Topic: gooseberries and sage

[Svea]

i have two questions really:

i have something eating my sage - as well as mouldy like blotches on the leaves. what could it be?

i have also something eating my gooseberry leaves. 'it' did that last autumn, and again this spring, but this time only a few leaves are affected. it looks like the leaves were stripped off their little stem - so only the stem remains. looks odd.

i havent been able to see what could be causing it - but there are little flying things about the place.

so, any ideas to what it could be? and how to treat it?

any information gratefully received.

svea :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

Gooseberry sawfly, which is active from May to September. The solution is murder. Knock them off, squash them, poison them, whatever.

[glow777]

Hi Svea
There's a good article on Gooseberry mildew and sawfly here. hope it helps

http://www.which.net/gardeningwhich/advice/pests/factsheets/gooseberrymildew.pdf

[chrispea27]

I have done the following
tapped the bushes hard and then squish the catapillars
used derris dust especially in the middle of the bush as they hatch underneath the branches.
They can be voracious feeders if left unchecked.

[Svea]

thanks guys

this is interesting

The simplest control is to pick off the larvae by hand. Alternatively, use a contact insecticide approved for fruit containing rotenone or pyrethrins.

can someone tell me in brand names what stuff this is? :)

also, i have checked, not too closely admittently, but not seen any larvae/caterpillars.
i would like to treat with a mix of hand picking and something chemical - if it's homemade and effective, even better.

any ideas?

i am still trying to find information on my struggling sage. well, it's not too struggling, it is a vigorous plant nonetheless, but the leaves dont look appetizing, and well, that was the point of growing it, right?

[fat larry]

derris active ingrediient is rotenone I think. I have issues with this stuff but nothing else seems v effective =(

[Svea]

ok, i had a look yesterday afternoon - couldnt see any creepy crawlies.
had another look this morning because more leaves had disappeared, and i found a few caterpillars. they are tiny tiny though - so easy to overlook, and all green with just a small black dot for a head. they look quite a bit different to the photo that the RHS show on their website.

tbh, i dont like the use of chemicals much, either, but for my own sanity, i will get some derris this year - managed all last year without it but it would have made things easier now and then. will use sparingly and responsibly. i will never find these blighters otherwise :( and my gooseberry bush is full of fruitlets so dont want to lose all that.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Green caterpillars on gooseberry are sawfly; they're probably at an early stage. exterminate them ruthlessly; it's the only solution.