[Anke]

I have to remove all three of my redcurrant bushes and am wondering what to put in that bed (inside the fruit cage) afterwards - as in which other kind of soft fruit can follow on from it? The bushes have some sort of disease, all lost their leaves and only had a limited crop this year. It was already looking like this last year, but I left them for another year...I think it is a slow acting virus, the bushes were originally planted about 5-6 years ago from organic-certified stock

I guess blackcurrants are not suitable - what about gooseberries? (although I almost always get hammered by sawfly larvae). Raspberries? Can't do strawberries as mice/slugs/mildew always decimate the crop so it's not worth growing anymore.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[Dans]

You sure it wasn't sawfly? Last year my bushes were decimated and I only worked it was sawfly once it was too late. This year I was out twice a day taking off leaves that had eggs on them and got a decent crop back. Just a thought.

If it was sawfly gooseberries will succumb in the same way, but blueberries are ok.

Dans

[pgkevet]

re the strawberries.. you could try growing them in hanging baskets from post and brackets: should beat the slugs/mice

[Anke]

You sure it wasn't sawfly? Last year my bushes were decimated and I only worked it was sawfly once it was too late. This year I was out twice a day taking off leaves that had eggs on them and got a decent crop back. Just a thought.

If it was sawfly gooseberries will succumb in the same way, but blueberries are ok.

Dans

The leaves went yellow, then brown and jut dropped off, still had some smallish redcurrants. Normally have sawfly on the gooseberries, but they were left in peace this year! So definitely something else.

I will try strawberries in pots, but move production to the polytunnel to be hung from the top bars, so out of way. However as I have very sneaky blackbirds, we will need to net the doors now too...

[Dans]

The leaves went yellow, then brown and jut dropped off, still had some smallish redcurrants. Normally have sawfly on the gooseberries, but they were left in peace this year! So definitely something else.

I will try strawberries in pots, but move production to the polytunnel to be hung from the top bars, so out of way. However as I have very sneaky blackbirds, we will need to net the doors now too...

Boo if it had been that, that would have been easy to sort. Sorry I haven't got any advice for you on the what to plant next issue. Except to try blueberries. I have blueberries and raspberries in the same fruit patch as my red currants, white currants, and gooseberries, they seem to do well.

Dans

[Millwood]

Have you thought about a dwarf cherry tree? Our raspberries are slowly succumbing to a virus and we wont be able to replace them with anything in that family so will go for dwarf cherries

[Anke]

Have you thought about a dwarf cherry tree? Our raspberries are slowly succumbing to a virus and we wont be able to replace them with anything in that family so will go for dwarf cherries

Not thought about that - BUT we are in the Scottish Borders  , will do some research!