On Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:08:59 +0100, Jeff Layman
wrote:
On 02/06/2011 16:55, 1970alr wrote:
On Jun 2, 9:48 am, Jeff wrote:
On 01/06/2011 19:15, john ryan wrote:
Our Lillies are being eaten by masses of these critter:
Grubs
http://tinypic.com/r/rvzy89/7
and Beetles
http://tinypic.com/r/238wsl/7
Dont know if these two types of critters are related.
Any advice on best how to deal with them please. Especially if it does not
involve expensive and poisonous chemicals. Thanks.
Jake's advice is spot on, but IMO you will get nowhere in the end - just
spend time and money on a pest you cannot win against as it has no
natural enemies in this country.
Either grow your lilies under glass where the pest cannot get at them,
or simply give up growing lilies (and many other members of the
Liliaceae such as Fritillarias), and grow something else.
Oooh, I wouldn't put it so harshly. I've been on the find and squish
regime for the last few years now and have found it sucessful. I
usually have around 5 or 6 big pots and don't find it too arduous.
Not for the squeamish of course, but compared to squelching a big fat
slug underfoot, not much bother.
This year I've had none so far, which either means I was so thorough
last year that I wiped them out and there are no more in the vicinity,
or the cold winter killed off the adults. I have also moved from an
area of dense housing to one with larger gardens, which may also limit
their spread from plant to plant.
I'm in Manchester, btw.
I'm in West Sussex, and hadn't had any until early last week. Now the
plants look like an old rail ticket! They problem is that you really
have to examine the plants carefully every day, as they will decimate a
plant within a few days if left.
Some cultivars/hybrids are a lot more resistant than others, and if you
can find some that don't attract the pest then they would be worth growing.
Jeff
Lily beetle have one natural enemy - ME!
I'm a real lily lover and have about 2-300 of various types growing in
the ground and in tubs. I refuse to stop growing them simply because
of some "red in the bed". Early season I pinch the blighters (have you
noticed that the adults sometimes sort of squeal when you grab them!).
Then I give the plants a late night spray with Provado. Sorted.
Jake