https://gardenandgossip.org/ Sun, 03 May 2026 00:01:27 +0000 MyBB https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2466 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:50:32 +0000 doublyjonah]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2466
This is mostly a rant of course, but please give me your advice for keeping them out of the garden and/or not being so worried about disease. We have purchased rolls of rodent mesh that are 40 cm deep which we plan to bury along the fence as much as possible. We have probably useless sonic scarers. We have moved pots and things around back there to make it less hospitable and blocked up the garage access (awaiting new steel door installation). Any other ideas? Please help your neurotic internet acquaintance.]]>
This is mostly a rant of course, but please give me your advice for keeping them out of the garden and/or not being so worried about disease. We have purchased rolls of rodent mesh that are 40 cm deep which we plan to bury along the fence as much as possible. We have probably useless sonic scarers. We have moved pots and things around back there to make it less hospitable and blocked up the garage access (awaiting new steel door installation). Any other ideas? Please help your neurotic internet acquaintance.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2359 Sun, 06 Jul 2025 16:38:18 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2359
  20250706_080315_Original.jpeg (Size: 375.94 KB / Downloads: 10) . A proper monster. 

This is the second one that’s been big enough to set off the trap.]]>
  20250706_080315_Original.jpeg (Size: 375.94 KB / Downloads: 10) . A proper monster. 

This is the second one that’s been big enough to set off the trap.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2348 Tue, 13 May 2025 09:35:58 +0000 toomanytommytoes]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2348 https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2236 Wed, 16 Oct 2024 09:14:41 +0000 JJB]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2236

Here's a picture from our local 'Nextdoor' website.  It says the insects are on a Norwegian spruce and elsewhere. I can't find anything on Google about aphids or weevils with a white bum. Can anyone shed any light what they are? Unfortunately I've no further information.


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Here's a picture from our local 'Nextdoor' website.  It says the insects are on a Norwegian spruce and elsewhere. I can't find anything on Google about aphids or weevils with a white bum. Can anyone shed any light what they are? Unfortunately I've no further information.


  3337be6392bdc0fc65e3267d89d346ae (1).jpeg (Size: 85.54 KB / Downloads: 16) ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2173 Sat, 08 Jun 2024 12:47:13 +0000 Veggie]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2173
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/...r-box-moth]]>
https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/...r-box-moth]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2116 Sun, 18 Feb 2024 12:53:44 +0000 JJB]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2116  of them. I've heard of them, of course,  and felt a slight air of schadenfreude. That'll teach me!
I've a box of strawberry plants on the patio holding 7 - 9 plants and as I was tidying them up yesterday noticed many plants and runners had no roots. I put it down to  woodlice but research yielded that chookypigs don't necessarily eat roots.  Anyway replacing the eaten plants with new ones, digging a hole I find curly white grubs with brown heads in varying sizes. Vine weevils!

Any advice? Do the biological drenches work?  I'm off to Google.]]>  of them. I've heard of them, of course,  and felt a slight air of schadenfreude. That'll teach me!
I've a box of strawberry plants on the patio holding 7 - 9 plants and as I was tidying them up yesterday noticed many plants and runners had no roots. I put it down to  woodlice but research yielded that chookypigs don't necessarily eat roots.  Anyway replacing the eaten plants with new ones, digging a hole I find curly white grubs with brown heads in varying sizes. Vine weevils!

Any advice? Do the biological drenches work?  I'm off to Google.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2106 Tue, 06 Feb 2024 21:59:30 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=2106

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What ever they are. I now have an infestation in my dalek composter .

How do I get rid of them? My compost was starting to look quite good     .]]>

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What ever they are. I now have an infestation in my dalek composter .

How do I get rid of them? My compost was starting to look quite good     .]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1993 Fri, 04 Aug 2023 18:13:38 +0000 JJB]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1993 https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1937 Mon, 12 Jun 2023 19:36:35 +0000 Mark_Riga]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1937 This year, out of a bed of about 100, I found 9 infected.

This picture shows 2 onions, one with much more infection.


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And this shows the worst one cleaned up. It obviously needed using fairly quickly.


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I have a garden area where white rot exists that I am slowly trying to eradicate. It is taking a long time. I've probably been at it now for 10 years but it was a lot worse then. I only grow autumn planted seeds/sets there and cycle round the plot in a 5 year cycle. Autumn planted sets can be harvested a lot earlier than maincrop and the fungus doesn't seem to develop till the soil warms up and these are then nearly ready to harvest. Autumn planted will store for a lot longer than books say but obviously not as long as maincrop. In last year's plot, there were no onions infected but this year I found a few. Any with yellowing leaves I give a pull to check the roots are still there as the fungus tends to travel up the roots to the bulb. When I found the one above, I pulled up the rest of the crop ,a bit early but of a reasonable size to use. I'm hoping by doing this, I'm removing the onions before more spores can form so reducing the prevalence in the soil. I also take out and dispose of a small spadeful of soil round any onions found.]]> This year, out of a bed of about 100, I found 9 infected.

This picture shows 2 onions, one with much more infection.


  mouldBeforeClean.jpg (Size: 322.44 KB / Downloads: 21)

And this shows the worst one cleaned up. It obviously needed using fairly quickly.


  AfterCleaning.jpg (Size: 270.38 KB / Downloads: 19)

I have a garden area where white rot exists that I am slowly trying to eradicate. It is taking a long time. I've probably been at it now for 10 years but it was a lot worse then. I only grow autumn planted seeds/sets there and cycle round the plot in a 5 year cycle. Autumn planted sets can be harvested a lot earlier than maincrop and the fungus doesn't seem to develop till the soil warms up and these are then nearly ready to harvest. Autumn planted will store for a lot longer than books say but obviously not as long as maincrop. In last year's plot, there were no onions infected but this year I found a few. Any with yellowing leaves I give a pull to check the roots are still there as the fungus tends to travel up the roots to the bulb. When I found the one above, I pulled up the rest of the crop ,a bit early but of a reasonable size to use. I'm hoping by doing this, I'm removing the onions before more spores can form so reducing the prevalence in the soil. I also take out and dispose of a small spadeful of soil round any onions found.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1750 Wed, 16 Nov 2022 09:15:31 +0000 Small chilli]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1750 They are one of the main reasons I don’t grow in the polytunnels or bring things into the house. 
But this year I’m trying to start a few things early. My Cosmos that I’ve sown at completely the wrong time of year is actually doing very well. It’s about to flower. But I’ve just evicted it from the tunnel as it’s covered in aphids. Can’t see the little green sh**s on any of the seedlings, at the moment.
I use ladybirds to control them if I have a problem in summer but they won’t survive in winter and they should be hibernating anyway. 
So how do I control them in winter on young delicate plants?]]> They are one of the main reasons I don’t grow in the polytunnels or bring things into the house. 
But this year I’m trying to start a few things early. My Cosmos that I’ve sown at completely the wrong time of year is actually doing very well. It’s about to flower. But I’ve just evicted it from the tunnel as it’s covered in aphids. Can’t see the little green sh**s on any of the seedlings, at the moment.
I use ladybirds to control them if I have a problem in summer but they won’t survive in winter and they should be hibernating anyway. 
So how do I control them in winter on young delicate plants?]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1615 Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:35:18 +0000 JJB]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1615  so I might be making matters worse.]]>  so I might be making matters worse.]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1459 Sun, 27 Feb 2022 19:13:53 +0000 Spec]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1459 https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1323 Fri, 12 Nov 2021 09:28:24 +0000 Scarlet]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1323
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I have yellow fly traps - I may have to resort to fly spray ]]>
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I have yellow fly traps - I may have to resort to fly spray ]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1160 Sun, 27 Jun 2021 11:29:55 +0000 Jay]]> https://gardenandgossip.org/showthread.php?tid=1160

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