Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: spade on January 22, 2004, 19:04:20
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hello what a cool site.ive just got a new lottie and my plot is next to a railway track.eeek i have rasberry cane cooch and what looks like willow suckers from the railway .i,m pleased about canes but any tips to stop willow suckers thanx angie
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- 'fraid I wouldn't mince around - straight in with a root killer. That's not advice - just my practice! = Tim
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sounds good.thanx tim
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Agree with Tim (how odd) but follow the instructions on the packet!
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there is a time to be eco friendly and a time to think.
Stephan
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- my views are so disparate, Eric?? = Tim
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WOW my lottie is clear.It looks so big and empty .All i have to do now is fork it all over and i,ll be ready to plan where to put me shed .I,m dreaming of fresh veg stawberries and the odd glass of turnip wine lol .BUT i do ache alover lol. Angie
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Great feeling though, rest well earned.
Tim our views are often different, but seeing as your experience age wisdom and good looks are greater than mine I refrain from posting when our views differ. ;D
Have a large pinch of salt to take with it.
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- oh, go on, Eric!! I much prefer to be put right by you dear lot than by my close family!! And, as I've said, the uniform fits no longer!!
And please - you will note that I add a ? if I can't substantiate what I've said. It's all grist to mill?? So - FACT - I would rather listen to your thoughts than my ramblings. I'm here to stir, and help?, rather than to preach. = Tim
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Am i doomed?Been forking over beds today and i keep finding these white caterpillar things with light brown heads .Are they going to eat all my crops? A very worried Angie......
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Are these grubs about 1cm or half inch long and curled up like the letter C? If so, they are Vine Weevil grubs (possibly). Bad news in plant pots, sad news outside. Keep hoeing over the soil and exposing them to the birds who love them. They eat the roots of almost any plant, but in the soil tend not to completely deroot as they do in a pot. Hatch out into black weevils. Same sort of advice to deal with adults as for dealing with earwigs.
Otherwise borrow some hens and let them clear up the area for you, they love both grubs and adults.
No amateur chemical treatment for food crops available as far as I am aware and the Commercial one is very very nasty!
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- at the risk of getting an eyeful from Eric, and if they have legs up front, I'll risk chafer grubs. Just squidge them! = Tim
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Agree, if they are chafer grubs, squish 'em. But are they not more grey than white?
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I'm NOT going out in the frost to look, Eric!! And you don't mean cutworms - the grey things?
It's the legs that count. = Tim
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i have been digging up golden wireworms today! The robin and thrush following me around thought they were great! I did make sure I chopped them in half first tho!! Dottie P.
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Dottie fancy you chopping poor little birds up.Tut Tut.
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As I recall Vine weevil grubs are far smaller than chafergrubs. I do know I have experience of both. When I suspect vine weevils i pick through and manualy remove (and kill -yuk!) from the compost. The trouble is the little B***ers are so small they hide well. You think you have got them all and a then a few more show up.
Chafers I have come across in old turf whilst digging it up for a new border in the front. Yes Tim they have legs but are bigger and longer thasn vineweevil grubs. Unless of course yours are bigger than mine. ;)
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-'seasy - whatever their size, if they haven't got legs, they are not chafers. - Tim
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;D ;D ;D ;D BB!
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thanx all you guys .I havent been on my lottie to check if they have legs.Hope they arnt vine weevil.ill look for legs tomorrow.they,ll be squished all the same.i hate when they explode ooooooow yuk.must borrow hens. Angie
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- wear goggles? = Tim
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LOL i will. Angie
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Squashing weevil grubs:
Place on hard flat surface together.
Place sturdy footwear on foot (preferably with hard soles)
Raise leg above location of grubs.
Bring down leg sharply onto grubs.
Death usualy immediate, if not repeat proceedure.
Usualy find a good pair of work boots best foot wear for job.
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oooooooooooooo I love squishing vine weevil grubs! I have had them bothering my garden ever since I started gardening so I am well used to them and the clues that they are amunching! Nout better than picking out a little pile of the maggots, putting them in a little heap and sending them on to the next life in a big popping explosion of mush. :o Sorry, had to say it! Bit like you who like to go out slug slicing. Wonder if they could become olympic events?!
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perhaps we could set up the allottment olympics, events to include:-
bramble pulling,
snail throwing,
slug slicing
maggot squishing
bindweed root removal,
compost heap turning
....... any other events?
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- cat, dog, fox & hedgehog poo disposal?
Leatherjacket raking. Cabbage white netting. Caterpillar squidging. Pigeon shooting. Lacewing & ladybird gathering. Squirrel outwitting. Bee & bird luring. Etc? = Tim
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And the second-rate potato chuck, and the "used-seed-potato" golf match.
The things that keep kids amused - they're the only reason my lot will help with potato harvest some days.
All best - Gavin
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My partner used to play "Sluggis" when he was a student, as follows:
- Pick up slug
- Roll in sand or dry earth
- Get frying pan (old)
- Serve slug as in tennis and see how far into neighbour's garden slug goes flying (v. naughty)
Now he just wangs snails over the roof at the bottom of the garden (they land in a car park in a gigantic splat - haven't hit anybody - yet!)
Ten x
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Makes me feel my family are more normal - my dad always used one of those plastic tennis bats to send snails off to some of his less favourite neighbours ;D
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Off on a tangent here, but wouldn't it be fantasic if slug pellets had a bit of nitro glycerine in,, then when we chuck the little darlings a fair bit they would explode on impact ;D ;D Ime not evil really ..... just hate slugs n snails.
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Into garden terrorism then, Mimi ;D ::) ;D
Kate
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I think we'd all like to be, particularly where slugs andsnails are concerned.
Trouble is if you dont kill them when you chuck em, they end up coming right back. So maybe mimi's explosive idea has some merit. Though I wouldnt wnt to be the neighbour on the receiving end! ;) Would have to be someone you really dont like. ;D
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Wonderful ere no neighbours. surrounded on three sides by fields and farmland fourth side is road so i can chuck to my little hearts content ;D ;DWish i could do the same with the bl**dy monster size mole chewin up my garden. Think he is trying to break in to the pond by the molehills around it this morning. HELP