Hi @Kitty 2 and @Rubytoo. Got over to the allotment yesterday and had another look. No more green ones on the one echium but looking at another one there were two but a different colour. More bronzy. Had gloves on but couldn't squish them so threw them over the wall onto the road. Probably find their way back. Feel sure it is sawfly now. When I pick them off they curl up and are very small. Not really like caterpillars. Will have to keep an eye out for them but not sure if the echiums will survive. Thank you both for the information as I would not have found out what they were otherwise. Although I can touch type it still takes me ages as one row of letters on the laptop stick and the "predictive text" has to be watched as it comes up with completely the wrong words. Will let you know of any further developments and hopefully it won't affect any other plants.
Hi @Fran IOM. The battle of the beasties does feel never-ending at times 😞. I'm hoping for a good hard frost to see some of them off over winter 😈. Fingers crossed that your echium can perk up again with a bit of spring sunshine. Will 2019 be its flowering year? I think they're biennials. ???
That predictive text can be a right PITA at times. Typos don't bother me. It's easy to understand what someone was trying to type most of the time, and some of them can be quite funny 😄.
Good Luck Fran, it would be good to hear how they do. It is hard to keep tabs on things in a garden, let alone things on an allotment if you cannot get there everyday. Aguirre on the predictive text Kitty
If we get a good hard frost, the Echiums will die!😱😢 I’ve been growing them for quite a few years, usually lucky to get two or three to flowering stage.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
Yes she has, it’s just the weather now, I lose quite a few in the winter, they take three years to flower here, it’s horrible when you keep them for two years and in the flowering year they get frosted.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
@Kitty 2 @Rubytoo and @Lyn. Thanks for all your interest. Here's hoping we don't get a hard frost! They are only a couple of feet high so I don't think they would be flowering this summer. Had another look today and found one more. You would think they would be big fat things considering they have consumed so much of the leaves. They are so small and hard to spot. I could do with a good bit of milder weather so I can get rid of some of the rotten leaves and perk them up a bit. It is just too cold at the moment. The one I had the year before last was so tall, covered in flowers and bees until the storm blew it over. Fingers crossed I may get something from these but won't hold my breath. (Only have to cross the road to the allotment. Can see part of it from the bedroom window so very lucky there).
I would leave any leaves, however chewed on them for now, they may be a bit of protection should it freeze. The 2’ tall ones could flower for you this year, they should be biennial I think, it’s just that they’re up against the weather here where I live. I find they stand a better chance of surviving if you leave them to self seed rather than sowing your seeds and keeping them inside.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
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Although I can touch type it still takes me ages as one row of letters on the laptop stick and the "predictive text" has to be watched as it comes up with completely the wrong words. Will let you know of any further developments and hopefully it won't affect any other plants.
Fingers crossed that your echium can perk up again with a bit of spring sunshine. Will 2019 be its flowering year? I think they're biennials. ???
That predictive text can be a right PITA at times.
Typos don't bother me. It's easy to understand what someone was trying to type most of the time, and some of them can be quite funny 😄.
Aguirre on the predictive text Kitty
I’ve been growing them for quite a few years, usually lucky to get two or three to flowering stage.
Hope she does not lose them IOM weather can be a bit fickle
they take three years to flower here, it’s horrible when you keep them for two years and in the flowering year they get frosted.
The 2’ tall ones could flower for you this year, they should be biennial I think, it’s just that they’re up against the weather here where I live.
I find they stand a better chance of surviving if you leave them to self seed rather than sowing your seeds and keeping them inside.