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Post by SueA on Apr 25, 2019 7:19:06 GMT
They have dropped in numbers rapidly in recent years Roofy partly due to the way houses are built now with no gaps around the roofline for nesting etc. so it's lovely that you've got them visiting. We used to see vast gangs of them at one time at our old house & then they slowly disappeared, we have small groups of about 5 or 6 visiting us here so perhaps they're picking up again.  |
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Post by roofgardener on Apr 27, 2019 19:08:15 GMT
They have dropped in numbers rapidly in recent years Roofy partly due to the way houses are built now with no gaps around the roofline for nesting etc. so it's lovely that you've got them visiting. We used to see vast gangs of them at one time at our old house & then they slowly disappeared, we have small groups of about 5 or 6 visiting us here so perhaps they're picking up again. Ahhhhh.. that's very interesting SueA. You see... the houses in my village (and immediately around me) are all very old-fashioned ! |
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Post by roofgardener on May 1, 2019 10:01:21 GMT
Well, I've put a little saucer of seeds on one of my garden tables. SOMETHING is eating them. I guess I'll know whether it is birds - or squirrels - this weekend when I can sit and watch it |
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Post by roofgardener on May 8, 2019 9:47:19 GMT
The Culprits: Caught in the act.
| Who you looking at ? |
| Nom nomnomnomnomnom |
They're up to two bowls a day now, the greedy-guts !!! (click on a picture to see a larger greedy-guts)
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Post by roofgardener on May 8, 2019 10:01:25 GMT
I am devastated. I googled Newts, on the grounds that I have about 20 of them in my pond. I was very excited to learn that they grow up to 10 foot long, and eat domesticated dogs and small metro cars. This was a source of GREAT excitement for me. To heck with Stuart and his 80' laylandi, or Mark and his new motorbike. 10' car-eating newts would put me at the TOP of the table on our get-togethers. This would beat even Matthew and his light aircraft. And then I read the terrible, awful truth. Once they leave the pond, they are nocturnal. I will NEVER see them  Hmm... I might have to invest in an outdoor motion-detection camera thingy ? Ummm ... providing they don't eat it ! |
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Post by SueA on May 9, 2019 7:45:28 GMT
 Maybe you've mixed up your 'cm' & 'feet' Roofy - or maybe not & you've got baby crocodiles in your pond? I wish we had newts but I've never seen any here in daylight or at night.
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Post by grindle on May 12, 2019 3:26:12 GMT
I've got lots of newts in my pond, but rarely see them apart from the odd occasion when they end up in the net with the duck weed |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 28, 2019 12:19:15 GMT
July Update
Well, my apologies for not posting anything for AGES. It's been a busy time at work. In some ways, lots of things have happened in the garden, and in other ways its been very slow. The 'slow' things have been the plants. Things germinated VERY late, and just don't seem to have grown. I am only JUST getting pea-size tomatoes appearing, and there is NO sign of any chilli's AT ALL. My runner beans - such few as there are - are about 5mm long So lets take a quick look around...as ever, these pictures are posted on CottageNet, so you can click on them to see a larger version.  | I've pretty much given the polytunnel over to tomatoes and chilli plants now. There's a BIT of clutter ... some empty pots that need filling (with chillis), and my soil bins. |  | Here are two (out of four) tomato plants. They have produced SOME pea-sized tomatoes.. but not many. Perhaps 12 between them. |  | There are two chilli pepper plants hiding behind the tomatoes.. |  | .. ummm.. and some more chilli plants....these need potting on. |  | The outside of the polytunnel has some decorative flowers; marigolds and some odd purple things, just for decoration. |  | ..oh.. and a chilli plant.. |  | A shot of my patio, with some decorative dwarf sunflowers, mariglds and Cosmos... |  | ..oh.. and some more chilli plants.. |  | This is my decorative flower bed, with cosmos, californian poppies, and sweet peas |  | .. and this is Sunflower Corner |  | A view looking to my Decorative Gate.. I'm trying to grow Sweet Peas and Nasturtions up it to make it look all flowery |  | .. a view of the gate from outside. |  | And finally, my "competition" sunflowers. The right-hand one is as tall as my chin. |
Well, that's all for the moment. I'll post again IF anything happens. Such as tomatoes or chilli's actually GROWING ! Grrrrr......
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Post by grindle on Jul 29, 2019 4:34:59 GMT
it's all looking great, don't despair my tomatoes, peppers and beans are slow this year, it's just been a crazy year weatherwise
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Post by SueA on Jul 29, 2019 7:35:28 GMT
Looks good Roofy, do you by any chance like chillies? I've got a few chilli plants in the greenhouse, I did have a couple more which I put outside by the greenhouse door when they were still quite small & they got eaten the same night by slugs/snails - obviously they like them too!  |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 29, 2019 12:59:50 GMT
Looks good Roofy, do you by any chance like chillies? I've got a few chilli plants in the greenhouse, I did have a couple more which I put outside by the greenhouse door when they were still quite small & they got eaten the same night by slugs/snails - obviously they like them too! EGADS.. I hadn't even CONSIDERED slugs I need to put some slug powder out. Oh.. on a related note.. something is eating my Nasturtion leaves, right down to the spines. Some of the leaves look like little umbrellas, with just the spines remaining. Any thoughts ? There don't APPEAR to be any slugs around ? |
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Post by SueA on Jul 30, 2019 8:02:26 GMT
That sounds like caterpillars Roofy, probably something like small white butterfly ones or some kind of sawfly larvae eating the tasty bits of the nasturtium leaves. Your chilli plants might be O.K. against slugs, mine were too small when I put them outside & they like them young & juicy! The chilli plants inside my greenhouse are doing fine & yours all look strong & healthy. |
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Post by roofgardener on Jul 30, 2019 9:04:23 GMT
AAAAARGH... you are correct SueA. I looked under a leaf, and a load of small caterpillars fell off I will have a go with a paintbrush to dislodge as many as possible tonight. Is there anything I can treat the plant with to deter these beasts ? |
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Post by SueA on Jul 31, 2019 7:07:03 GMT
I'm not sure Roofy as I don't use any chemical sprays etc. but I believe there are nematodes you can water on like the ones for slugs & the garlic spray some people make with garlic cloves in water might work as it's supposed to protect against slugs & various bugs or you could just pick off the affected leaves as you spot them. I think nasturtiums are tasty to lots of creatures, lots of people grow them as sacrificial plants close to plants they want to protect as everything flocks to the nasturtiums - blackfly/slugs/caterpillars etc.
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Post by Eli on Aug 1, 2019 18:21:54 GMT
Polytunnel and garden looking great roofgardener ! It's no consolation but my tomatoes and peppers are slow this year too. I hope you can get rid of your caterpillars.
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Maybe you've mixed up your 'cm' & 'feet' Roofy - or maybe not & you've got baby crocodiles in your pond? 
