Green Fly

[wolves78]

grow them indoors? in pots

poped out earlier and ended up with about 200 of the things stuck to my jacket every 10 mins going through the park hate them

i heard an old way was to use water that has been boiled with potatoes and other veg just spray that it is an old wives tale apparently

[Hairy Celt]

1st greenfly appeared here today on aquilegea (sp?) and the tomatoes. i tried dilute washing up liquid to no effect last year; we use ecover which may be too kind - anyone recommend an effective variety?

[I can't believe it's not better]

Persil, Bold Automatic attack

[Hairy Celt]

Persil, Bold Automatic attack

i want them dead, not bothered whether their pants are clean!

[acbrixton]

Sycamore trees seem to be the biggest breeding ground for the buggers and seeing as we no longer need the introduced Sycamore for its wood in boat building I say we get rid of 'em!!!! (re-plant some Elms instead) Never mind Ban the Winkie, Ban the Sycamore.

Aren't Aphids born pregnant??? Kinda like some of the schoolies on the estate here I fear..........

YES! YES! Sycamores are dull ugly trees with an almost satanic ability to self-seed...

[Hairy Celt]

YES! YES! Sycamores are dull ugly trees with an almost satanic ability to self-seed...

true but they've been here so long there's part of the landscape. remove them and we'd miss them as much as the elms. ( i hate them too, they displace native trees in semi-natural woodland in scotland!)

[acbrixton]

true but they've been here so long there's part of the landscape. remove them and we'd miss them as much as the elms. ( i hate them too, they displace native trees in semi-natural woodland in scotland!)

mmmm maybe; but yes they are agressive. Of course there is the usual debate about what is "native"...beech were introduced by the Romans...but by God we would be the poorer with out them!

Regards

ACB

[Somerset Squall]

true but they've been here so long there's part of the landscape. remove them and we'd miss them as much as the elms. ( i hate them too, they displace native trees in semi-natural woodland in scotland!)

There are quite a few elms here, one has managed to grow about 20ft high and hasn't been touched by disease yet. They seem to be making something of a comeback in my area! Only have one sycamore here so I'm ok :lol:

[acbrixton]

There are quite a few elms here, one has managed to grow about 20ft high and hasn't been touched by disease yet. They seem to be making something of a comeback in my area! Only have one sycamore here so I'm ok :lol:

That is great news as Somerset was the county worst affected by Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s (always a miserable sight seeing dead hulks of trees in mid-Summer standing out on the crests of hills...).

Regards

ACB

[Hairy Celt]

mmmm maybe; but yes they are agressive. Of course there is the usual debate about what is "native"...beech were introduced by the Romans...but by God we would be the poorer with out them!

Regards

ACB

beech can take over semi-natural woodlands here just like sycamore. but it's excellent timber and firewood!

[pottyprof]

ive just been given some advice on how to attract natural preditors.. marigolds.. apparently the hover fly loves the nectar and will stay around and munch on aphids as long as the marigolds stay in flower.. gonna give it a whirl when i plant out my toms and runner beans..

[Hairy Celt]

ive just been given some advice on how to attract natural preditors.. marigolds.. apparently the hover fly loves the nectar and will stay around and munch on aphids as long as the marigolds stay in flower.. gonna give it a whirl when i plant out my toms and runner beans..

we have marigolds next to roses, currant bushes and aquilegas (sp?). my uncle told me he knew of someone who had successfully put marigolds in a greenhouse to keep aphids down. doesn't work here cos we hardly get any hoverfly

[The PIT]

I know how to attract some natural predictors. Take your mobile phone and walk round some dodgy areas in Sheffield you'll soon be hunted down.

[crimsone]

ive just been given some advice on how to attract natural preditors.. marigolds..

Or as I said earlier in the thread, Colendula/Calendula. lol (the correct name for the "marigold" genus.)

Nobody seemed to notice.

As I said, aphids are attracted to colendula and prefer the sap which, unfortunately for them and perhaps a little ironically, kills them.

As for Elm, it's native to the UK in the form of English Elm (Ulmus procera), Wych Elm (Ulmus glabra), and possibly Smooth-leaved Elm (Ulmus carpinifolia). Other Elm species are not native. Personally, I feel thare are two serious prombles affecting natural and semi-natural ancient woodland in the UK, being (as already said) Sycamore, but also, Himalayan Balsam (an evil, evil plant)

Edited May 27, 2006 by crimsone

[Hairy Celt]

Personally, I feel thare are two serious prombles affecting natural and semi-natural ancient woodland in the UK, being (as already said) Sycamore, but also, Himalayan Balsam (an evil, evil plant)

you could add japanese knotweed and rhododendron to that. the biggest problem facing asnw in britain is the constant nibbling away at their boundaries by 'development'. many aw have no statutory protection (unbelievable in itself), and if it isn't aw then yiu can do want you want.

[crimsone]

you could add japanese knotweed and rhododendron to that. the biggest problem facing asnw in britain is the constant nibbling away at their boundaries by 'development'. many aw have no statutory protection (unbelievable in itself), and if it isn't aw then yiu can do want you want.

Of course, deveopment and industrialisation is the most imminent threat from society, and in terms of natural threats, Japanese Knotweed and the non native Rhododendron species are quite serious (espicially with the threat of "sudden oak death" these days). The knotweed particularly.

The reason I cited Himilayan Balsam though is because of the way it spreads its seed, the way (like knotweed) it can propogate from runners, but more alarmingly, the way that even when pulled out of the ground, it can continue growing from it's own rotting stems, using them for nutrition. It's a remarkable survivor, and an incredible spreader (especially near streams, footpaths and roads). Knotweed can be just as bad in most of these respects. The difference with Balsam, is that people don't seem to realise that it's not native, they seem to think it's a fun and pretty delicate wild plant (I've heared of a few planting it in their garden!), and have no idea of the damage it can cause.

Edited May 28, 2006 by crimsone

[Hairy Celt]

Of course, deveopment and industrialisation is the most imminent threat from society, and in terms of natural threats, Japanese Knotweed and the non native Rhododendron species are quite serious (espicially with the threat of "sudden oak death" these days). The knotweed particularly.

The reason I cited Himilayan Balsam though is because of the way it spreads its seed, the way (like knotweed) it can propogate from runners, but more alarmingly, the way that even when pulled out of the ground, it can continue growing from it's own rotting stems, using them for nutrition. It's a remarkable survivor, and an incredible spreader (especially near streams, footpaths and roads). Knotweed can be just as bad in most of these respects. The difference with Balsam, is that people don't seem to realise that it's not native, they seem to think it's a fun and pretty delicate wild plant (I've heared of a few planting it in their garden!), and have no idea of the damage it can cause.

you're quite right about hb. in the north of scotland it's not (yet!) that common though, whereas the other spp. we've mentioned are - rhododendron is rampant in some woods and has eliminated the field layer. ironically, lots of tourists think it's really attractive and some get uppity when they see folk trying to remove it!

[crimsone]

That's people for you I guess though. If it looks pretty they think it's good (often in much the same way that a Venus Fly Trap looks attractive to a fly I think. lol)

Personally, I think that in Biology and geography lessons in schools, when the little children are being taught about ecosystems and habitats, they should be taken for a day trip to some of our semi-natural ancient woodland, and have it explained to them

[acbrixton]

Quite agree re the hideous Sycamore: if I was ot leave my gaden unseede for 2 years I would have a forest of the damn saplings. Also Rhododendron: fine in gardens in Surrey (RHS at Wisley) or Rhododendron-infeated Camberley but is apparently a terrible weed and threat in Snowdonia...

Regards

ACB

[pottyprof]

Or as I said earlier in the thread, Colendula/Calendula. lol (the correct name for the "marigold" genus.)

Nobody seemed to notice.

As I said, aphids are attracted to colendula and prefer the sap which, unfortunately for them and perhaps a little ironically, kills them.

Sorry crimsone.. didnt see the post.. must have been tired that night.. B)

but yeah you are quite right about the sap.. apparently you can also boil the marigold and use the water as a spray..

[Hairy Celt]

Sorry crimsone.. didnt see the post.. must have been tired that night.. B)

but yeah you are quite right about the sap.. apparently you can also boil the marigold and use the water as a spray..

i think i'd get strung up if i got caught boiling the marigolds!

[I can't believe it's not better]

Boiled Elder leaves is a good insecticide for caterpillars if you get them young, apparantly. I tried it at half strength, but maybe I was being too weak with the solution.

I would say it could well work against baby caterpillars. It has some sort of cyanide thing in it - so it would surely work for aphids, but I'd want to leave it a while and wash it well, whatever it is.

[pottyprof]

i think i'd get strung up if i got caught boiling the marigolds!

could add the leaves or the flower as a nice touch to salads.. B) they taste great.. they're not toxic to us humans..

[Hairy Celt]

what sort of marigolds kill greenfly?

[I can't believe it's not better]

Carnivourus crawling marigolds, I've forgotten the latin name