Well, my goosegog situation is getting worse!
I noticed that a very small chick (can't keep the blessed things in the orchard as they keep squeezing through the fence) was jumping up at the gooseberry bushes. So I thought, perhaps there are some left at the top of the bushes. Taking my picking basket I set about seeing if there was anything to salvage. Eeeeek! what has happened to the leaves ?! A few years ago I had a lot of problems with Gooseberry Mildew, so I grubbed out the plants and replaced with a variety called "Invicta" which are resistant to this mildew. SO WHAT IS THIS I SEE?
It doesn't look like mildew. The leaves are dry and silver...... Any ideas Blogfriends?
On a more cheerful note I went into the paddock garden to see how the gooseberries are faring there. Hurrah ! They are looking good and some are ready to pick....so I did !
Next, into the orchard to see if any elderflowers are ready, and some were.. so I picked some!
So tomorrow I will make some gooseberry fool with elderflower.. Oh yes, a taste of summer.
The weather has been so good today and the jobs going so well that we carried on working well into the evening. When we did stop I felt I couldn't go another step. Then I realised we hadn't eaten since lunch and I had no idea what we were going to eat. So I did a most unusual (for me) and unfrugal thing... I drove to the chippy and bought us fish and chips! There, I admit it. I fell off the Frugal wagon !
EGD and myself went through the bees yesterday and put supers ( Frames that the bees store honey in, that is usually surplus to their needs and consequently honey for us!) on two of the hives. If the weather isn't too dire this summer, we might well get some honey this year. Last year they only just made enough for themselves, which we didn't mind so long as they stayed healthy (while pollinating our fruit trees)
I need to correct a mistake from yesterday. I said that YGD gave me the idea for the coathanger book holder, when obviously it was the elder GD. (YGD is only 7) Soz to her!
Welcome Rachel
Bye for now Frugal Friends
Gillx
welcome rachel
you probably don't want to hear this but it looks to me like silver leaf:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oakleafgardening.com/problems/silver-leaf-chondrostereum-purpureum/
I had a sneaking suspicion it was, but was unsure if it affected Gooseberries. Just Googled it, and yes it does! Bu***r!!! All may not be lost as it says sometimes can be halted by cutting back infected part/branch. Problem is, there is more than one.Worth a try though. Thanks ever so for the Heads Up
ReplyDeleteGill