I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the new
growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the point
where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.

None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so I'm
using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of the
little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective) which is
also safe for soft fruit?

Peter Robinson wrote:
: I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the new
: growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the point
: where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.
:
: None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so
: I'm using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control'
: of the little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually
: effective) which is also safe for soft fruit?

Yes crush them with your fingers

"Peter Robinson" wrote in message
.4...
I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the
new
growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the
point
where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.

None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so
I'm
using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of
the
little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective)
which is
also safe for soft fruit?

Most of the "alternative controls" are either con tricks or old wives'
tales. If they were not, there would be no pesticides on the market.
If you are seriously infested with greenfly and you want to save your
crop, get spraying with a decent surface acting pesticide quickly.
(not a systemic one) But remember to wash your fruit well before
eating it.

Franz

On Mon, 10 May 2004 15:58:01 -0500, Peter Robinson
wrote:

I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the new
growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the point
where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.

None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so I'm
using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of the
little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective) which is
also safe for soft fruit?

The 'soap' type sprays like 'Savona' will give some control if you
give a good blast to get it into the curled up leaves - it is contact
action so it's useless if you don't actually hit the beasties.
However I don't bother with this. My currants get aphids and look
horrendous early in the season but by midsummer the aphids are all
eaten or parasitised and there is fresh new growth and a good crop of
blackcurrants.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words:

Most of the "alternative controls" are either con tricks or old wives'
tales. If they were not, there would be no pesticides on the market.

You're talking rubbish again, Franz..you did say you wanted to have it
pointed out.


Janet.

Franz Heymann wrote:

: "Peter Robinson" wrote in message
: .4...
: I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the
: new
: growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the
: point
: where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.
:
: None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so
: I'm
: using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of
: the
: little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective)
: which is
: also safe for soft fruit?

: Most of the "alternative controls" are either con tricks or old wives'
: tales.

Pretty sweeping statement. Though I'm willing to concede that only a
chemical solution will kill all the aphids - and there have been some
pretty noxious chemicals used to kill things in the past - including the
humans who applied them.

: If they were not, there would be no pesticides on the market.

"Free" products always suffer from the problem of marketing.

The chemical industry has a market and income to fund both advertising and
buying the legislature. One of the problems now of course is that there
are strict laws about what can legally be sold or recommended as a
pesticide. It costs a small fortune to get a product approved.

: If you are seriously infested with greenfly and you want to save your
: crop, get spraying with a decent surface acting pesticide quickly.
: (not a systemic one) But remember to wash your fruit well before
: eating it.

Ah it stays neatly on the surface and come off safely when washed does it?
No take up internally at all? etc etc

In article , J Jackson
writes

: Most of the "alternative controls" are either con tricks or old wives'
: tales.

Pretty sweeping statement. Though I'm willing to concede that only a
chemical solution will kill all the aphids
Possibly true but as an organic grower I don't set out to kill aphids,
only to deter them. I use a foliar application of nettle infusion and it
always works for me. After the infusion has done its work as a repellent
(not an insecticide) it is ingested through the leaves and it acts as a
plant tonic and provider of plant nutrients. Organic, safe beneficial
and free. Have a look at the urg nettle FAQ at:
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/nettle.html

Ah it stays neatly on the surface and come off safely when washed does it?
No take up internally at all? etc etc

No, manufactured chemical pesticides and insecticides are ingested
through leaves and roots of plants. Then they enter the food chain.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

"Alan Gould" wrote in message
...
In article , J Jackson
writes

: Most of the "alternative controls" are either con tricks or old wives'
: tales.

Pretty sweeping statement. Though I'm willing to concede that only a
chemical solution will kill all the aphids
Possibly true but as an organic grower I don't set out to kill aphids,
only to deter them. I use a foliar application of nettle infusion and it
always works for me. After the infusion has done its work as a repellent

Oh really? So, given that the aphids on your blackcurrants probably wont
have wings and will be producing new young, how would repelling work for the
ones that are there, that are breeding, and cant go anywhere else?

(not an insecticide) it is ingested through the leaves and it acts as a
plant tonic and provider of plant nutrients. Organic, safe beneficial
and free. Have a look at the urg nettle FAQ at:
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFAQ/nettle.html

Ah it stays neatly on the surface and come off safely when washed does
it?
No take up internally at all? etc etc

No, manufactured chemical pesticides and insecticides are ingested
through leaves and roots of plants. Then they enter the food chain.

So are non-manufactured (ie organic) pesticides. The only difference is that
organic ones generally have been through little or no testing, whilst
manufactured ones have had extensive testing. Though FWIW when organic
pesticides (Or just extracts from plants)are tested they generally turn out
to have similar levels of toxicity (such as causing cancer) as manufactured
ones. Some far higher. Unsurprising when the organic ones generally have
been selected over millions of years to be toxic to insects or mammals.

--
Tumbleweed

Remove my socks for email address

In article , Tumbleweed
writes

Oh really? So, given that the aphids on your blackcurrants probably wont
have wings and will be producing new young, how would repelling work for the
ones that are there, that are breeding, and cant go anywhere else?

All aphids are mobile. They leave the treated plants.


So are non-manufactured (ie organic) pesticides. The only difference is that
organic ones generally have been through little or no testing, whilst
manufactured ones have had extensive testing. Though FWIW when organic
pesticides (Or just extracts from plants)are tested they generally turn out
to have similar levels of toxicity (such as causing cancer) as manufactured
ones. Some far higher. Unsurprising when the organic ones generally have
been selected over millions of years to be toxic to insects or mammals.

Neither pesticides nor toxins are used in organic gardening.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Thu, 13 May 2004 15:54:13 +0000 (UTC), J Jackson
wrote:

Peter Robinson wrote:
: I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the new
: growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the point
: where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.

: None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so I'm
: using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of the
: little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective) which is
: also safe for soft fruit?


I'd be interested knowing what variety. I've grown Jet and Ben Sarek for
15 years and been pretty free of greenfly - certainly not enough to cause
any stress to the bushes. However 3 years ago I was given a Baldwin bush,
and I find it gets bigger infestations, that look unsightly but still
don't seem to stress the bush that much. Different varieties seem to have
different susceptabilities.

Hmm.......something I've not given a lot of thought. On looking at
ours today, 2 plants of Ben ??(I've forgotten which one)Largely free
of aphids, 10 Wellington XXX all infested byt not as badly as in some
years. I'll keep an eye on that.

Rod

Weed my email address to reply
http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html

"................the new growth of my only bush has become infested with
greenfly, to the point where the leaves are getting all curly and
stunted.............."

If you are only treating this one bush then I would get an aerosol of
household fly killer that has Pymetherin in it, this is the synthetic form
of Pyrethrum.
This is basically just a contact killer and being fine mist type spray will
penetrate the curled leaves quite well.
I find this sort of thing useful if you just have one or two plants with
fly, and its not worth mixing a spray.

Incidentally. I still haven't seen a ladybird this year, just wondering if
the army of tits I have around the place could have had them.


--
David Hill
Abacus nurseries
www.abacus-nurseries.co.uk

Peter Robinson wrote:
: I'm just about to get my first ever crop of blackcurrants, and the new
: growth of my only bush has become infested with greenfly, to the point
: where the leaves are getting all curly and stunted.

: None of the butch pesticides say they are safe for blackcurrants, so I'm
: using B&Q 'organic' spray, which claims to offer 'useful control' of the
: little beasts. Is there anything better (i.e. actually effective) which is
: also safe for soft fruit?


I'd be interested knowing what variety. I've grown Jet and Ben Sarek for
15 years and been pretty free of greenfly - certainly not enough to cause
any stress to the bushes. However 3 years ago I was given a Baldwin bush,
and I find it gets bigger infestations, that look unsightly but still
don't seem to stress the bush that much. Different varieties seem to have
different susceptabilities.