Kitchen Garden Forum

Dethlac spray works wonders

Keep your fingers crossed for me as had to plant the sweet corn today! They were huge & roots were more out than in the holes in the bottom of the pots which were my biggest! They have a windbreak membrane around them & a mesh top - time will tell!

Good luck, Westi! I hope the weather is kind to you and your sweetcorn!

Shallot Man wrote:HELP. Seem to acquired some new inmates in my living room. ANTS. any idea's [fitted carpet ]

Unable to find where they come from. So decided to use my vast military knowledge gleaned during my National Service days. I.E. when in doubt. Attack. Went out and bought some spray, "Antstop Ultra " Last night put some old newspaper on a small cane coffee table with a orange [split] this morning they were all waiting for me. Two quick sprays, and will do the same each night until one of us surrenders.

Green Woodpeckers have a liking for them, Shallot Man....

oldherbaceous wrote:Green Woodpeckers have a liking for them, Shallot Man....

Great O.H. How do I entice them into the House.

I never thought about that, Shallot Man....

Hope you get them sorted though, it's horrible when you have something like that.

Shallot Man wrote:

oldherbaceous wrote:Green Woodpeckers have a liking for them, Shallot Man....

Great O.H. How do I entice them into the House.

Stick your wooden leg partly out of the window?

Current battle report re Shallotman vi Ants. Shallotman 3 Ants Nil.

Excellent hunting, Shallot Man.....

Felt very strange, but kinda right to be watering the flower beds at home this evening. I seriously thought it would be another day or so before I had to, considering the drenching it has had over the last few weeks. But good to get up close & personal with the flowers - all 3 roses have buds looking near to breaking, clematis also full of bud & I think I'm going to have a beaut display of poppies. I did mean to thin them but I'll put up with what I have as right at the back - will just have to be diligent with the dead heading or I will be cursing next year - as will the neighbours no doubt! Bees will be happy in compensation though!

I had to water all the pots yesterday, Westi, in spite of all the recent rain, but at last things are really moving with moisture in the ground and warmth in the air! Our large wild patch is beautifully colourful at the moment: all red campion are flowering, still a few honesty and camassias, alliums, aquilegias in many colours, comfrey, yellow and orange poppies, red valerian just starting and this morning the first bright red oriental poppy opened. There are still not many insects about but hopefully enough to pollinate the broad beans which are full of flowers. Sitting out at dusk last night, we saw three swifts, much reduced in numbers from previous years, and also a few bats, again less than ever. Presumably, the dry cold April and the wet cold May until now has taken its toll on the air-feeding creatures.

Just had four hours of hoeing over the allotments, with my pull, push hoe....you certainly can cover some ground when conditions are right....so instead of the allotments beingcovered in annual weed seeds, they look quite presentable now...hoooray.

Pleased to report the graft I put in improving the sandy soil at the plot seems to have paid off. (Finally)! Only the tunnel needed watering. The plants (& weeds) are really happy & the growth in just a few days is really obvious. Kind of optimistic as it stands for a good harvest but if it doesn't I've soldiered on before & got results.

Pretty chuffed, although I think I might have imported some white onion rot in on my garlic this year - fingers crossed it is not but looks like the pics, so sacrificed it's neighbours which did not show it. I sincerely hope I don't have it but only time will tell!

oldherbaceous wrote:Just had four hours of hoeing over the allotments, with my pull, push hoe....you certainly can cover some ground when conditions are right....so instead of the allotments beingcovered in annual weed seeds, they look quite presentable now...hoooray.

As my late Father use to say. The time to hoe boy, is when it don't need doing.