Tag: aphids

Categories
Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous

Bugs Galore

Springtime spender brings more than the beautiful flowers and great edibles!! It brings the hungry critters that devour those same Spring essentials! They must have all arrived on the same bus, because my garden is full of them!!

A fruit beetle in the Tea Tree

This fly is interesting – what is this?? He seems to be devouring a house fly!! It looks like he is a predator. Perhaps a good thing?

My beautiful Borage flowers always bring the bees!! I make sure they are all over the garden. This one is under my peach tree!

My roses are under attack!! The aphids are having a glorious time !! I am waiting for the lady bugs to come and clean up !! So no pesticide spraying in my garden!

What kind of fly is this in a bee costume!!?? Or a bee in a fly costume!??

More and more aphids! These are black and only under the leaves of my Artemesia Powis Castle! Very interesting. I use them in a tea as a bug repellent!

Here is that weird fly again – can anyone put a name to this?

Now this is the strangest – tons of blue flies all over my Tea Tree flowers! Drunk on the nectar!

I have come to respect all those critters and flying visitors to my garden. If there were no aphids, I would never see a lady bug. So all I need to do is patiently wait for the good bugs to arrive! Garden spiders, frogs and lizards are also gathering to feast on the bugaboos. My birds are always happy to help clean up as well. The sugar bird also helps when the button spider population is over growing!  Every little creature is necessary in the big scheme of things – so as nature intended it to be!! Who are we to interfere!

Happy bugging (and gardening) xxxx

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features

What’s Hot and What’s Not

At every turn, you can find a gem of a flower or you can hit a gremlin!! Today was my day! I stuck my head out on this cold day and to my surprise found lots to photograph! So my post today was suitably named “What’s Hot and What’s Not!” Let me show you what I found …..

WHAT’S HOT: Lemon season!! Love them for salad dressing and for Lemon Cordial!

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: Lots of lemon blossoms!![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S NOT: Lemon tree leaves are yellow![/one_half_last]

WHAT’S HOT: MY first peas are coming out!! I have sweet peas and mange tout!

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: Beautiful Spinach[/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT: Delicious Broccoli[/one_half_last]

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: More peas – mange tout![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT: My first potato!![/one_half_last]

WHAT’S NOT: Argh!!! Ahipds!! Tons of them! They seem to be just sitting on my Artemesia! I thought that this plant was a pest repellant! Perhaps it is acting as a trap crop – is this possible??

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: Blue berry blossoms![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT: Borage about to bloom.Growing wild![/one_half_last]

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: Almond blossom! This year a crop?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT: Bees!!![/one_half_last]

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT: More blossoms with a lil’ visitor![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT:More bees!![/one_half_last]

[one_half]WHAT’S HOT:Love my lavender! Bee friendly![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S HOT: Calendula-great medicinal flower![/one_half_last]

WHAT’S HOT: My JoJo Tanks are FULL!! So I am happy that I have enough for my summer!!

[one_half]WHAT’S NOT: Totally overgrown! Needs a trim![/one_half]

[one_half_last]WHAT’S NOT: My Leopard Tree is not looking its best![/one_half_last]

So my garden is as active as ever before. So much happening! Love to see the bees!!

PLANT A BEE-FRIENDLY PLANT THIS SPRING!

Happy Gardening xxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features

Flourishing in my winter garden

I am so pleased to say that there is so much happening in my winter garden. Lots to harvest and even more thriving! Let me show you whats going on…….

Lots flowering….

[one_half]Broad bean flower- shoots are delicious in salads[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Pretty Mangetout pea blossom[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Garden peas are flowering[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Constantly flowering is the violets[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Waiting for my Chamomile that self seeds every year[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The roses are blooming – huh??[/one_half_last]

[one_half]A few roses and the fuchsia has started![/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Fuchsia has come out! So nice to see!![/one_half_last]

[one_half]A perfect rose in winter[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Self seeded Calendula[/one_half_last]

 Lots to eat …

[one_half]Wonderful variety with my new layout[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Can you believe I have tomatoes??Yellow Plum[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Broccoli florets-looking healthy[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Broccoli ready to pick![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Grenadilla dropping off the vine[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Swiss Chard abounds[/one_half_last]

 What is on its way…

[one_half]Parsnips – new this year[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Cabbage – love growing my own[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lets hope my beetroot thrives this year[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Lots of love in this garden![/one_half_last]

What herbs do we have…

[one_half]Coriander everywhere-self seeded as well[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Oregano, rosemary,thyme, yarrow & lemon balm[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Parsley-flat leaf and curly[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Thyme is abundant[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Chives and coriander amongst the lettuces[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Artemesia -trapping the aphids?[/one_half_last]

Composting pals…

[one_half]Here is my active worm farm[/one_half]

[one_half_last]There’s my worms-working hard[/one_half_last]

I hope you are having as much fun in your garden as I am!!

Happy gardening xxxx

Save

Categories
Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features

Bugs galore

Not only is my garden overgrowing, the good, the bad and the ugly have also arrived! The bugs are having a party in the veggie patch and the rose bushes, but the army of ladybugs have taken control. I have left the aphids alone in the Artemesia – Powis Castle. I think it acts as a trap for them as they seem to do no harm to the bush. Within a week the ladybugs and the larvae have devoured them – the good and the ugly. This is the first time I have really seen the beneficial bugs taking over.

Have a look whats crawling in my garden …. the good ….

The ugly – Newborn larvae look sort of like tiny alligators. After only a few days, the larvae will be large enough to begin to molt (shed their skin), and they keep molting for as long as they are growing. You can find the molted skins on leaves if you look very hard. Here you can see the larvae and the pupa it came out of. They are voracious eaters, I believe. Looks like mommy ladybug has chosen the perfect bush – tons of aphids.

On the roses too.

The Aphids -they are the bad …..

What bugs are in your garden – friend or foe?

Happy Gardening xxxxxx

 

 

Categories
Annuals Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Bugs alive

I guess with the sunshine and the great goodies the garden has to offer, it is not surprizing that I will be seeing more and more critters taking advantage of the flowers! But, I have seen less bugs, so far, than last year. The ladybird beetle is back and she loves the celery and coriander bushes. Aphids are still my archrivals. They are in the roses, lemon tree, brassicas and now I see them in the Artemisia Powis Castle. This is unusual because I thought that bugs don’t like the Artemesia plants. Well, that is where the Ladybird beetle comes in – go fetch!!!

My Calendula is something new to my garden. I read about the great benefits of this wonder plant – Calendula is has been used throughout history in skin preparations. Calendula is beneficial for dry or damaged skin and also promotes the fast healing and regeneration of the skin because of its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Applying calendula topically is effective for decreasing inflammation and promoting the healing of wounds, burns, eczema and other inflammatory skin conditions. But the beetles swarm the flowers and the caterpillars are making a feast of it!

[one_half]Munch munch[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Little black beetles everywhere[/one_half_last]

I seem to think that the bugs like the YELLOW!! This is the first spring that I have so many ‘daisy-like’ flowers – this is Chrysanthemum.

 

My hero – the Ladybird beetle!! Go get em!!

Oops! sorry! I see you guys are busy!

A Dandelion in the meadow does not escape the jaws of these little critters!!

I am happy to see that my home-made bug spray is working wonders. I always start with a soapy solution for the Aphids, but this doesn’t seem to last long. I have to apply it frequently, so I tried a new solution. I take Tansy leaves and Artemesia Wormwood and make a tea of this. I have read in Margaret Roberts’ book of 1000 herbs that these two are excellent bug repellants. I fill a bucket half way with the leaves, pour boiling water until it covers the leaves. Leave to cool. Strain the tea and place in a spray bottle with a teaspoon on Sunlight liquid (dishwasher liquid).

I sprayed my Roses last thursday and the Aphids are still gone. However, the new shoots need treating, so I will give it another splash of Bug Spray! This is the only plant that I spray – the rest I leave for nature to enjoy. I have so much to be thankful for, I can let it slide for now!

Happy Gardening xxxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous

Bugs ‘n Boids

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…

[one_half][/one_half]

[one_half_last][/one_half_last]

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

Categories
Bugs & Pests Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Bug parade

Lots of these on the roses!

So with the summer weather also come the summer bugs. And there seems to be no shortage of bugs and creepy-crawlies in my garden.

I had this grand idea that I would live and let live and that they would control each other. After this bug parade I’m having second thoughts. I’m not at the stage yet where I’m getting the sprayer out but I am hand picking some of them when I see them and squashing, drowning or throwing over the wall into … well you know where 🙂

The Gecko of course is most welcome … I have two at the moment. One lives in the back veggie garden (its nice and hot there) and one lives on our front patio, in the brick-work somewhere. They are cute and I love seeing them, but they are very shy and sensitive to sound (and I constantly have 2 noisy dogs in tow) so it’s not easy to photograph them in a beautiful setting. Wall shots are the best I can get – I will try to do better in Summer when they come out of hiding for a bit longer.

Here is the collection of bugs that have been parading around my garden this week …

The Good …

Gecko

and all the rest …

[one_half]Lovely markingsLovely markings[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Eating the HabanerosEating the Habaneros[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Yikes, they look awfulYikes, they look awful[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Double yuck!Double yuck![/one_half_last]

[one_half]On the MandevillaOn the Mandevilla[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Seems to have lost a legSeems to have lost a leg[/one_half_last]

[one_half]One of the good guysOne of the good guys[/one_half]

[one_half_last]And the not so good …And the not so good ...[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lots of these on the roses!Lots of these on the roses![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Found the culprit!Found the culprit![/one_half_last]

[one_half]Lots of babies or what is this?Lots of babies?[/one_half]

[one_half_last]A whole family of themLots more where these came from![/one_half_last]

Whats eating your garden?

Happy gardening
xxx

Categories
Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Abutilon cutting and buds

Hmm, I see the aphids like it too

A few months ago a friend of mine (the one with this wonderful garden) gave me a cutting of his Abutilon (Chinese lantern, flowering maple) which I had admired. I kept the cutting in the pot he gave it to me in for a couple of weeks / months and finally at the beginning of spring I planted it out into the garden as a tiny little plant. I’ve been watching it grow in anticipation of it looking as gorgeous as his does. On a walk-about of the garden this morning guess what I found? Not only has it grown significantly, but it has BUDS!! (Is it normal to get this excited about buds on plants, or is it just me?)

So here we have the plant as it is now …

Abutilon buds

[one_half]Lots of buds, YayLots of buds, YAY![/one_half]

[one_half_last]Gorgeous Abutilon budsGorgeous Abutilon buds[/one_half_last]

[one_half]New shoots on the broken partNew shoots on the broken part[/one_half]

[one_half_last]I see the aphids like it tooHmm, I see the aphids like it too[/one_half_last]

When I planted the cutting I accidentally broke a piece off the plant which I stuck in a pot and has now also taken root and is sprouting new leaves. Soon I will be able to add another of these lovely shrubs to my growing garden.

And I see I’m not the only one excited about the Abutilon … aphids are busy moving in and making themselves at home. Going to have to hose them off a bit later when the sun goes down …

Happy Gardening
xxx

Categories
Barbie's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

How are my roses?

Thank you to Diana from Elephants Eye for reminding me to take lots of photos of my roses!!! I am waiting for them to give me a splendid display! I should be able to post it tomorrow too! I have been nipping some the new shoots to encourage growth and using my home-made bug spray on the aphids who think they can stay …..!

Just read a really nice article on Roses in one of my favourite gardening mags:

Rose grooming and growing

  • Roses are queen of the October garden
  • They need at least 6 hours of sunshine a day
  • Roses can flower up to 10 months in a year
  • They need 10 litres of water a week
  • Fertilize monthly during summer
  • August to April use organic pesticides for thrips, red spider mite, aphids and beetles
  • Dead head regularly to encourage new floweing
  • Winter prune at the end of July (this is only for our Southern Hemisphere gardening friends)
  • Groom in January!
Happy Gardening xxxx
PS: I miss Christine too xx

 

Categories
Barbie's garden Bugs & Pests Gardening Home page features Miscellaneous Perenniels

Autumn showers

Wet rose

I took myself into the garden this morning to bring cheer and colour into the day. It is gloomy when it rains and I guess my spirit tends to drop on cloudy days – so I’m definitely not  a winter person. But, I somehow love the rain and how the garden looks when its wet and drippy! Even the little bugs in the garden are somehow enjoying the autumn showers. I wanted to share my wet garden with you!

[one_half]Sprinkled rosesWet rose[/one_half]

[one_half_last]A thirsty flyFly on the rose[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Droopy wormwoodWet wormwood[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Aphids finding shelterAphids on roses[/one_half_last]

 

Enjoy your wet wonderland!