Gooseberry plant

Hi guys, I have a fairy new gooseberry plant, or at least a cutting from and older bush. For the last 12 weeks it has been doing fine and grew lots of new shoots. However, it has just lost ALL it's leaves within a week. Is that normal at this time of year?

 

If you've lost the leaves that quickly, then my first thought was the dreaded sawfly. Take a look at this site (http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=517) which says ...

The common gooseberry sawfly is the most troublesome pest of gooseberries. It can have three generations a year, with the larvae active in late April to June, July, and August to September.

 

Thank you for this helpful information. Maybe I should cut the plant right back then?

 

I've had a quick look and I can't find anything which suggests you cut the bush back. Sawfly are to gooseberries what cabbage whites are to ... well cabbages and carrot root fly to carrots - larvae, which will munch their way through whatever is to hand. Your best bet would be to treat the little perishers next year before they take hold.

The same site as mentioned above (http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=517) gives organic and non-organic remedies. Spraying or nematodes is the way to go.

 

Thank you for taking the trouble to find this and reply to my thread. I have already bought pleanty of provado ready for the next onslaught!!!! I WILL win in the end. Like everything in the garden it's all a learning curve, but I'm learning fast what to look out for. Thank you again for your time.