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Gooseberry tops curling up

julie cunliffejulie cunliffe Posts: 7
in Fruit & veg

Can someone please tell me if this is the start of a sawfly infestation? Gooseberries are otherwise v healthy with young berries in abundance. Should I cut the tops off?

Posts

  • Green MagpieGreen Magpie Posts: 806

    Sounds more like aphids - if you uncurl the leaves, can you see aphids on the underside?

  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    I agree it sounds like aphids i think you can cut them off or do summer pruning
  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Sawflies usually start from the bottom of the plant, upwards.
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,617

    I'm glad that you asked this as I noticed my otherwise healthy goosegog bush doing the same but as it's netted I haven't investigated further. I'll have a look tomorrow and investigate further. image

  • julie cunliffejulie cunliffe Posts: 7

    Yes, I think You are right.... It's aphids! Will cutting the tops off not spoil this years crop? I have just picked some baby gooseberries like the books tell you to. just worried that cutting the tops off might affect the rest of the crop. Do you think garlic spray will kill the aphids?

     

  • the tidy gardenerthe tidy gardener Posts: 595

    had the same thing!! I thought it might be frost, its been so cold..

    had to bring all my tomatoes indoors dont think I will get any this year mutter grumble....

  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,617

    I finally got round to checking my gooseberry leaves and sure enough it was aphid damage but I noticed that the plant was full of ladybird pupa so I left the aphids for them to devour, having looked at photographs online I'm not sure if the ladybird in question is the harlequin, do all ladybird pupa look similar?

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