Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: willnbirdie on May 12, 2009, 20:22

Title: Blackcurrant bush - can anyone help please?
Post by: willnbirdie on May 12, 2009, 20:22

Hi

We were given a blackcurrant bush last year - it has grown well and is now fruiting.  Really pleased however the top few leaves on each branch are infested with greenfly and some very very very small white bug (cold be a fly - not sure what it is).

Tried spraying with a mild solution of washing up liquid as we did for other plants with greenfly last year but the blackcurrant doesn't appear to like it the leaves are looking a little 'burnt' not enough to damage the bush though.

The question is please can anyone suggest anything to get rid of the greenfly - have been squashing them over the last few days but obviously they keep coming back.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

willnbirdie

Title: Re: Blackcurrant bush - can anyone help please?
Post by: gobs on May 12, 2009, 20:29

A lot of plants are sensitive to soap, let alone washing up liquid and it needs to be a very week solution. Agricultural soap is best though, not all these home made wonders are top stuff at all. If you have just one or two bushes, just squash them off. Much less effort, honestly.

Title: Re: Blackcurrant bush - can anyone help please?
Post by: willnbirdie on May 12, 2009, 20:32

Thanks Gobs - squashing it is.  Just out of interest where can I get agricultural soap - do garden centres usually stock it?

Cheers

willnbirdie

Title: Re: Blackcurrant bush - can anyone help please?
Post by: Trillium on May 12, 2009, 22:07

They should sell agricultural soap, often referred to as insecticidal soap. You can also try to locate a few ladybugs and bring them over to the infected plant. Hopefully they'll stay and eat their fill.