have now dropped off.
Still got a few growing to maturity ,but nothing like what I was expecting.
My red one produced none at all.

[Nicos]

Just thinking marb...very heavy foliage?

...too much nitrogen and not enough potassium?
(N:P:K)?
Leaf:roots:flower/fruit

Just a thought.

[Marb67]

I do remember seeing some yes.

[Marb67]

Yes, very heavy foliage. I haven't fed with nitrogen, just some comfrey as I read it's good to add it at the early stages of flower growth every week or so.

[Guest]

Any thing under the plants? just wondered if it has aborted in the early stages due to being too hot or dry.
Have you noticed any different birds in the garden? I lose loads of plum blossom to pigeons, one year I had finches that kept doing the tips and flowers in on all my peas.
Did it crop very heavily last year? it might be recovering if it did.

No ideas beyond that though

[Marb67]

Not really any different than any other year's conditions. Just gutted as I can't grow much and gooseberries were one of few

[WalterWhite]

Advice you contact a nursery specialising in Gooseberry plants to get a more definitive answer.

When it comes to fruit 'Keepers Nursery' in Maidstone is a good start. Had very good advice from them over the years and some superb tree's.

[nickdub]

I do remember seeing some yes.

Most likely to be a pollination problem then - perhaps the timing was such that it was raining a lot when the flowers were there.

[TrixC]

I’ve found that after a heavy sawfly attack I get very little fruit the following year. Could it be that? I think the plants have to put a lot of energy into regrowing after defoliation and this diverts energy from fruiting.

[veggiechicken]

Just checked mine and - same as Marb - no fruit remaining although I knew there were small berries.
I'm blaming weather/birds - because I have to blame something.
The spiky Worcesterberries (similar to gooseberries but smaller) are covered in fruit - why couldn't they fall off instead of the goosegogs.

[WalterWhite]

I’ve found that after a heavy sawfly attack I get very little fruit the following year. Could it be that? I think the plants have to put a lot of energy into regrowing after defoliation and this diverts energy from fruiting.

Yep, your reservation in reference to sawfly infestation is probably the contributing factor.

RHS state in ref to defoliation as a result of sawfly infestation:

" Defoliated plants are weakened and may produce a poor crop the following year "

[SarrissUK]

Mine were eaten by caterpillars last year, fruit and leaves and all. This year I caught them early in the year and it's absolutely laden with fruit.

I hope you get some fruit next year Marb

[Stan79]

The bush in the fruit cage is laden whilst the bush outside is bare so i'm suspecting feathered vistors for the difference in mine!