Written by admin on 07 July 2008
Discover natural, organic and chemical-free solutions to get rid of slugs
When I started gardening the pests I worried about were slugs, snails, cabbage white butterflies and aphids of various colours. Now I have to combat the likes of the hemerocallis gall midge and red lily beetle. Harlequin Ladybirds are with us and many parts of the UK have been hit by the New Zealand Flatworm which has a horrible way of feeding on earthworms.
I love Day Lilies or to give them their proper name Hemerocallis. They have beautiful flowers and their foliage adds so much to a border giving texture and movement, I would not be without them.
However this year some of mine seemed to have developed a problem and from the look of them there could only be one explanation. I removed a flower bud and began taking it apart and sure enough out dropped the culprit, the hemerocallis gall midge.
This tiny fly lays its eggs in the developing flower buds of day lilies and small white maggots develop inside the buds, causing them to be abnormally swollen but failing to open. An infested bud can contain several hundred larvae which may be from more than one midge. The worst part is that when fully fed the larvae are 2-3mm (about 1/8in) long and they drop down into the soil where they over winter as pupae.
More about The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Tags: earth, flower, garden, garden pest, garden tips, gardening, lilies, slug, slugs, snail, soil
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Written by admin on 23 June 2008
Discover natural, organic and chemical-free solutions to get rid of slugs
The petunias planted into the hanging basket and containers are coming on well, bushing out nicely from the base and should provide a beautiful show as the season progresses. The dahlias suffered a little slug and snail damage when first put out but, fingers crossed, they seem to be coping well now.
The hardy Geraniums or Cranesbills are still providing much colour in the garden as are the [TAG-TEC]Roses[TAG-TEC]. My very large hardy Fuchsia is wonderful again this year and will be flowering for months to come. I admit that it has grown much larger (more like a tree!) than I imagined but it is in a spot where it does not matter and looks really good. The day lilies are beginning to bloom, they put on such a great show each year and their strappy leaves add so much to the texture of the border.
Perfume is so important to me in the garden and the Philadelphus (Mock Oranges) and Roses are doing a fine job.
Read more of this week’s garden diary – The Taming of the Shrew | It Is a Good Job It Is Summer
Tags: container, container garden, container gardening, containers, flower, garden, garden diary, garden ideas, gardeners, gardening, gardening advice, gardening questions, gardening tips, geraniums, hanging basket, hanging baskets, hints and tips, leaves, lilies, plants, pot, roses, slug, snail
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