Pests, Diseases and Cures

Thanks all for your help, and thanks also Rusty for the link. I'm going to try skewers in the ground and i'm just off to the garden centre to see if I can find some sort of bird of prey decoy. Just as I am writing this I found 2 more casualties in my garden a lovely aster which I planted this...

Out with the torch tonight Spuce

i was going to drill a hole as i read that somewhere as the stumps have been left for about 2 months now. i will put buckets over them as i wouldn't want my dog to get ill or worse

With a helmet and fangs?

it could be but it could just be that it has not settled into its new spot yet...Id leave it till next year see how it does then

Horrible things, the more I read, the more I realise what a pain they are/are going to be! 'They can cause plants to be stunted, fruits to be misshapen and discolored, and spread some plant diseases.'Definitely describes the damage from last year to strawberries and runner beans. Just found...

The ants will be farming them like Moo Moos. They milk them for honeydew & protect them from predators like Ladybirds.

I have an Aerosol names Dethlac which I keep in reserve, just in case we get Ants in the house. It puts a sticky surface on hard surfaces (sills, vents, steps etc) which kills the Ants. I would urge caustion where there are toddlers. Its supposed to be safe once it's dried - but I wouldn't want...

I found a few in my greenhouse and decided to try 'putting up' a few ladybirds (rent free of course ) that I caught from the garden and its definitely worked, there are very few left..

Once Ziggy's finished then send Jack around to collect the donation

Thank you all! Now I know what it is I've got a chance dealing with it. No idea how I got them but I'm guessing one of the houseplants I've been given must have had eggs in it.

Red ants invade my veg plots/coldframes/mulch sheets/compost heaps/raised beds/bags of horse poo/pots/seed trays/all sorts of places and want to fight me whenever I try to weed/plant/etc. They have a preference for using clay to build their mounds and drag it back to wherever I've been...

I usually simmer 6 cloves in half pint of water then tip about 2tbspoons worth in a litre spray bottle n fill it up with warm water seems strong enough to me stinks

Yes, they are quite normal.

i tried everything to get rid of them in pots and 1 bed in the end i resorted to fine riddle and i emptied the bed and pots and riddle off the blighters out, then with all the stones in a plastic tub i poured boiling water over just to be sure that i had missed anyYou get em girl!!! Bet you...

I didn't mean stop all imports, just that they need to be checked before entering the country. I know that Australia for instance is very careful what plant material it lets in. Not sure if its still the same but in the US they had rules about what plant material could actually cross state...

Thankt you Silver Surfer, you were absolutely right slow release fertilizer it is.

Told you, mice are skin and bone, they weigh nothing, so dont set spring traps off, sticky pad, or better still electric one, stop feeding them and start killing them!!

Yes, I would expect to see not much left if rabbits were involved. And the strawberries are next to some nice veggies that are untouched as yet. Gazania

Hi You could also try almond oil in a small jar and they will be attracted to the smell and drown Spruce