Harvest time Start picking gooseberries during late May or early June. This will give a longer cropping season and leaves others more room to grow to a larger size. Problem solving Look out for gooseberry sawfly from late spring onwards.
Check leaves regularly for caterpillar damage and control by hand.
If this is proving hard, spray bushes regularly with an insecticide containing malathion, permethrin or derris once they have finished flowering. Always try to grow varieties resistant to mildew. Practical tips Never let plants go short of water when their fruits are swelling and ripening. Heavy watering after a drought can cause fruits to split and rot. If you aren't growing your gooseberries in a fruit cage, cover bushes with netting during June and July to keep off birds.