Allotments 4 All

Last year my gooseberry bushes were devastated by sawfly beetle and lost nearly all of their leaves. 
This year, so far no attack by the beetle, but no sign of fruit on the bushes either.  Would this be the natural result of last years attack?

Peter

Wouldn't have thought so Peter.
I got fed up with sawfly attacks but the fruit always came, but then mildew!
Had enough so I dug them out & haven't bothered since.

Try growing invictor and put your rhubarb leaves underneath the bushes.

and also prune to an open goblet shape as it lets air and predators in. A leg keeps the branches off the ground. I had to do a drastic prune last autumn but my young invicta bushes are showing great potential now and I`ll just have to take out a few inward-crossing branches later. Rhubarb leaves on the ground and touch wood, no sign of any damage after getting stripped last year. I did have them close together and branches touching other plants but none of that now  :)

I have never had an attack before but suddenly all the leaves seem to have been stripped off mine. And I do have rhubarb leaves around them :(  I don't know what to do - will the fruit die now?

 Antipodes,I suggest you spray the caterpillars and try a high nitrogen feed to help the bush refoliate to get strength to feed the fruit and itself

They prefer Solomon's Seal.... I grow a sacrificial clump at the othe end of the allotment, under the apples and they leave the gooseberries alone... I squish them readily and as it is near the shed doors always notice attacks early...  :)

Possibly because they're attacked by different species of sawfly?

I have got my fingers crossed this year, maybe the legs and rhubarb are working. I decided to pick today as I want a tart sauce for mackerel, I only have 20 berries anyway but the big ones are already getting softer. A neighbour lost all her berries overnight last year, to birds

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 08, 2012, 17:31:18
Possibly because they're attacked by different species of sawfly?

Does anyone know enough about sawfly to tell me if this is the case...  :-[
I know there are loads of different aphids which are species specific...
I thought I was onto something!   :(

Quote from: saddad on June 10, 2012, 11:14:08

Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 08, 2012, 17:31:18
Possibly because they're attacked by different species of sawfly?

Does anyone know enough about sawfly to tell me if this is the case...  :-[
I know there are loads of different aphids which are species specific...
I thought I was onto something!   :(

http://www.just-green.com/Article/57/Sawflies.html ..I'll find something more specific for you but this bit seem to think they are all different..

And here....http://www.oakleafgardening.com/problems/sawflies/
http://www.enhs.org.uk/chkhymenoptera.htm

Well, the berries are still there and a few leaves. The caterpillars seem to have gone ???
What did I do differently this season...? Usually I mulch them, but I didn't do that this time - could that have an effect?