gigi
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Post by gigi on Apr 19, 2023 18:40:55 GMT 1
Local asparagus has been available in our area of the Gard for several weeks now, whether from friends’ gardens or from local growers or the bio shop. One friend bought some on 29th March at €6 for 500gms, although the pruce has dropped hugely now.
While on walks there in April it’s fun to be able to take home wild asparagus that we find en route to have maybe in an omelette, always stick to the same places each year at this time of year.
Here in Berkshire we’ve had a few bunches of fine asparagus spears from local growers, but have also had some from Waitrose, which was also very tasty but rather more expensive.
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Post by houpla on Apr 19, 2023 21:11:46 GMT 1
I've been busy putting pheromone traps in the fruit trees in an attempt to limit codling moth, peach and cherry fly etc etc. Ferme de Ste Marthe were a bit cheaper than buying the refills in places like Gamm Vert, but it's still a pretty expensive exercise. It's also time to hang frelon traps. Caught a big asian hornet queen in a trap on the terrace yesterday!
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 21, 2023 19:02:38 GMT 1
You seem to have many " nasties" ?
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Post by houpla on Apr 21, 2023 21:41:25 GMT 1
The Lot et Garonne is insect paradise , partly because of all the fruit and nut orchards. The commercial growers still treat their trees, so the bugs descend on anything untreated with a vengeance. As for frelons.....it's a complete myth that if there are european ones around, there won't be asian ones. We've got both
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Nifty
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Post by Nifty on Apr 22, 2023 7:38:48 GMT 1
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 22, 2023 8:31:32 GMT 1
The Lot et Garonne is insect paradise , partly because of all the fruit and nut orchards. The commercial growers still treat their trees, so the bugs descend on anything untreated with a vengeance. As for frelons.....it's a complete myth that if there are european ones around, there won't be asian ones. We've got both Can't be easy for you . We are "lucky " because the local farmer ( only 3 left in the whole area) has removed all the fruit trees and his land is green and luxurious with one plant which he sprays and fertilises to keep it growing.
We have all sorts of flying and buzzing things on our land , we watched the wild bees in the tree next to our house chase off the asian hornets that were waiting for them, so they are managing. The bred honey bees are being decimated by the asian hornets . We had a nest of asian hornets in our wood store that was ripped open and the larvae eaten by , we think, the martre that lives there.
It certainly is a myth , we have always had frelons , never much bother , but the illegal imigrants......!
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Post by annabellespapa on Apr 22, 2023 8:44:21 GMT 1
I had a hornet in my car yesterday, I was driving at the time and it appeared by my shoulder, I was in the UK having travelled back from France on Tuesday, it must of stowed away then. I managed to pull over sharpish and opened all the windows ,I didn't see it leave, fingers crossed he/she has gone...
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 22, 2023 8:51:31 GMT 1
I had a hornet in my car yesterday, I was driving at the time and it appeared by my shoulder, I was in the UK having travelled back from France on Tuesday, it must of stowed away then. I managed to pull over sharpish and opened all the windows ,I didn't see it leave, fingers crossed he/she has gone... If it was an Asian one , you have just tripled the UK population .
" The first sighting of the deadly insect this year was in Northumberland on April 5. Now, the British Beekeepers Association has confirmed that the species has popped up in Kent, too."
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Post by houpla on Apr 22, 2023 9:41:58 GMT 1
I had a hornet in my car yesterday, I was driving at the time and it appeared by my shoulder, I was in the UK having travelled back from France on Tuesday, it must of stowed away then. I managed to pull over sharpish and opened all the windows ,I didn't see it leave, fingers crossed he/she has gone... I don't know, bloody stowaways, eh?
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Post by jackie on Apr 22, 2023 10:55:33 GMT 1
Going to prick out my toms today and mulch round the new hedging plants
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gigi
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Post by gigi on Apr 22, 2023 13:50:57 GMT 1
I need to get some mulching done too and bare areas need covering.
Lily of the valley plants are shooting up - hardly noticeable until 3 days ago, they now have buds, so should be flowering well by 1st May. They are neither in a valley or woods, funny how we call them by different areas of the landscape.
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Post by jardiniere on Apr 23, 2023 10:46:47 GMT 1
What do you cover them with, gigi?
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gigi
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Post by gigi on Apr 23, 2023 15:44:31 GMT 1
What do you cover them with, gigi? Compost from my 3 compost bins if I have enough, otherwise I resort to forest bark bought at the garden centre plus of course there’s spent compost from my tomato tubs. I haven’t been able to do much in the garden for quite some time and where plants have died back there’s bare soil - I’m trying to do a little at a time but can’t do it often enough - weeds are popping up so quickly after recent April showers. I have a young woman who comes to help sometimes, hoping she’ll be able to come again soon as so much needs doing.
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Post by jardiniere on Apr 24, 2023 20:50:22 GMT 1
I have a young woman who comes to help sometimes, hoping she’ll be able to come again soon as so much needs doing. I have someone to help now. At this time of the year the garden can quickly become overwhelming when you're singlehanded.
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Post by cernunnos on Apr 25, 2023 7:47:02 GMT 1
My garden is overwhelming , I have learnt not to worry about it , it is beautiful and the creatures love it.
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