First the autumn flush, then the bugs

The leaves of my Bear’s Breeches are practically one big hole. The courgettes have mildew and the mint has bolted. Apples look okay and my wonderful mistletoe is enormous.

Our runner beans have been disastrous for the second year running here in hot dry Surrey. Too cold and wet last year and I guess too hot and dry this year. We’ve watered regularly, the flowers were plentiful and I saw lots of bees, so why? Could slugs have eaten the roots?

When most people still smoked it was possible to make a lethal brew from the tobacco from dog ends. You poured boiling water over the DEs, left it to steep for a few days then you decanted it into a spray bottle. It seemed to kill off most things but of course it could not be used on fruit or vegetables.

I was on my plot by 6am

25Avalon, I used 1/2 tsp of concentrate in 250 ml water this morning. Had the bottle for ages and it does work especially well on fruit. I think it contains pyrethrum and is systemic. First though I gave the soil around a good watering, so the plants can be stronger against bug attack. I have not had to spray any veggies for very many years, if ever

The squashes are doing extremely well with hardly any extra water. I have so many large squash that I am now cutting off the growing tips. My dwarf beans at home have been poor and the plotholders are not getting many runner beans. Courgettes are poor, about 1/5 the number I had last year

My baby asparagus are surviving but I am watering perhaps once or twice a week during this drought

It really is one of the most difficult gardening years I have ever known

Big cracks have appeared around my shed, clay soil which will be like concrete now

At least my ground cover sedum at home, instead of lawn, is looking lush without a drop of water

You could try Pyrethrum powder which is a natural product that kills bugs and leaves your vegetables ok to eat after a few days.

In my part of Somerset it looks like Autumn with half dead plants desperate for water and leaves falling off the trees.

Not had those troubles here in East Anglia had a really productive year in fact much more than I can handle giving it away faster than it can grow
Been a really really good year especially runner beans courgettes curly kale and cucumbers nothing at all been eaten not seen nearly as many slugs and snails as usual but lots of goodies like ladybirds, bees and amazing many more butterflies

There’s always something sent to try us. On the positive side, hardly any slugs or snails, on the negative, lots and lots of wasps. My courgettes are nearly over too, and my baby gourds dropped off last week in the cold snap, but I haven’t had any issues as yet with bugs - apart from those biting me, which are at an all time high despite all my attempts to stop them.

My French beans were all shrivelled this morning. Not enough water? No. The slugs (or something) had eaten away the stems at the roots.

🙁

My squashes and courgettes are beginning to go over too…….

I think this has been the worst year for foliage being eaten.
Other than lilly beetles i haven't seen what’s eating the foliage.
The enemy doesn’t fight fair. Other than the lilly beetle I haven’t seen what’s doing the damage.