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Beneficial Bees and Parasitic Wasps in the Vegetable Garden

Posted on 15. Jul, 2009 by Tracey.

This is Part 3 in the series of Beneficial Insects and Wildlife in the Vegetable Garden. Please also view Part 1 – Hoverflies, Ladybirds and Lacewings and Part 2 – Earthworms, Beetles, Spiders and Harvestmen if not already done so as they provide valuable information on why these creatures are so beneficial to your vegetable [...]

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Beneficial Insects and Invertebrates in the Vegetable Garden

Posted on 11. Jul, 2009 by Tracey.

This is Part 2 of the Beneficial Insects and Wildlife in the Vegetable Garden Series. Please click on the following link to view Part 1 – Lacewings, Ladybirds and Hoverflies.

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Beneficial Insects in the Vegetable Garden

Posted on 02. Jul, 2009 by Tracey.

For a few weeks now we have had a couple of hedgehogs in our garden which come out at dusk and roam around presumably looking for some crunchy snails for dinner. See my previous post ‘Hedgehogs – Gardeners Friend and Pest Control‘.
It is lovely to see wildlife in your garden when you least expect [...]

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Hedgehogs – Gardeners Friend and Pest Control

Posted on 24. Jun, 2009 by Tracey.

Hedgehogs are beneficial creatures to have in your garden. They are solitary, non territorial mammals which are protected in Britain under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Pictured is the hedgehog that appeared in our garden a few weeks ago running as fast as his little legs would carry him away from our two cats who were [...]

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Pest Watch – Greenfly on Lettuce

Posted on 17. Jun, 2009 by Tracey.

When growing loose leaf lettuce in seed trays or boxes in a mini greenhouse, it is worth mentioning to water regularly otherwise like me one of your boxes may get infected by greenfly if the conditions are too dry and too warm.
Symptoms:

Check the tops and underside of the leaves for tiny green, light brown [...]

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Pest Watch – Blackfly or Black Bean Aphid on Broad Beans

Posted on 21. May, 2009 by Tracey.

In May and June, one pest to keep a good eye out for are Aphids. There are a few different colours of aphids and they tend to affect a range of different vegetable crops. Blackfly or Black Bean Aphid can be particularly devastating to the broad bean plant if not spotted in time.
Symptoms:

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Growing Slug Free Lettuce

Posted on 18. Apr, 2009 by Tracey.

One of my new year resolutions was to have Slug-Free Lettuce. For the past two years every time I try to grow lettuce in my plots, slugs from miles around arrive to munch on it. So I have given up with trying to grow it on my plots but definitely not given up on growing [...]

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Pest Watch – Hordes of Caterpillars

Posted on 27. Jul, 2008 by Tracey.

Its official Caterpillars have taken over my cabbage plot.
The Cabbage White butterfly lays the yellow larvae on the underside of cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and any other large strong leaves in June. 14 days later in July, caterpillars emerge ready for breakfast and see some lovely green crunchy leaves on your cabbages.
This is what [...]

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Beautiful Slugs

Posted on 14. Jun, 2008 by Tracey.

After recently writing and reading a few other people’s blog entries (Vegmonkey and the Mrs, Greenforks and Fresh as a Daisy) about our ruthless british slug and its attack on our vegetable gardens, it was nice to come across a different type of slug.
Beautiful slugs are two words not normally put together especially when [...]

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The Slug Hunting Season has officially started

Posted on 02. May, 2008 by Tracey.

After the heavy downpours of rain this week, I should have guessed that the slugs would be out in force.

I can officially declare that the slug hunting season is now open and they are heading to a vegetable plot near you (please not my lettuces again this year) so this is the time to get [...]

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