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Bother, my 2 year old redcurrant Red Lake has mildew. Just as I was thinking how well it was doing. I have cut off all the worst infected growth, and am wondering what to do now.  I use diluted milk on my squash if necessary and wonder if that would be a good plan? The currant next door, Red Start, is as yet unaffected and I don't want it to spread.

I have been watering them but I guess the weather is just so dry.  Though I am also wondering if it is the variety; my well established bushes which are planted in much poorer soil under an old apple tree, that I haven't watered at all, have no disease at all.

Any thoughts?  Thank you.

I have never ever had mildew on my currants ???..gooseberries have on rare occasions.
Well, now that is has it there is not much to do..other than give it a good dollop of water. It is often the dry soil that brings these broblems about. Have you got any fruit trees nearby that bush? Did you prepare the planting hole differently to the other?
Mulching would do good too ;)

I know with goosgogs it's all about the variety, so I'd guess it's the same with currants as they're close relatives, and I'm sure the hot dry spring is to blame.  Has it been well pruned or is the structure a bit closed?

just found it, along with sawfly on one of our gooseberries, it, and the sawfly had spread onto a blackcurrant so I've cut off all the affected growth and the manky caterpillars, think I hadn't pruned them enough in autumn and they were too close , funny, I always think of mildew as warm, wet weather  ???

Mulched thickly with manure, open situation, young bush not congested so apart from drought I don't think it can be cultural. In 20 years of growing fruit have never seen mildew on currants either. I just hope nothing else gets it. Must water more I suppose.

Thanks for suggestions.

Just live with it, I would do nothing, wild plants have mildew but still survive.

Quote from: Ben Acre on May 23, 2011, 16:12:00
Just live with it, I would do nothing, wild plants have mildew but still survive.

That's what I've done so far! Apart from cutting off worst affected bits. It doesn't seem to have spread any further.

Hopefully next year will be better.

Though, not sure about the wild plants bit. I don't want them just to survive but to crop abundantly!! If it gets mildew next year as well that's it, out it comes.