Topic: Best / worst tips ever

[1066]

That's a good one, I'm paying that price this year as well. I have volunteers all over the place. Lesson learnt  :-X

[shirlton]

Worst tip i had was given by Geoff Hamilton(idid like him God bless him) Cut your spirea down to almost ground level. It never came back.
Best tip was to put rhubarb leaves under the gooseberries. I haven't had asawfly since

[Lottiman]

I am also another one paying the price with volunteer spuds that will teach me to do the job properly

[pumkinlover]

Will try the gooseberry/ rhubarb leaves Shirl, I don't suppose you can remember how it works?
Mind you -I would have forgoten the tip!!!! so no chance with how it works ;)

[Alex133]

Keep seeds in fridge - they really do last longer (sowed 1995 Marmande tomato seeds this year and 4 out of 5 germinated!)

Rats don't like hot chilli powder - scatter on kitchen waste and they'll leave your compost heap alone (at least it's worked for me).

Harden tender plants off - it does make a difference unless you're very lucky with the weather.

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Big slugs eat small slugs not plants - totally not convinced they don't just eat everything!

Skinny spiders (that look like daddy longlegs) eat monster house spiders -  I don't kill them but don't see how they can.

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Going to try rhubarb leaf tip - might also work on Soloman's Seal which is always eaten by sawfly.

[davyw1]

CABAGE  Dont pull your cabages cut the head off and cut a cross in the top of the stalk another four small cabages will grow on

[shirlton]

Will try the gooseberry/ rhubarb leaves Shirl, I don't suppose you can remember how it works?
Mind you -I would have forgoten the tip!!!! so no chance with how it works ;)

I should imagine its something to do with the acid PL the sawfly emerges from under the goosegog

[JimB]

Best Tip
Listen to all advise given but then do it how you think.
If you're wrong, you learn, if your right, don't change it.

[pumkinlover]

Will try the gooseberry/ rhubarb leaves Shirl, I don't suppose you can remember how it works?
Mind you -I would have forgoten the tip!!!! so no chance with how it works ;)

I should imagine its something to do with the acid PL the sawfly emerges from under the goosegog

Oh I thought they just couldn't fight their way out from under the big rhubarb leaf!!! :)

[Dandytown]

Will try the gooseberry/ rhubarb leaves Shirl, I don't suppose you can remember how it works?
Mind you -I would have forgoten the tip!!!! so no chance with how it works ;)

I should imagine its something to do with the acid PL the sawfly emerges from under the goosegog

Oh I thought they just couldn't fight their way out from under the big rhubarb leaf!!! :)

Rhubarb leaves contain poisonous substances, including oxalic acid which is a nephrotoxic and corrosive acid that is present in many plants, including goosberries so I guess that must be why the gooseberry bush doesnt suffer and yet the sawflies perrish.

This is my first year of gooseberries as in all previous years the plant has been ravished by caterpillas and I only recently learnt that caterpillas emerge from the soil and not eggs on the leaves (am I correct on this?).

My gooseberrie was moved in autumn and is next to the rhubarb anyway so maybe they are good companions.

Thanks for the tip. :)