Peel away the skin and the flesh began moving more than the ceiling after a hard night. Fly larvae - maggots - were wriggling through the fruit intent on devouring as much as they could. Instantly the adage "Don't judge a book by it's cover" flooded my memory as I disappointedly began checking the rest.

One or two were free of the infestation but the majority were write-offs. Given another week or two these fruit would begin rotting on the tree providing a glorious dwelling and upbringing for the next generation of these pests.

I should have taken the cue "We didn't get the tree sprayed this year!" as a major hint that fruit flies may have been a problem in the area. Instead I thought, "Great, these people grow their fruit organically". Doh, Doh!

How can you stop flies from infesting your fruit?

Prevention is obviously the first place to start. Traditionally most people have used chemical sprays once the fruit has set and before it begins to mature. Fruit bought from retail outlets usually undergoes two sprays - pre-harvest and post-harvest. The post-harvest pesticide is to combat infestations that may occur while in transit and before the consumer eventually eats it.

While most pesticides used to treat fruit fly are fairly sedate they work by inhibiting cholinesterase - an enzyme required by the animal kingdom for proper nerve functioning. While these inhibitors work wonders on fruit fly in minute amounts if the dosage were increased it could cause nausea, stomach cramps, blurred vision and even an increase in your heart rate. Hardly something you might consider as you begin munching into your mandarin.

While spraying may be the easiest method of fly control the side effects and health concerns for parents are obvious. Therefore, organic eradication is slightly more attractive.

The best way to start is with a trap of some description. Some use jars suspended from the fruit tree while others have more elaborate traps (aff.) set to catch thousands of unwanted flies.

The trick with making these work is as follows;

1. Offer an attractant - flies are drawn by the scent of the maturing fruit. Therefore, offer them a counterpart aroma that seems equally, if not more, desirable. Honey, vinegar, sugared water are all good baits.


2. Create an entrance - the welcome mat for your fly trap needs to be large enough to allow them in without persuading birds to think they have a chance as well.


3. Remove any exits - while the entrance should be clearly marked and freely admissible, any exits should be cut off. The use of funnels is a great way to produce this result.

These are the basics of any organic fruit fly control. It's quite simple in its manufacture and easy to maintain though you can see why some people prefer pesticides as the set-and-forget method.

What to do with fly-ridden fruit?

Definitely don't throw it in the garbage or on the compost heap. These are both perfect breeding conditions for fruit fly and instead they should be destroyed.

One method offered by various government websites is to soak them in kerosene. The problem with that is kerosene is hardly an organic resource. So I tried two different methods with our spoilt fruit. The first was in a bucket of water and while the fruit had to be kept from floating it did eventually do the job - it took two days though.

The second method was using oil - the plain old cooking variety. The maggots were dead within 12 hours (it may have been sooner but I didn't check them for half a day). The obvious problem with this method was what to do with the fruit once the maggots had been killed. The only option was to put them in the garbage while the fruit covered with water could then either be put in a hole in the garden or added to your compost.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (5)

Can they kill a human? Given the right conditions - namely the person has allergies to bees/ wasps/ ants and other stinging insects - they certainly can, and have done. It's not that common and in most cases a wasp sting will only result in painful nausea and/ or swelling.

These garden pests can become a real nuisance. They will congregate around pools of water and will delight in opened soft drink cans. Being nectar collectors, like bees, they will be attracted to anything sweet and sugary. So, keep an eye on the kid's drinks left around the patio - especially if they intend to go back for it.

At our previous home, our carport was a magnet for wasp hives. It was enclosed, cocooned from the elements and fairly dark making this the perfect nesting pad for these insects. Their hives consisted of dried mud attached to the walls with a hive like tunnel system entwined in its architecture.

The only way to control them was to keep knocking down their hives while they departed for more mud or food. And trust me, this is something you will want to do. If you leave them in place they can, over a few seasons, produce more than 100,000 offspring and become a major problem for you and your neighbourhood.

As their natural habitat declines I'm sure we're going to see more and more of these pesky insects find lodgings at our homes to their liking. However, I'm not sure we're going to be as affable.

If you're interested in reading more on these little critters there are some great websites that offer help;

• An Information Bulletin on Allergies to Stings and Bites
• Facts on European Wasps - they are fast becoming a serious problem here in Australia
• Common Paper Wasps
• The Social Biology of Wasps - (aff.)

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (8)

But growing tomatoes to maturity uninhibited by disease, nutrient deficiency or free from pests is a challenge worthy of commendation. Which is why most tomato farmers pour oodles of pesticides over these endearing fruit.

However, pests weren't my problem this year. No, this year it was time to learn about blossom-end rot a fungal disease that eats away at the bottom of each fruit scarring them as if their bottoms had been seared on a hot plate. Much like this;

My limited understanding of blossom-end rot led me to assume that this was merely a problem caused during the initial fruit development stage. That is, each tomato seemed to be restricted as it grew by rubbing on something like the plant stem, the side of the container, or even the stake supporting it. Alas, this is not the cause.

In fact, the problem of blossom-end rot in solanaceous vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants and capsicums is due to a lack of calcium in the soil. Tomatoes need a large amount of calcium to ensure proper growth and when the demand exceeds supply blossom-end rot sets in.

The main reasons for calcium deficiency are;

• Not enough water (or inconsistent watering)
• Too much nitrogen (or the wrong nitrogen source)
• Alkaline or very acidic soil

Watering Problems

This year I decided to grow my tomatoes in a container which is far different to growing in soil. One of the problems of growing anything in containers is they have a tendency to dry out faster than soil does. Therefore, my plants went from 'feast to famine' in their watering schedule as I struggled to find a balance between their needs and my time constraints.

Next season, I will try them again in containers but will attach them to the main reticulation line.

Wrong Nitrogen Source

Tomatoes need a nitrate nitrogen source as opposed to any Ammonia based nitrogen. Unaware I religiously fed my plants every two-weeks with a foliar fish emulsion inadvertently adding to my blossom-end rot woes. Instead I should have been feeding my tomatoes with animal manures, especially poultry which is high in nitrate nitrogen and very efficient on a weight basis.

Deprived soil

Tomatoes prefer a slightly acidic soil - possibly 6.5pH. My soil was bagged potting mix bought from the cheaper end of the market with the intent to bolster its gumption with some homemade compost. The compost never made its way into this mix, hence the blossom-end rot problems.

I should have definitely added the compost - or bought superior quality potting mix - and even added some lime to it. This would have enabled the soil to readily adapt to the demanding needs of the tomato crop and calcium wouldn't have been an issue.

Conclusion

We live and learn and as this was the first time I'd ever grown tomatoes in containers or even fed them with a fish emulsion, it wasn't too hard a lesson to cope with. As they say, "There's always next year!" (Carlton supporters say that, anyway).

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (4)

Wait!

Take your foot off that poor defenseless critter - he was only doing his job.

It seems to me that garden snails have had a fallacious rap through history. Their PR manager has obviously skipped town with the contract fee and done little to promote these creatures' benefits. So much so, that most gardeners take great delight in crushing them or finding pallid ways to get rid of them - I too have been guilty as charged.

But, when you consider the purpose of these affable pests I'm sure you will agree that they have been completely under appreciated.

See, the way we've had garden snails promoted to us is similar to our indoctrination of terrorism. If we see a guy wearing a loose-fitting white gown, a turban on his head while sporting a long greying beard then immediately we're suspicious of his mobile phone use. Snails aren't as scary but they're viewed as garden terrorists ready to strike any plant at will.

Nothing could be further from the truth. These land-based molluscs have been purposed purely as scavengers. They feed on sick and struggling plants and are simply the cleaners of our gardens.

Their slimy presence grosses us out and then Bayer or David Gray give us ammunition to dispose of them thoughtfully. Their PR manager is obviously a workaholic for fear of garden snails has become resolute in our minds. And death is the only objective.

I'm starting to realise that there needs to be a re-education for gardeners of what all these creatures do. While our initial response has been to rid our gardens of these unwanted pests, I'm now starting to see that a little understanding might help gardeners to actually get along with their garden snails.

Can garden snails be beneficial?

Well that is the appropriate question, isn't it? We've always viewed garden snails in a negative light so maybe we need to start asking ourselves what benefits could these creatures hold for our gardens.

Firstly, as scavengers they're not usually interested in your healthy plants and vegetables. They're more intent on feasting on something that's struggling and sick or dying. So, if you find a few snails crawling over your lettuces it's a good sign that the environment for growing lettuce is not a good one. If it were then your lettuces would be resilient to the mop-up actions of these snails and only the outer leaves would be consumed.

Secondly, if inorganic fertilisers and pesticides have been prevalent in your garden then chances of find naturally sickly plants are diminished. If your garden snails have a choice between tasty lettuce seedlings and plants that have been continuously fed crap then they're going to make the same choice we would.

Does this mean snails should have free rein in our gardens?

No. And Yes. There is such a balance to this that giving just one answer would be limiting the complexity of the problems we face as gardeners.

No gardener in her right mind would plant new vegetable seedlings and leave them to fend for themselves. In a natural situation, vegetables would grow from seed and the fittest ones would survive. However, us gardeners aren't usually that patient with nature and we'd rather hurry things along a little.

Therefore, when we alter the natural laws we have to make changes in other areas too. Brand new seedlings need some unnatural barriers to protect them from garden snails focussed on achieving their clean-up mission. Copper, coffee and eggshells, sawdust, fine coarse rock....are all possibilities to temporarily deter snails from feasting on your gourmet veggies.

Conclusion

So, before you put that foot down take a moment to consider why those garden snails have even taken up residence in your plot. Maybe, there's some serious cleaning up needed to happen and you've just missed seeing it. Maybe, they like you...

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (3)

Wait!

Take your foot off that poor defenseless critter - he was only doing his job.

It seems to me that garden snails have had a fallacious rap through history. Their PR manager has obviously skipped town with the contract fee and done little to promote these creatures' benefits. So much so, that most gardeners take great delight in crushing them or finding pallid ways to get rid of them - I too have been guilty as charged.

But, when you consider the purpose of these affable pests I'm sure you will agree that they have been completely under appreciated.

See, the way we've had garden snails promoted to us is similar to our indoctrination of terrorism. If we see a guy wearing a loose-fitting white gown, a turban on his head while sporting a long greying beard then immediately we're suspicious of his mobile phone use. Snails aren't as scary but they're viewed as garden terrorists ready to strike any plant at will.

Nothing could be further from the truth. These land-based molluscs have been purposed purely as scavengers. They feed on sick and struggling plants and are simply the cleaners of our gardens.

Their slimy presence grosses us out and then Bayer or David Gray give us ammunition to dispose of them thoughtfully. Their PR manager is obviously a workaholic for fear of garden snails has become resolute in our minds. And death is the only objective.

I'm starting to realise that there needs to be a re-education for gardeners of what all these creatures do. While our initial response has been to rid our gardens of these unwanted pests, I'm now starting to see that a little understanding might help gardeners to actually get along with their garden snails.

Can garden snails be beneficial?

Well that is the appropriate question, isn't it? We've always viewed garden snails in a negative light so maybe we need to start asking ourselves what benefits could these creatures hold for our gardens.

Firstly, as scavengers they're not usually interested in your healthy plants and vegetables. They're more intent on feasting on something that's struggling and sick or dying. So, if you find a few snails crawling over your lettuces it's a good sign that the environment for growing lettuce is not a good one. If it were then your lettuces would be resilient to the mop-up actions of these snails and only the outer leaves would be consumed.

Secondly, if inorganic fertilisers and pesticides have been prevalent in your garden then chances of find naturally sickly plants are diminished. If your garden snails have a choice between tasty lettuce seedlings and plants that have been continuously fed crap then they're going to make the same choice we would.

Does this mean snails should have free rein in our gardens?

No. And Yes. There is such a balance to this that giving just one answer would be limiting the complexity of the problems we face as gardeners.

No gardener in her right mind would plant new vegetable seedlings and leave them to fend for themselves. In a natural situation, vegetables would grow from seed and the fittest ones would survive. However, us gardeners aren't usually that patient with nature and we'd rather hurry things along a little.

Therefore, when we alter the natural laws we have to make changes in other areas too. Brand new seedlings need some unnatural barriers to protect them from garden snails focussed on achieving their clean-up mission. Copper, coffee and eggshells, sawdust, fine coarse rock....are all possibilities to temporarily deter snails from feasting on your gourmet veggies.

Conclusion

So, before you put that foot down take a moment to consider why those garden snails have even taken up residence in your plot. Maybe, there's some serious cleaning up needed to happen and you've just missed seeing it. Maybe, they like you...

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (3)

With an epidemic of dengue fever sweeping most of SE Asia at the moment, it's a timely reminder to be vigilant against these little critters. More than 1100 people have died in Indonesia alone from this outbreak and tens of thousands have been infected.

And while most of the world's population won't come in contact with this disease there are other viruses that mosquitoes carry that have the potential to kill or, at least, severely harm.

Although there have been a few reported cases of dengue fever and malaria contracted in the tropical north of Australia, most of our attention is on the Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses. While neither are deadly, the impact they make on a victim's life can be excruciating.

Even the US is not exempt from these viruses. Mosquito-borne diseases such as the West Nile virus and the possible infiltration of Rift Valley fever are both deadly. The UK also struggles with the West Nile virus and reported cases of Ross River and Barmah Forest.

Our Gardens Are Mosquito Breeding Grounds

The disconcerting aspect of these diseases is that our gardens are usually breeding grounds for mosquitoes and their larvae. Therefore, it's important to find ways of controlling their population growth and halt the spread of these viruses.

Here's some things that you can do to slow their growth rate that I've outlined before;

1. Never allow water to stagnate at the base of container plants or in watering cans.


2. Empty children's wading pools after use.


3. Always have a pump in your pond to circulate the water and keep it on constantly in the warmer months - or at least turn it on everyday.


4. If you don't have a pump for your pond, introduce some fish as they will feed on the mosquito larvae.


5. Empty pet's watering bowls daily.


6. Make sure bird baths are regularly refreshed.


7. Keep your gutters free from leaf debris that may hold water pools.

And here are some things you can do to reduce, and even prevent, your chances of being bitten;

1. Wear long, loose clothing.


2. Apply a repellant or consume some vinegar each day to make your perspiration unattractive to mosquitoes.


3. Grow some mosquito-repelling plants near your outdoor living areas. Most will need crushing to be effective but if kept within close proximity they can be easily accessed.


4. Screen your outdoor areas with netting.


5. Purchase a bug zapper and keep it near a light source - or buy one with it's own.


6. Burn mosquito repelling incense sticks.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

If you wanted to deter cats, dogs and other pesky animals from your garden it's always been a losing battle. Stopping dogs from pooping on your lawn, cats from whizzing in your children's sand pit and other native animals enjoying your flowers has largely been in vain.

I'm the first to admit that I struggle to deter cats from my garden and would rather see laws in place that force their owners to lock them up like any other pet. But, I concede that if I could find a way to deter them from entering my yard I would jump at it with open arms.

And I think I have...

I stumbled across this invention: Contech Electronics Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler #CRO101/CRO102(aff.) that senses animals within a 1,000 square foot area via its inbuilt motion detector. Immediately, it turns on and blasts the offending animal with a jet of water and startling sprinkler sound.

There couldn't be a more humane way of deterring animals from your garden.

One Amazon buyer wrote this about the product;

After spending so much time and effort into our first square foot garden I was devastated when a few days later I went out and found areas where our neighbor's cat had decided to make a litter box out of our garden. My solution to the problem was a shotgun, but my pro-animal husband refused and wanted to try a more humane effort. So, I went to the local garden supply store and bought their recommendation - some granules that I had to sprinkle generously all around the border of the garden every 24 hours or whenever it rained. Well, that did not work, every morning the cat had left me a present overnight.

After doing lots of research and before leaving for a week long trip (I was worried I'd come home to no garden at all) I finally decided to buy the Scarecrow. Now, I am a frugal person and it killed me to pay this much money for something to protect my garden (not to mention the overnight shipping charges, since I wanted it here before we left town).

The minute it came we opened it and my children and I went out and installed it. I have to say we had so much fun "testing" it and trying not to get sprayed! That night my husband and I heard it go off one time (it's right by our window). We left town the next morning. I was so nervous about what we'd come home to, but when we got home my garden was nearly perfect! I could see one spot where it looked like that cat had started trying to do his business, but it wasn't very "finished" looking. I dug up all around to make certain, but it was all clean! It's been nearly 3 weeks now and my garden is still in perfect condition, no more kitty crap!!

So, overall, this sprinkler is worth every cent. The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is that I wish the stake was made of something more solid than plastic. If you are debating over this, trust me, it will work and you will LOVE it!!!

The problem with trying to stop animals from entering your yard using all manner of other ideas is that I just haven't heard of any that work. I have even touted the idea of using vinegar around garden hotspots to deter cats but the problem is that unless it's only a small area you're wanting to protect then you will undoubtedly have the smell of vinegar emanating from every corner of your yard.

From the 4 negative reviews of the 85 Amazon.com received, they all shared how movement from their plants set the sprinkler off. One reviewer observed that those who were happy with the product obviously had more sheltered gardens and those with exposed yards would have difficulties. Therefore, if you have a garden where gusts of wind are more prevalent this product may not be the answer for you.

For those who have sheltered yards, I suspect that this product may be the solution to your animal problems.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (4)

With Starbucks, and now other cafe's, giving away their used coffee grounds to home gardeners what are we supposed to do with this free resource?

Fortunately Sustainable Enterprises have come up with a few pointers to help us out;

• Sprinkle used grounds around plants before rain or watering, for a slow-release nitrogen.
• Add to compost piles to increase nitrogen balance. Coffee filters and tea bags break down rapidly during composting.
• Dilute with water for a gentle, fast-acting liquid fertilizer. Use about a half-pound can of wet grounds in a five-gallon bucket of water; let sit outdoors to achieve ambient temperature.
• Mix into soil for houseplants or new vegetable beds.
• Encircle the base of the plant with a coffee and eggshell barrier to repel pests - this is the one that most interests me. I'm going to give it a try around my agapanthus and see if it does the trick.
• If you are into vermi-posting, feed a little bit to your worms

If you have other uses for Starbucks coffee grounds in the garden let me know.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

The guys from Self Sufficient-ish have written an excellent resource showing 51 Organic Ways To Get Rid Of Slugs [since moved]. Who would have thought that two bricks could become an organic killing machine?

Here are some of my favourites;

2. (a pretty micarbe one) - collect loads and stick them in a blender then paint around the area that they are in with juice, its like vlad the impalier they don't like sensing death of their own kind.

7. Chuck 'em over the fence into the neighbour's garden (No I never!)

9. Roll 'em up in puff pastry, bake in a moderate oven for 20 minutes and tell the (guests, kids, vicar etc.) that they are party sausage rolls

19. Microwave them. (please note you will need to clean your microwave afterwards)

26. Learn to love them. Understand that in the eternal cycle of life, in the endless continuum of existence, they are no less significant (or hungry) than you and I, and no less deserving of love. Embrace them. Touch nirvana together.

and finally,

32. Photograph your slugs, so that they can give up garden grazing and jet off to become international models

Great tips!

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

Susan Teitelbaum, assistant professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, recently completed a study looking at the effects of household pesticides on breast-cancer risk among women on Long Island.

Her research concluded that many pesticides contained DDT (or at least other carcinogens) that increased the risk of woman contracting breast cancer.

Studies had been performed before in occupational settings but it was until this research project that household gardeners were under the microscope for their use of these chemical sprays.

In an article by Christine Dellamore it was reported that there was a direct association between women using pesticides in the home and garden and an increased risk in breast cancer.

The study, published online Dec. 13 in the American Journal of Epidemiology, found an association between lifetime residential pesticide use and breast-cancer risk in a sample of 1,508 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1996 and 1997, as compared to 1,556 random controls.

And the biggest culprits were;

In the analysis of the blood samples for organochlorine, it was interesting to find women who reported using pesticides especially for lawn and garden problems did show an increased risk for breast cancer.

It makes searching out organic remedies for pest control a little more tempting, doesn't it?

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

Not long ago I mentioned that I was having troubles with my Camellia plant and how its leaves were turning a spotty brown. Although I asked for suggestions as to what it could be and how I might fix it not many were offered.

So, because I love my Camellia so much (kind of like another child) I went off in search of a solution. A friend of mine, who regularly comments on my garden was perusing with interest when I showed her my sad Camellia plant. To my amazement she informed me of her agricultural science degree and then continued sharing her font of knowledge as I began picking my jaw up from the ground.

Here's what I learned: There are 3 main causes of plant problems and each of them can be read via their leaves. First, it could be a virus. Second, it could be bacterial and third, it could be fungal. Here's how to tell what plant leaf problem you may have;

• Viral - Take a cutting and place it in a glass of water. If the water doesn't change colour then this is the problem.


• Bacterial - Same as with the viral, take a cutting to include the plant leaf and leave it in a glass of water. If the water becomes cloudy or milky then it is a bacteria problem.


• Fungal - Check the plant leaf and if it has hairs growing on it the it is a fungal disease.

There were no hairs on my Camellia leaves so I could safely rule out the problem being fungal. So I took a cutting and left it in a glass of water overnight - the result: clear water. Great. This meant my Camellia has a viral disease for which there is no cure.

Just like a human with a virus there is little you can do other than pamper, nurture and rest them. The bottom half of the camellia is still strong and its leaves are dark green as they should be so it will probably be able to fight back of its own accord.

Now that my friend had helped me diagnose my camellia I was ready to rid my garden of some of its other problems.

My lime tree has been suffering for some time and although it has a ton of fruit blossoming the leaves have all turned light green while the veins have stayed their original colour. She lent me a book on "Diagnosing Deficiencies in Plants" and I was able to deduce that my lime tree is lacking in either iron or manganese. So I plan to rectify that this weekend and will let you know how it comes along.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're having a few problems with our camellia at the moment so I'm keen for anyone to help identify the problem and offer any suggestions for how to fix it. If the problem can only be solved by using chemicals then so be it, but we would rather a more organic solution if one exists.

After finishing another magnificent seasonal flourish tender green leaves began to sprout in early spring. No sooner had they appeared then this brown began to invade them like a camellia bubonic plague. Now most of the plant is covered in these hideous brown spots and while the camellia doesn't appear to be dying nor leaves falling off, it certainly isn't looking like a picture of health.

It resides in a garden bed that receives mostly afternoon sun, if any at all, and has never suffered from this before. I initially diagnosed this as sunburn but after watching the sun's movement through the sky don't believe that this could be the reason.

C'mon all you camellia lovers...have your plants ever suffered from this before and how can it be rectified. I'd love to hear your comments.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (1)

The moment the sun begins to dip after a warm spring/ summers day your arms become magnets for one of the worst garden terrors - the mosquito!

I was going to use the adjective "humble" to describe this menace but there is no humility associated with mosquitoes. They're aggressive, self-seeking, blood-sucking and virus-giving pests that can only be controlled by vigilant gardeners.

Responsible for malaria, dengue fever, Ross River virus and a host of other diseases they're hardly on the barbeque invitation list. If you have ever experienced any of these diseases, either personally or via a friend, you'll understand the importance of controlling mosquitoes.

So how do these critters breed and how can you control them?

The Mosquito Life Cycle

The adult mosquito breeds after feeding heavily on human or animal blood by laying eggs in a vacant body of water. The eggs hatch within a week and the larvae is spawned. The mosquito larva goes through a process of "molting" and emerges as the pupae. After a few more days the pupae evolves as an adult and the process is continued.

If you want to control mosquitoes in your own backyard there are a few measures that can be taken to ensure their life cycle is interrupted.

1. Empty any pots, buckets or containers that have water sitting idly. This includes saucers under your container plants.


2. Empty your birdbaths and pet water containers at least once per week.


3. If you have a pond or water feature keep it stocked with fish. Fish will eat the mosquito larvae and naturally control these menaces.


4. Grow mosquito repelling plants. These include Pelargonium Citrosa, Basil and Rue.


5. Dispose of unwanted rubbish that may likely store pools of water.

Do Artificial Mosquito Repellents work?

We've had mixed success with many of these and it's mainly due to the wind and smoke produced. Mosquitoes will stay clear of the smoke but are oblivious to it in other directions. So as long as you're happy to have citronella candles smoking in your direction they probably are not worth the effort.

On the other hand, mosquito traps and zappers are quite effective in controlling mosquito populations.

However, the best solution is prevention and with any form of mosquito control stopping the source is far better than dealing with full-grown adult mosquitoes.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've never been keen on planting seedlings only to watch them eaten overnight by snails, slugs, slaters and any other pest that starts with 's'. I've tried pellets, powders, sawdust, copper [Insert others I've missed] yet while they may stop one pest they don't stop them all.

That is until a friend put me onto this great idea for a garden cloche - the humble 2L (4 pint) plastic PET bottle. It works a treat.

Just cut the bottom third completely off and remove the lid and these can be placed straight over seedlings and even propagated cuttings. They act as a barrier for most, if not all, pests and as an added bonus create a mini-greenhouse effect for your plants.

I've used these ones for my sweet basil not only to stop the pests but the soil is still a little too cool for them. By placing this cloche over the basil it will help warm up the soil at the same time that it warms the seedling.

I like this idea because it has so many benefits. The obvious is the garden cloche and mini-greenhouse but it also is great environmentally. Re-using is far better than re-cycling because there are no increased processes. And, these little cloches can be used more than once.

If you're looking for some ideas for larger, more permanent, garden cloches then take a look at Travis' How to Make a Cloche

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (1)

This family in the UK [LINK SINCE REMOVED] lost one cat, and possibly two others, after taking a bait set for garden pests. We lost our pet corgi when I was about 13 after it too had eaten some David Gray's snail pellets.

These poisons are devastating and although they're effective against snails and slugs they are extremely harmful to any other animal that comes across them too.

If you must use snail pellets, place a garden cloche over top of them or use them in parts of your garden that your pets aren't likely to visit.

Better still, find an alternative. My favourite method is going out into the garden just after it's rained and handpicking them from the plants, fences and lawns. I collect them in a bucket and when I've found all I can see, dowse them in bi-carb soda. It works instantly. Then I cover them in water just in case there are a few survivors.

It's quick and easy, and humane - and it doesn't put your pets at risk.

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (2)

Spiders have never worried me as much as they have my wife and kids. I don't jump when I see them and I certainly don't get fearful about them in my house. I find them more an inconvenience than a scary predator who I perceive is planning to devour me while I sleep.

I'm not sure whether it's just a Busselton problem or that most areas have issues with spiders but it seems that keeping these pests at bay is an ongoing struggle. Our gutters are constantly home to many species of spider as they set their traps for flying insects which appears, on the surface, to be a bonus for us. However, I'm still brushing away flies and the midgees and mosquitoes that continually invade us as at night persist.

And while I still struggle with the pests these creatures are supposed to help keep at bay, I find my gutters completely redecorated with their webs which they treat like tents yet forget to pack up when they leave. How am I supposed to control these little critters and teach them to clean up after themselves?

Posted by Stuart | Permalink | Comments (0)