Mine is taking over the area it is in but that’s kind of a new thing. I think I’ve had it for 5 or 6 years and this is the first year I’ve actually really pruned it. It started this year as about 3 and a half feet wide and 4 feet across. I took a bunch of cuttings this winter so I could make more because I love the taste. I think that might have something to do with the fact that it is now 5 feet x 5 feet. That or the fact that it is finally taller than the deck it is planted just North of and is getting more sun.
It is, however, waaaaayyyyyy harder to squish all the sawfly now though.
One of my gooseberry plants was fine yesterday, and today was in a serious state of defoliation. These larvae are less jumpy and less squirmy than the honeyberry larvae- I was simply able to squish most of them. They are darker too which makes them easy to see and squish.
Now it makes sense! That (asshole) you are holding is a sawfly larva, what you are seeing on your Haskaps are leaf roller larva, the early stage of small and skinny moths you have seen flying around your bushes.
I was surprised because I have never seen sawfly larva going after haskaps. The leaf roller has a silk strand, if you disturb them they may air-assault their ass off the leaf and can be quite jumpy. There is a longer version, different moth larva, that don’t roll leaves in the same way and are even more jumpy.
@Nan … well, I’m jealous but also inspired. I will try some cuttings this fall from the Champagne Currant. I love their flavor. We end up eating them all fresh. Do you make jelly? I would imagine the jelly to be exquisite
Mostly I curse my chipmunks and get a few at a time. This year I’ve bagged way more. Today I found the sawfly larva in my bags. Now THAT made squishing easy.
'19 and '20, I had tons of sawfly damage. Last year in early June I sprayed with insecticidal soap (before I saw any bugs). It may have been a coincidence, but I had no damage. Didn’t even see one.
We aren’t allowed the same chemicals here so I’m hoping this continues to work.
This year I’ve bagged way more. Today I found the sawfly larva in my bags. Now THAT made squishing easy.