"Geoff" wrote in message
...
So, my runner beans, growing upwards through inverted 8" plastic flower
pots as I described some time ago, are now 4 feet up the bamboos and
there's not one leaf damaged by slugs/snails and the ants stay away too!
I piled up earth around the pots to protect the beans' roots from any
frost there might be - so far OK. My "insurance" beans (To hell with the
small cost!) in the greenhouse are looking good and I'll give them away if
I do not need them.

I thought I'd try another experiment so bought a pack of those yellow
double sided sticky flypaper things for hanging in greenhouses. I cut one
sheet into six parts. With a hole punched in each part I removed the
backing and hung them at various levels on the bamboos using thin
galvanised wire to hold them reasonably still. That was done about two
weeks ago and each portion has caught dozens of what look like blackflies
and white flies besides many normal looking flies. No ladybirds, hover
flies or bees have been caught I'm glad to say and there are no aphids on
the plants as yet. I do not know what sex the blackflies are, they are
not wearing skirts or trousers!

Do not be critical about what I've done - I could not care less but
there's always some smart arse. Try it yourself for a few weeks.

Geoff




Good luck with the beans Geoff, it would be a little time-consuming for me
to grow them so early, but the early crop is tempting.
I written a page showing my experiences with runner beans.
It is on the site below /bean


--
Rog
http://www.rog.richieward.com