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Talkback: Organic pest control

Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
in Talkback
Yes Jennifer I've had exactly the same happen to my Bishop of Llandaff. Good idea of yours for the cloche, I'll definitely try it.
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  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Can anyone tell me how long an adult vine weevil lives?
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Yes all this is fine for apples and plums but - do you know of a pheromone trap for pear midge? Last year I did not spray and my crop was destroyed almost totally. This year I sprayed at petal fall being careful to do this late in the evening due to my bees (I am a beekeeper) and I have a huge crop of pears. Pear midge seems to be little known but is a bad pest in this area of Norfolk and was also bad in Northampton when I lived there.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    This sounds like a great idea Adam. If I grew apples or plums I would definitely try it. However I discovered the down side of organic pest control this summer. In early May and mid June I invested £20 a time in nematodes for slugs. I waited for the right conditions to apply them - dull and damp but not too wet - then set too and watered all my borders and tubs with them. Then, on each occasion, just as I was feeling smug in the knowledge that I would be enjoying a slug free summer, the heavans opened and.... well we all know what happened next, especially here in Sheffield! and the nematodes were washed away.
    The result is I have had my worst summer ever for the dreaded slugs, they have even been eating plants that are guaranteed to be slug free. My borders look like a battle field.
    Ah well, as Alan Titchmarsh would say, there will be another summer along next year.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    I feel that life is too short to lift dahlias, even on clay soil, even in Scotland. I mulch them with peat free multipurpose compost and stick a bell cloche over them. They seem to survive with this treatment. A Bishop of Llandaff that was previously reliable failed to appear this year which surprised me because last winter was mild. I finally dug it up today and it is very much alive but the shoots stop just at the soil surface. I have a bumper crop of slugs and snails after the damp summer and I suspect that this plant gets chewed off every time it raises its head above the parapet. Next plan? Copper ring, same mulch, same cloche.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    This year everything, and I mean everything, was infested by aphids, white fly, green fly, mealy bug. Despite our efforts, most of our back garden is a white-fly fest even today. I have had to prune our bay tree back dramatically to remove the worst of the mealy bug infestations, our quince and plum tree had green fly and black fly, the roses had black spot.....in fact, I think the only plants left alone were a few of the herbs, the rosemary and sage and chives, the geraniums, citrus trees.....not much more than that. We lost a lot of fruit this year due to bugs, but have learned to compost slugs!
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    We have a plum tree on our allotment. It produces much delicious fruit. The first 'batch' generally had inhabitants, but the second lot seemed to be free of lodgers. A couple of years ago there were no lodgers at all. I was somewhat puzzled until I discovered my neighbour had a trap on his trees - so the moths must have been going over there! I have no bought my own trap, just in case. I bought mine at the Malvern Autumn Show from the Agralan stand. They were very helpful and have both plus and apple traps.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Margaret, you can find more details and buy pheromone traps from Agralan Ltd. Check out their website. Look under 'Insect Control' for the traps, which cost £6.95.

    Rosie, I'm not sure how long the adult vine weevil lives for, but probably a few months. Did you know that ALL vine weevils are female! No male vine weevil has ever been found, so as every one you find is capable of laying eggs you must be sure to catch them all. (Agralan sell controls for this pest too).
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Can any one help me with the problem of leaf curl on the tips of my Cherry Tree. Last year I cut the new growth from the ends of the branches which did not do much for the shape, but unfortunately it was there again this year.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    Could anyone please tell me where I can obtain Field Beans? I live on the Isle of Man and no-one here supplies them. I would like to sow them as a green manure this autumn.
  • Gardeners' World Web UserGardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147
    can any one please help me to get rid of SELF HEAL in my lawn
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