On 12/07/16 10:42, gardenaway wrote:
Hello everyone, I am new to this forum seeking some info on a couple of
problems i have en counted in my garden. I have some beautiful
traditional Lilly's in my garden and they keep being eaten or maybe just
rotting away i'm not sure it's not like i catch the little buggers in
the act. Does anyone know what type of bugs you get in standard English
gardens and what i can do to avoid them? Also it could be the strain
that i have? does anybody have a good English garden seeds for sale
site? I say sites because i am busy working and would like to spend my
free time in the garden not the garden center haha. And then the
question you all get.... WEEDS driving me crazy coming through my gravel
and grass everywhere kinda out of control.
Any info would be great
Thanks
You almost certainly have lily beetle. It's a nasty pest which can
defoliate lilies and fritillaries. You might see the very attractive
beetle itself, which is bright red (see
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=553). There is also its very
unattractive larva, which look like a black mobile bird dropping. You
need to catch the beetles and kill them. They are crafty and drop off at
the slightest touch, often remaining still and upside-down on the soil.
The underside is black and difficult to see against soil. So if you see
one, put a piece of paper or flowerpot saucer under the beetle before
you touch it. They are quite tough and you need to use a bit of force to
crush them. You can spray with a pyrethrin-type insecticide, or a
systemic insecticide such as acetamiprid.
For seeds there are numerous suppliers. If you want to try something a
little bit different, have a look at Chiltern Seeds.
Weeds on gravel can be treated with a glyphosate-based herbicide. On a
lawn, you'll need a specific broad-leaf based herbicide. Do NOT use
glyphosate, as grass is particularly sensitive to it. See suggestions
here
The Best Lawn Weed Killers: Weedol (Verdone) and Resolva
for killing weeds in lawns.
--
Jeff