About my garden

Tuesday 28 April 2015

There are always pests

I haven't given up gardening or composting, despite the lack of posts.
The truth is we have been trying to move and my focus has not been on my garden. We thought we would be moving in March but that didn't happen. Things are still up in the air but we are hopeful. 
March would have been perfect from a gardening point of view. A good time to start sowing in the new place. I did a little gardening the the early part of the year but not sowing and have found it difficult to plan.
As soon as I knew the move was off, I sowed a few things here. I wasn't sure if we would be staying here for the summer and couldn't bear the thought of not having any luscious tomatoes growing. 
Normally at this time of year, every flat surface would be covered in pots and tray of seedlings. Probably going a bit leggy as I started them off too soon.
The reason for the move is to have a larger garden (greedy, I know) and to be rather more rural. I am so looking forward to making a new garden but have to keep plans in check until I know we are going. 
I have a fantastic crop of dandelions. I've been out deadheading regularly but there seem to be bigger and better ones every day. Prize specimens. 


They are lovely, really. I wonder if someone discovered them now in South Africa if we would all queue up to buy them. 

I have some Echeverias in pots. I keep them in the greenhouse over winter and then bring them out in the spring. The don't like to get too wet. 
They didn't look to happy so I thought I would re-pot them but when I tipped out the soil I found these delightful creatures. 

No wonder the plants were unhappy. These are Vine Weevil grubs and they eat the roots of plants in pots. 
This one has no roots left. Luckily they root very easily so I put in new soil, cleaned them up and tucked most of them back in. Hopefully they will perk up now. I left the grubs out for the birds.


I did sow a few broad beans but they have been nibbled too.


This is damage by pea and bean thrips. They nibble round the leaves and make them look messy but don't really damage the plants. Later they get chocolate spot and black fly!
On to jollier things:


 This is a strawberry plant flowering. 

 Bluebells and ferns.

Gorgeous plant I can't remember the name of. Such a cheerful flower. 
Even though I hope to be moving, I am still composting. I put in all the kitchen waste and grass clippings but confess I have not done any hard work such as digging out. I'm leaving that for now.