Pests, Diseases and Cures

Good advice mira - I like the jar idea. We caught a wasp just starting a nest a week or so ago. I waited until it had left the shed, then took the nest away. It was very fragile, and beautiful, and I did feel bad, but as pal says, they're not good in buildings!

I'd say that could be your culprit EGW! Damn pests!!!! Hopefully someone can supply us with some preventative measures. Thanks Bekimac though, I will buy some of the provado spray and spray my pots anyway.

This may sound daft but I've heard that people that eat marmite get bitten less... I guess the insects either love or hate it

As far as I know seed itself is usually virus and disease free. However seed from fallen fruits etc. can very easily get contaminated at an early stage if the growing conditions are not perfectly clean. Just something that you said terrier, but seed potatos are not really seed, they are...

I had the same problem in my greenhouse and used BORAX. You can get it from boots. Mix 1 part Borax and 1 part sugar. The sugar masks the borax and the worker ants take it off to the queen. She eats it and this kills her. Then you can use normal ant powder to kill the workers. If you use...

10!!! of the little b##*ers i've removed already this year. TG I've only got the one plant, or I would'nt have time for anything else.:eek:

I have tons of aphids - my lupin aphids cause the most damage. i tried my best with soap and water for ages on them last year but they are mutants and I had to resort to chemicals in the end. It worked well with my woolly aphids however and they never came back.Editing message to say...

First, Iain, welcome to GC ... don't be embarrassed by anything .... I can do that for everyone here. :D I have Bamboo here on up the deck where it is fulltime sun and the leaves are scorched white .... but then again, would that be a surprise to you guys? BM, strongy, roders or pete would...

Our oak tree overhangs our drive and every year a sticky substance is deposited on our cars, which I have to wash off twice a week. I believe it is secreted from aphids and that there is an insecticide which is taken up by the tree roots to alleviate the problem. I think it is called Bayer...

julestcb, Did you get any resolution to this ? I have a similar problem. A few years ago a small section of the hedge died and each year 2 or 3 feet eiher side dies. I thought some kind of root fungus, as the foliage looks healthy until it dies, but when I've dug up the dead stuff the roots...

I have a zero tollerance policy towards slugs and snails. Mostly i squish them but this can ger a bit messy so with large numbers i like to collect them up in a bucket with a lid until i have a decent number and thenpour boiling water into the bucket to finish them off. The err, remains then get...

I would never follow a Chelsea supporter Coub.:D

good advice - i will dig it up and see what i am dealing with. A few weeks holiday in the cold frame might be just what it needs.thanks very much - ill let you if i find ants or anything else

A friend has a laurel hedge - was many feet high, cut back last year to about 7 feet, still lots of foliage below. Many leaves - all top ones and a surprising number at all levels, now look 'burnt' and are dropping. Other parts of the hedge, with different shrubs, show no ill health. It grows...

You could also try some of the sticky yellow fly catchers. I use them in my greenhouse and polytunnel - doesn't eliminate them completely but does help reduce their numbers.

I don't know what but something has ravaged the leaves on my bay tree. I planted it out last year. Hope it picks up this year.

We had a hornets' nest in the loft the year before last, so I panic whenever I see a large wasp now. We have had a few buzzing around for about 6 weeks now, so I guess there's a nest around here somewhere. I shall leave them be so long as they stay outside.This nice man dealt with it for us.

halo i had moles a couple of years ago they moved in from next door i put empty beer bottles in the ground with the neck just poking up out of the ground it worked a treat they dont like the noise and vibration so i was told,the moles moved on and i was well oiled too great fun

Drought was mentioned Sarraceniac but as you say I will let the leaves drop of on there own. And thankyou for all the help on this subject everybody.

i really thought i was having my legged pulled when my mum said she heard that i was breaking the law for letting them go back in the wild..well if they want to keep them they can have them might let 2 go in the bolton magistrates court :D