Home as Your Own Creation

Some very hungry imported currant worms completely defoliated the gooseberry shrubs at the Corson Building in Seattle, leaving behind only the magenta-colored berries, which hung from the bare branches like Christmas ornaments. Currant worms look like the Very Hungry Caterpillar of Eric Carlisle fame. Small, green and wiggly,  they are not actually caterpillars, but the larvae of a sawfly.

The flies tend to lay their eggs on shaded leaves at the center of the plants, and the larvae usually emerge just as the gooseberries and currants are beginning to size up. If left to their own devices the currant worms will eat every bit of foliage on the plant, with only the thorny branches remaining. The best way to control currant worms organically is to keep an eye on your plants and pick off any worms that you see. Drop them in a jar of water spiked with a few drops of biodegradable dish soap. When they are good and dead, you can toss them on your compost pile.

But enough about the worms. Let’s talk about these berries! Aren’t they gorgeous? Their tart reddish pink skins encase a sweet, juicy interior. I want to plant dozens of these shrubs in my yard. They really are pretty plants and I love the idea of growing fruit that is entirely unusual. The berries are delicious enough to eat right off the shrub, but I think this gooseberry pie sounds pretty tasty, too!

Similar Posts:

• What to Plant in Chicago in the Fall
• Turning an Heirloom Pepper into a Keepsake
• Purple and Green Partners