gooseberry bush vs ants

**Two_Sheds** · 27-06-2008, 04:09 PM

Confused. Ants don't eat gooseberries!

**rustylady** · 27-06-2008, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by mattfee15 View Post

i have a one year oldish gooseberry bush that is getting slaughterd by black ants

Hi Matt, as TwoSheds says, ants don't eat gooseberry bushes. What they can do is nest under the roots and undermine the bush, causing the bush to die. They also farm aphids (probably blackfly) which will infest the new shoots on your plant and suck the life out of them. Are you sure it's ants you've seen and not blackfly, or is it both?

**mattfee15** · 27-06-2008, 08:27 PM

im positive its ants, there are also thousands of tiny black things under the leaves, im new to this growing lark and not sure what it is.

matt.

**valmarg** · 27-06-2008, 09:11 PM

Chuck a few peanuts/sunflower hearts under the bush. At this time of year adult birds are desperate for natural food for their chicks, whether it be blackfly, greenfly, etc.

valmarg

**rustylady** · 28-06-2008, 07:53 PM

The little black things under the leaves are blackfly. If you're against chemicals then hose them off with a water jet or squish them off with your fingers.

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gooseberry bush vs ants

gooseberry bush vs ants

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