Gooseberries - Help Please

This is the first time I have gown Gooseberries, I am growing them in a container of ericaceous compost in a sunny spot with partial shade. This one is called Hinnomaki Yellow & is supposed to be mildew resistant. Nearly all of the fruits on this bush have a mould/mildew growing on the bottom of the fruits.

Can anyone advise what is the likely cause, what do I do the prevent or cure this please?

Ian

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb67/ferretdiver/IAN_0216.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb67/ferretdiver/IAN_0217.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb67/ferretdiver/IAN_0218.jpg

 

Acording to Stefan Buczacki its grey mould rot. Avoid damp (and over-watering) and overcrowded conditions. See if you can find a suitable fungicide but check its ok for edible crops.

Why are you using ericaeous composts as I thought gooseberries required a neutral soil

 

Are gooseberries supposed to be in ericaceous compost? I have two, one in the garden and one in a container. Neither is in ericaceous compost, and both are decked out with berries at the moment. A few more days of sunshine and I think I'll be harvesting them.

 

Thanks for the responses, I've learnt several useful things there.

I was told by a garden centre to put them in ericaceous compost as they were acid soil loving plants, I was given similar information about a Jostaberry plant as well.

Do I need to re-pot in neutral compost now or should I wait until after fruiting is over?

Ian

 

Personally I would wait until the autumn as you will lose a lot of compost from around the roots and it will set the plant back.

Secondly I would plant in a John Innes no 3 with is suitable for shrubs in pots. Straight compost can easily dry out in a pot and its difficult to re-wet( unless you immerse it in a bucket of water until airbubbles stpo rising.

Jostaberry. My book makes no mention of specific soil condition, which it does for cranberry (acid soil), and as its a hybrid of gooseberry and blackcurrant, I would assume normal pH/soil

 

If it is doing generally ok in ericaceous compost (apart from the grey mould which may be due to aphids harassing it, as they can transmit the disease), I wouldn't re-pot it. I'd make sure it is in a spot where air circulates well, preferably in a sunny spot as most funghi don't like the sunshine too much I'm told. Make sure the compost is draining freely and don't over-water. If aphids are a problem, then maybe spray the plant with soapy water. This is an eco-friendly means of reducing the problem. If you intend to use the fruit, then after harvest, maybe spray the whole plant with fungicide. Otherwise use the fungicide whenever.

 

Thanks clueless1 & has bean counter for all that useful information.

I will leave it as it is until autumn when I will move it up a size in pots with some fresh compost. Can't say there is any obvious sign of aphids, it is in partial shade at the moment, I will move it to a fully sunny position & I have trimmed out some of the inner growth that didn't have fruit on it.

I will see how it goes & use some fungicide after all the fruit has gone.

Many Thanks.