On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.
--
Martin

"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

Franz

On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.
--
Martin

On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.
--
Martin

On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.
--
Martin

Steve Harris wrote:
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

I'm betting that's not strictly true!
Could give it a go though.

Jason

--
Check out my ebay auctions for Passifora caerulea and edulis seeds and
Morning Glory (Star of Yelta) seeds.
http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....sort=3&rows=50

Steve Harris wrote:
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

I'm betting that's not strictly true!
Could give it a go though.

Jason

--
Check out my ebay auctions for Passifora caerulea and edulis seeds and
Morning Glory (Star of Yelta) seeds.
http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....sort=3&rows=50

Steve Harris wrote:
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

I'm betting that's not strictly true!
Could give it a go though.

Jason

--
Check out my ebay auctions for Passifora caerulea and edulis seeds and
Morning Glory (Star of Yelta) seeds.
http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....sort=3&rows=50

I've just bought a tube of little beasties from this company:-

http://www.defenders.co.uk

To get rid of some spider mites I have on some indoor plants. I don't know
if it will work, but they say they have predators for aphids too - parasitic
wasps and the like which they will send you in various quantities.

I'll let you know if it works on spider mites . . .

Andrew

"JP" wrote in message
...
Steve Harris wrote:
On http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/p...opaeolum+majus I
read

"Research indicates that aphids flying over plants with orange or yellow
flowers do not stop, nor do they prey on plants growing next to or above
the flowers[201]. "

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd.
1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2

So could one protect crops from aphids by putting out plastic flowers?
(which might be more convenient)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com

I'm betting that's not strictly true!
Could give it a go though.

Jason

--
Check out my ebay auctions for Passifora caerulea and edulis seeds and
Morning Glory (Star of Yelta) seeds.

http://cgi6.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....userid=murder1
man&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

The message
from (Steve Harris) contains these words:

In article ,
(Janet Baraclough ..) wrote:

I've seen aphids on yellow and orange roses

Obviously the roses were not organic ;-)

Obviously, you know less than an aphid ;~}

Janet

"martin" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of
both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.

{:-))

Franz

The message
from (Steve Harris) contains these words:

In article ,
(Janet Baraclough ..) wrote:

I've seen aphids on yellow and orange roses

Obviously the roses were not organic ;-)

Obviously, you know less than an aphid ;~}

Janet

"martin" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 19:52:33 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"Steve Harris" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Stephen Goodall) wrote:

Try marigolds they also attract hoverflies. I am told Hoverfly grubs
eat aphids.

Yeah, I've been told that too. It's all over the Internet so it must be
true. Only it isn't.

I had loads of hoverflies before I even bought a packet of marigold
seed. Once the marigolds were up, the hoverflies ignored them. Maybe
they did eat a few aphids but not all.

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of
both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

So I sprayed. Job done.

Evidence-Based Gardening anyone?

Yes: Pest control by the use of predators is a load of codswallop.

not quite...

Our cats have totally eliminated mice and voles from our garden and
house. It has taken 11 years. We trained them to do the same with
aphids and slugs but without success.
We conclude that the cats are too old.

{:-))

Franz

In article , Steve
Harris writes

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

It's the ladybird larvae that eat the aphid. And, yes, I've seen them.

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

In article , Steve
Harris writes

Then it's also well known that ladybirds eat aphids. I had loads of both
but the ladybirds couldn't be arsed to wander over to the aphid-ridden
plants.

It's the ladybird larvae that eat the aphid. And, yes, I've seen them.

--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm