help with Blackcurrant bush disease ?

[welshboy]

I am stumped and can't identify why all my bushes are now dying. I thought it was powdery mildew but not sure. There are white blobs on the cane stems. Leave are curling and turning brown. A

lso they have white powder on the edges. Any help very appreciated

 

[Owdboggy]

The white powdery stuff is definitely mildew. This attacks when the plant is too dry at the roots and in a weak condition. The white blobs are scale insects, or woolly aphids. They are sap suckers and can cause virus infections. You really need to deal with them. The white is a wax covering which makes them waterproof so insecticides do not work on them. You need to use a horticultural soft soap spray to remove the wax, then the insect will drown. OR, you could dab each one with a Q tip dipped in Methylated spirits. There are insecticides on the market which are supposed to deal with them ,but never having used them I cannot speak for their efficacy.