Thought I'd pass on a possible solution to rid a pest for those of you who are growing Gooseberries but do not like to use chemical pesticides.
About this time of year the bush and other soft fruit bushes, except the Blackcurrant can be attacked by a pest 'Gooseberry Sawfly' and it will strip a Gooseberry bush of its foliage in a day, because there can be many of the small Sawfly caterpillars.
This method (as yet untried by me) is recommended by a chemical free gardener, who found the info on a 'Green' leaflet by the Forest of Dean District Council: "To prevent gooseberry sawfly caterpillars, pick a bucket of foxglove leaves and pour over two pints of boiling water, leave for two days, strain and spray on gooseberry plants before any caterpillars are seen."
Couple of days ago I found a caterpillar munching away so I picked the leaf off. I went into the local woods and picked the bottom leaves of a few Foxglove plants, sadly there wasn't many this year so I was careful not to kill the plant. Poured the boiling water over them and sprayed the bush. Hopefully I'll be eating gooze-gogs in June.
About this time of year the bush and other soft fruit bushes, except the Blackcurrant can be attacked by a pest 'Gooseberry Sawfly' and it will strip a Gooseberry bush of its foliage in a day, because there can be many of the small Sawfly caterpillars.
This method (as yet untried by me) is recommended by a chemical free gardener, who found the info on a 'Green' leaflet by the Forest of Dean District Council: "To prevent gooseberry sawfly caterpillars, pick a bucket of foxglove leaves and pour over two pints of boiling water, leave for two days, strain and spray on gooseberry plants before any caterpillars are seen."
Couple of days ago I found a caterpillar munching away so I picked the leaf off. I went into the local woods and picked the bottom leaves of a few Foxglove plants, sadly there wasn't many this year so I was careful not to kill the plant. Poured the boiling water over them and sprayed the bush. Hopefully I'll be eating gooze-gogs in June.
