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

Merlin

On 7 May 2003 14:50:16 -0500, Merlin wrote:

~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?

Sounds like it might be American Gooseberry Mildew though this is usually
described as being powdery grey and on all surfaces.

organic solution (from the HDRA Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening)
"In spring, look out for mildewed shoots and leaves, then developing fruit.
Cut it out. "

Prune it carefully to have good airflow and an open centre. This stops the
mildew forming in moist, dank air.

inorganic solution ( from RHS Fruit and Vegetable Gardening)
Cut out affected branches as seen: use a general fertiliser instead of a
high nitrogen one: grow cultivars with some resistance,
dust with sulphur or spray with fungicide containing carbendazim or
myclobutanil.


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove nospam from replies, thanks!

"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?

Resistant varieties are the way to go.
http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/dc6.htm

I don't know if you've used the mildewed fruit?
There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't. Fairly vigourous washing in cold water removes the mould - it's all on
the surface. I know it's a pain but you don't have to miss out on the fruit.
I can't remember the modern varieties we have that don't get much mildew but a couple of older ones that seem OK are
Lancashire Lad and Crown Bob.

Rod

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?

Resistant varieties are the way to go.
http://www.hdra.org.uk/factsheets/dc6.htm

I don't know if you've used the mildewed fruit?
There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't. Fairly vigourous washing in
cold water removes the mould - it's all on
the surface. I know it's a pain but you don't have to miss out on the fruit.
I can't remember the modern varieties we have that don't get much mildew but
a couple of older ones that seem OK are
Lancashire Lad and Crown Bob.

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?

Merlin

In article , jane
wrote:

On 7 May 2003 14:50:16 -0500, Merlin wrote:

~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?

Sounds like it might be American Gooseberry Mildew though this is usually
described as being powdery grey and on all surfaces.

organic solution (from the HDRA Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening)
"In spring, look out for mildewed shoots and leaves, then developing fruit.
Cut it out. "

Prune it carefully to have good airflow and an open centre. This stops the
mildew forming in moist, dank air.

inorganic solution ( from RHS Fruit and Vegetable Gardening)
Cut out affected branches as seen: use a general fertiliser instead of a
high nitrogen one: grow cultivars with some resistance,
dust with sulphur or spray with fungicide containing carbendazim or
myclobutanil.

Thank you Jane. A couple of points:

There are no mildewed shoots / branches, it seems only to be the fruit
which is affected.

If, as seems implied by what you say, it is damp conditions which cause
the problems thenI have difficculty in matching that to the weather
this year which has been exceptionally dry. Am I missing something?

Is it OK to spray after the fruit has formed, or even during late
flowering? I know that some sprays are "not recommmended" during such
times.

Merlin

"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.

Rod

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