Bugs

Just a warning that the mozzies are out. I only spent a short time in the garden and am covered in red lumps. And I only bought some new Jungle Formula the other week but didn’t bother to put it on.

Aphids on Lupins can be treated with soapy water, but I did read that companion planting with strong smelling herbs deters to aphids.
My Lupins are in planters to avoid the slugs, I might move the mint closer to them and see what happens.

Greyduster

Pigeons have decimated my plum tree year after year and this year I hung old CD’s in the branches in an effort to deter them (Cliff Richard - that should do the trick!) because there are a large number of plums setting and I’d rather like to have some! It seems to be working.
Some pests you have to resort to searching out and picking off by hand - like the grubs that were hatching in the growing points of my delphiniums.

I read that a toy snake in the branches frightens the pigeons away. Not suggesting any similarity between CR and snakes!

As an aside, does anyone know if there are predators for the horrible grey/green large aphids that just love my lupins? The birds seems to ignore them, as do the ladybirds and their larvae.
I second the beer traps for slugs. They do seem attracted to it.

I use the slug traps, put some beer in the bottom empty every couple of days its surprising how many want to drown in beer

www.fargrohomeandgarden.co.uk/plant-and-lawn-care/mulch/straw-mulch/strulch-organic-straw-mulch-9kg-bag-frost-protection-wheat-straw-garden-mulch-100l?utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=22317107201&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22317112703&gbraid=0AAAAADwXWv-tAMkwUVA3rzgZlu9jVFYDp&gclid=CjwKCAjwuIbBBhBvEiwAsNypvZhVxbjF23bQZr3W5rHmwzSYoCnEriCp0EM-YNrkJK5hp47Sn1KEWxoChB0QAvD_BwE

We used sturch to control the slugs, it’s an alternative to bark

Have a flock of pigeons that my neighbour & I seem to have inherited from an owner who doesnt bother with them. Have not seen them eating any of our bushes so far! Maybe because there are too many other smaller birds living in the bushes? All seem to get on ok & the beautiful very noisy Starling babies have been in the gardens lately & again all getting on. Has anyone else seen baby Starlings bathing in their drinking water? So funny as it started with one adult. Bringing their kids up right aren't they? Love all my resident birds & the ones that just visit like the Jackdaw earlier!

Holes in leaves can be caused by vine weevils . Go out at dusk and pick them off. They seem to like our rhodys. The deer like our camelias, (The same family of plants as tea) It does seem to stress them out and they don't flower for several years after that. We have no purple broccoli left so I have come to the conclusion that it is snails rather than slugs eating them.

Try a saucer of beer to entice slug……..they like the smell, and apparently drown whilst drinking the beer. If there is no slugs in the saucer the following morning and the plants are still being munched then you’ll at least eliminate the slugs.

Greyduster

Cliff Richard = the ultimate deterrent.

I planted half a dozen new plants a week or so ago. I always surround them with slug pellets. spray with something supposed to deter rabbits, deer and squirrels and, you guessed it, the flowers have been eaten off all of them apart from the scabious. I'm fighting a losing battle.

I had issues last year, new veg plants being decimated. Turned out the culprits were a couple of pigeons that had moved into the neighborhood. I had to net all of my veg until they grew bigger and the pigeons lost interest. Shame they didn't like the weeds.

Pigeons have decimated my plum tree year after year and this year I hung old CD’s in the branches in an effort to deter them (Cliff Richard - that should do the trick!) because there are a large number of plums setting and I’d rather like to have some! It seems to be working.
Some pests you have to resort to searching out and picking off by hand - like the grubs that were hatching in the growing points of my delphiniums.

We have gardened organically too - as long as we have ever had our own garden - as students more than 50 years ago.

I would, however, get rid of "problematic" insects I'm afraid and not rely on nature alone to protect my precious seedlings (for example).

If you have any clever ways to keep the squirrels off tulips and unripe but un-nettable figs though - I'm definitely open to suggestions!
🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

Thanks to everyone who has responded, it is interesting to see the differing views. I’d love a bigger garden but have to make the most of containers in a small back garden. No grass.
My instinct is to now stick with egg shells and hope someone can suggest companion things that may deter and protect.

I garden organically and have very few problems with pests. The way to attract predators is by gardening organically, don't use any pesticides or herbicides, let the pests come and the predators will come along to deal with them. Also, don't be too tidy in your garden...leaf litter and patches of longer grass or a tangle of plants give the small creatures and bugs somewhere to live. Your pests give them something to eat and, if you leave out a bowl of water with some pebbles in (to stop the bugs drowning) I promise the predators will come.

The key is to holding your nerve when the pests arrive - just recently I had black fly on a plant and I really wanted to pick them off. I resisted and within a couple of days they were gone, something had come along and dealt with them.

I agree it’s so disheartening to see your plants full of holes or gone altogether. I’ve bought a few bedding plants this year but they’re all ruined now. I get so fed up with it. I did find sawdust seemed to stop them nibbling my newly-planted peas (my DH was doing a DIY project) but mostly it’s hopeless. Someone upthread mentioned attracting predators to the garden but how? My garden is small and surrounded by other gardens where nobody seems to care much. I would love to grow veg but I know everything would be chewed. How on earth do organic growers do it?

Next door has the same problem with their Forrest flame

What about neem on its own in warm water as it’s natural?

Oh that’s interesting to know!
I had conflicting information from a gardener, to use neem & dish soap.
Never seen a lady bird in our garden.

It does NotSpaghetti, but f you get rid of the sap sucking insects then you don't give the predators opportunity to move in and do the job for you.

Ladybirds and their larvae, predatory midge larvae, earwigs, beetles and wasps all control sap sucking insects.

Once you build up a body of predators in your garden you don't need to keep treating the culprits.

Surely, getting rid of the sap-sucking insects prevents the problem causex by their excretions.
That's what I read at the RHS.

Encouraging birds is a longer term solution.

The RHS advises against using soaps or detergent to get rid of sooty mould.

Sooty mould is caused by sap sucking insects. The best way to deal with sap sucking insects is to do nothing and natural predators will come and deal with them for you.

Anything that interferes with the natural processes in your garden will upset the balance. Gardening organically is better for the environment, the ecosystem in your garden and saves money on expensive chemicals that just upset the balance of life going on in your flowerbed.

My Forrest flame is under attack, the leaves have sooty mould. Got some neem oil & going to try that when I purchase a spray bottle.
Teaspoon of neem oil
Teaspoon of dish soap (only got cherry, does it have to be plain?
Mix the two, then add litre of warm water giving it a good stir
Pour into a spray bottle
1/2 the ingredients for a preventative measure.
Spray liberally top & underneath leaves.
Hopefully will sort my plants.