I have several pots of lilies outside my front door, and I look every day for the red lily beetles.
They are crafty! You have to cup your hand under the leaf to catch them when they drop. If they go on the floor they lie still and upside down and unless you put a sheet of newspaper you won’t find them. I pop them on the top of my green bin and squash them with a thumbnail. You could drop them in a jam jar with water or insecticide if you are squeamish or you could spray with a Pyrethroid spray.
Fruit is forming on apples and pears, it is worth thinning for better fruit. You want a hands breath between each ideally. With plums, it’s a matter of judgement. Victoria’s always seem to set too many and then it breaks their branches, so a bit of judicious thinning will keep the tree safe. Broken branches allow silver leaf disease to contaminate the tree.
Now is the time to put some more salad leaves, lettuce and the like in. It will grow and be ready for salads with home grown tomatoes. How often do you think a salad would be nice and find no lettuce? A point to remember is lettuce does not germinate well if it’s too hot, so put the tray in a cool place out of direct sun and off the ground away from slugs and snails.
Anyone wanting to grow Sweet Williams, Wallflowers or Pansies for Winter and Spring containers - hurry up and put the seed in! Also, Foxgloves, Lupins and Delphiniums can be sown now for next year.
Happy growing and we hope to see you (safely) soon.
Do keep checking our website for some fun images and film from Bishampton Gardens as well as our updates on events.
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email [email protected]
Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton Gardening Club.
Anyone wanting to grow Sweet Williams, Wallflowers or Pansies for Winter and Spring containers - hurry up and put the seed in! Also, Foxgloves, Lupins and Delphiniums can be sown now for next year.
Happy growing and we hope to see you (safely) soon.
Do keep checking our website for some fun images and film from Bishampton Gardens as well as our updates on events.
www.bishamptongardeningclub.org.uk or email [email protected]
Cheers, Pete Chamberlain, Chairman, Bishampton Gardening Club.