New Gardener

theoretica

Have you picked the gooseberries yet? If you want to eat them be very cautious what you spray. I would just pick them off - you need to do it pretty much daily as they grow so fast from eggs.

mrbadexample

craftygran wrote: »

well, looked again with my glasses on and they are there. Do I just use any caterpiler spray?

I use Provado Ultimate Bug Killer.

I don't like using chemicals at all, but some things just cross the line, and sawfly is one of them. :mad:

Firstly, you can dilute the Provado 50/50 with water without it losing its efficacy. So, half the cost and half the chemicals on your plant.

Gooseberry sawfly have at least two attempts at wrecking your plants. The first time is usually at the end of March / beginning of April. I spray them then, as this is usually before the fruit has set.

They normally attack again in June, and I try and manage this organically by picking or hosing them off. It's not terribly effective, but I don't want to spray my fruit. Once I've harvested, or before if they're really out of control, I'll spray again.

Having said that, one weekend away the week before last and the blighters stripped one of my bushes almost bare, so this year they've won.