Topic: The Allotment Battle Ground...or is it just me?

[skyblu]

I am beginning to get the feeling that this season is going to be one long war against pests.  Slugs and snails were rampant on our plot until the recent dry spell drove them into submission and now the flea beatles have taken over.  Despite covering radish and brassicas with enviromesh I noticed today that the radish seedlings are developing that tell tale lacy look.  The mesh is well pinned down so what more can I do?  I even tried the whole 'waving a sticky bit' over them whilst disturbing the leaves but the little blighters are still there.

And my broad bean tips are black with more darn black aphids than I thought existed in South East London...

It seems to me that pests know where the pickings are rich and allotments suffer from more pests than your average back garden.  I have merrily grown carrots, cabbage and all sorts of pests attracters in my garden in the past and have never spared a thought to the potential 'dangers' but this year I suspect that it will be war!

how is everyone else faring?

[betula]

It is a battle.You just have to fight on. ;D

[SPUDLY]

Might just be me, but i quite like the battle. If there were no pests to outwit, and no weeds to clear, i think i would get quite bored. I couldn't imagine just setting my veg, then harvesting it, and doing nothing in between.

[BarriedaleNick]

Well Im in SE London and I thought we had all the slugs!!
Actually not so bad so far.  The cold winter seems to have killed a lot of the slugs - either that or they are hiding  - we normally have monsters!  Looks like a bad year for aphids though - my broad beans tips have been got but I think I saw them off with my patent neem oil/soapy water spary. We simply cant grow carrots with a carrot fly barrier - they are endemic.  Flea beatles dont seem as bad as last year - I have heard neem oil can help but havent tried it.
My bain is wood pidgeons - they will shred all cabbage and hearted lettuce in a moment if they arent covered.

Fight on!

[skyblu]

Might just be me, but i quite like the battle. If there were no pests to outwit, and no weeds to clear, i think i would get quite bored. I couldn't imagine just setting my veg, then harvesting it, and doing nothing in between.

good point - but right now I'm mid battle with marestail (it puts our couch grass and bindweed to shame) so a flank attack by flea beatles and aphids seems a little harsh.  Mustn't grumble eh? - better pop off and check for blight warnings now ;-)

[kt.]

2 weeks ago I saw a garden sign that read  "I fought the weeds and the weeds won".  Says it all really.  Guess the same goes for pests ;D ;D

[skyblu]

Well Im in SE London and I thought we had all the slugs!!
..... Flea beatles dont seem as bad as last year - I have heard neem oil can help but havent tried it.
My bain is wood pidgeons - they will shred all cabbage and hearted lettuce in a moment if they arent covered.

Fight on!

Ah ha! so you sent all your flea beatles my way eh?  :o

I wondered where my pet wood pigeons went all day....

[Kendy]

Know what you mean.

I've had a section of my plot covered in black plastic sheeting since November.  Started to lift it tonight - everything is dead except.......Mares Tail.  It was sat there, abeit pink looking but growing !  I swear it was mocking me  >:(

[Bjerreby]

I had a cutworm last autumn that chopped down all my cos lettuces, but since then, the only pest I've had is a pigeon that nibbled the beetroot shoots last week.

Our village is surrounded by fields where nothing exists other than what the farmers ordain. At least half the villagers are farmers, and they too spray a variety of poisons about. Consequently, all the local birds swarm into my garden to find whatever insect life has survived man's chemical warfare, and I suppose that explains why MY garden is virtually pest-free.

Funny how birds don't like eating ladybirds!

[Squash64]

2 weeks ago I saw a garden sign that read  "I fought the weeds and the weeds won".  Says it all really. 

That's brilliant (and in my case, true!)

[daileg]

i also have lost the battle allready to pigeons had some of my cauli and cabbage , beetroots shoots

[thifasmom]

Funny how birds don't like eating ladybirds!

it must be the stinky yellow ooze the excrete when they feel threatened it certainly smells foul :-X

[Robert_Brenchley]

They taste extremely nasty. The bright colour is a warning sign which puts off predators.

[cornykev]

If not already said just snap the top off the BB's, hoe the marestail you will win in the end, I've snapped off all the ones I had coming up on the plot, but I know, turn your back and up the buggers come, and as said net the brassicas or you might well leave a sign for the birds ....All inclusive, all you can eat, come this way.  ;D ;D ;D

[boltonlad]

If not already said just snap the top off the BB's, hoe the marestail you will win in the end, I've snapped off all the ones I had coming up on the plot, but I know, turn your back and up the buggers come, and as said net the brassicas or you might well leave a sign for the birds ....All inclusive, all you can eat, come this way.  ;D ;D ;D

oops erm and what was wrong with that sign, lost two of em but now netted up and they will come back again.