Your comments and tips

22 Sep 14, Suzanne (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I have a lovely bush growing with lots of big fruit, but there are lots of oval shaped pale yellow beetles with black stripes which congregate on the bush and lay clusters of tiny yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves. These then apparently develop very quickly into fat squishy larvae which just demolish the leaves. Can anyone identify the beetle and advise how I can beat them other than by pulling them off every day and stomping on them?

Reply or Post a new comment

02 Aug 15, Terry (Australia - temperate climate)

Try throwing wood ash over the plant - it works for pear slug - so may work for these bugs too.

Reply or Post a new comment

24 Oct 14, Robin (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

The beetle is the striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittata, - kill any beetles, eggs, larvae as soon as possible - I sprayed my plants with pyrethrum to good effect but you still need to be very vigilant as numbers build up very quickly if you do not look every day - good luck!

Reply or Post a new comment

13 Sep 14, Rose (Australia - temperate climate)

My two new Cape Gooseberry plants, still in small pots, have yellowish spots on their leaves. Does anyone know if this is normal or is it a sign of fungal development? If so what would be the best fungicide to use?

Reply or Post a new comment

06 Sep 14, Christian (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi, Could you let me know where you are and if possible to pick up some seeds. I have just returned from Portugal where they were used in salads and like to try and grow. [email protected] if you can help

Reply or Post a new comment

10 Oct 14, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I got my packet of seeds from Bunnings. The brand is Johnsons and they seem to specialise on more obscure seeds. Probably your best bet, more expensive than most of the other seeds, but high yield when established.

Reply or Post a new comment

16 Sep 14, Dan (Australia - temperate climate)

Hey, i just picked up a packet of seeds from a nursery called 'golden berry' i know their known by alot of names but that seems to be the one sold in packets. Bunnings sometimes stocks them as 'Cape Gooseberry seedlings' hope that helps

Reply or Post a new comment

30 Aug 14, Gwenneth (Australia - tropical climate)

Can you prune this plant after fruit has finished?

Reply or Post a new comment

14 Dec 14, Kay (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I wish to know the same thing. It is December in Brisbane. I got a reasonable crop. Those bugs attached but no matter how prolific they are I am like a terrier as I am determined not to lose the bush like I near did a previous season but it has left the bush big and rangey. It is just starting to bear some fruit but I would love to prunit6 it but I am not game unless I kill it.

Reply or Post a new comment

10 Sep 14, Crinia (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I prune mine back hard whenever they get too leggy. Best to prune at the end of fruiting season. I put some in the poly house over winter and they have shot back fine. The two I left out in the frost as an experiment have not regrown.

Reply or Post a new comment