scale – The Gardening Blog

Had a bit of fun in the garden after it rained so hard. The poor birds looked like wet rags hanging on the bare fig tree. They are so part of my garden that you might as well call me the dove lady! Every morning the massive exodus of birds from my deck when I open the back door is a sight to behold. They all seem to sleep all over the table and benches and under the potato tree. What a life. Then the chickens are marched out into their play area and it’s SEED TIME!! Well, the neighbourhood birds all flock to join in for breakfast!

First the Boids…

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Then the bugs…..

I was having a look at the lemon tree and there were quite a few unwelcome visitors. I have a feeling the white bug is an Australian Bug – it is white and furry looking. I have see this in a book before. Eww! The other little swollen things look like scale and aphids! I am going to have to do some bug-proofing this week.

I wonder if you also have these strange things in your garden!

Never a dull moment in my garden!

Happy Gardening xxxx

Nasturtiums for our Lemon Trees

Hey Barbs, I found an amazing tip in this months issue of The Gardener which will help protect our Lemon Trees from aphids and scale. Here’s what they say … Sow Nasturtium or rue seeds at the base of fruit trees. Their presence appears to act as a deterrent to sap-sucking insects like aphids and scale. Concoctions brewed from the leaves of these plants are also used as organic sprays to deter these pests!

So I am going to buy Nasturtium seeds … they used to flourish in my garden, like a weed,along with the Ivy. We ripped them all out and I’m not mad about the idea of having a Nasturtium invasion again, but if I control their growth and just have them growing around the base of the lemon tree I think it could actually look quite attractive. What do you think? Worth a try if it keeps the nasties away!

And I know that some people put Nasturtiums in salads and use them in food preparation … so that fits in with you “edible” theme! I’ll get you some seeds when I go seed shopping this week.