Such in-fruit larvae exit the berries and drop to the ground, pupating over-winter.
If most of the crop is infected, it may help reduce next year’s flies by disposing of this year’s crop.
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Ah ha, turns out you have fruit flies. The Current Fruit Fly to be specific.
These would be treated just like Apple Maggot for control although you have a better option for exclution like fine netting over the plants.
This is fairly good read on current maggot.
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I have moved to mostly black currants instead of gooseberries. My poor old great Uncle Trygve the gooseberry farmer in Norway is shaking his head. Sorry! He didn’t have to deal with the worms. The strong flavor/aroma of the black currants seems to ward off the bugs. More antioxidants for us, too.
JohnS
PDX OR
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Netting the plants will prevent fly-in from a distance insects, but will not prevent the previous year’s pupated larva from hatching out at the base of the plants unless netting is laboriously cinched near the ground.
I love black currents! Im a farmer and tend to grow things i have a chance of being successful with as a commercial crop, even if a small one.
We tried growing currents at our research station, of all colors and varieties. They were definitely pest magnets. People that i know that grow the black current organic do use netting through harvest. They have no problem selling the crop to an organic wine company.
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I would think that bakeries would like them too. I know in Europe they love black currants in muffins and things like that. Maybe they could be a prestigious, rare thing they could brag to their dates about on Instagram. I’m sure they could be marketed successfully, but I’m just a home gardener.
John S
PDX OR
Good job!
Ive been monitoring for apple maggot in my orchard for 3 weeks, just trapped 2 today. Time to put out control.
Some people do enjoy high protein fruit, especially if it’s not too bad.
John S
PDX OR
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Box of Robadas from my wife’s cousin in central WA. Perfect balance of sweet and acid, beautiful red blush, ripe enough your fingers almost go through them and massive (for apricots). Been a great season for growing apricots this year but apparently that’s not easy on the farmers because the price bottoms out
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No dont thin them let me come and graze your garden though lol . actually just take off the dead stuff you will see 2-3 crowns some fall its best to divide them then .
Last year I started a loquat air layer in June, and by fall it barely had any roots to show for it. Super lame. It didn’t survive winter. This year, I started two air layers in late April, and rather than covering my plastic bags filled with soil medium with foil to protect from the sun, I did the opposite - I wrapped it in black plastic to draw in heat during our very mild Victoria spring. It worked like a charm, and just thought I would share the results of that strategy to anyone trying to air layer loquats in our climate. And now they have plenty of summer left to settle in.
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Thanks for your post. I will have to try this next year.
First plum to ripen is Kuban Comet. Not the best tasting plum but it makes up with how abundant and early it is.
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Just finishing up on the Methley plums. Had so many I had to give a lot to the poor at church. Had a shiro and a Hollywood or two also. They will be coming on strong in the next few days.
John S
PDX OR
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