In article , Rod
wrote:

"Merlin" wrote in message

For the last couple of years (ie including now) my gooseberries have a
brown grey coating. The bushes themselves
seems heathy. Can anyone suggest what it might be please and - better still
- tell me how to fix it for next year?
Thanks Rod, yes I have used (some of) the fruit and you are right: it IS a
pain! How can I be sure that it is mildew
and not something else - any distinguishing features? Or is what I have
descrbed unambiguously mildew?

Is there really nothing else to be done but replace the bushes with a
resistant variety?

Classic symptoms - no doubt about it. You can try the cultural things you
should be doing anyway like feeding only in
early spring and only with Sulphate of Potash to promote hard healthy growth.
Prune to keep the centres of the bushes
open for good air circulation (and easy picking). Better still grow them as
cordons. You can try spraying if you must or
dusting with sulphur - but beware some varieties don't like it, can't
remember which from the top of my head but they're
well documented on the WWW and elsewhere. But honestly when you've tried all
that you'll wish you'd planted resistant
varieties.

OK OK Already big grin I had another look at them this afternoon and
there are signs of white mildew on the tips of some of the branches (of
otherwise apparently healthy plants dammit!). The currants alongside
are doing fine so I guess it's time to move in the resistant varieties!

Thanks Rod, I appreciate the support!

Merlin