[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[jakarta]

SLIGHTLY off topic but one for Jack Straw as it is Gardening related, RH20 seems to have had a massive drop in insects as in almost no flies, wasps, bees and our Roses havent been ravaged by greenfly. Is this happening all over? Car windscreen and Motorbike Visor both lacking in insect splats as well.

 

[vegster]

SLIGHTLY off topic but one for Jack Straw as it is Gardening related, RH20 seems to have had a massive drop in insects as in almost no flies, wasps, bees and our Roses havent been ravaged by greenfly. Is this happening all over? Car windscreen and Motorbike Visor both lacking in insect splats as well.

Not many Cabbage Whites about this year either?

 

[Jack Straw]

SLIGHTLY off topic but one for Jack Straw as it is Gardening related, RH20 seems to have had a massive drop in insects as in almost no flies, wasps, bees and our Roses havent been ravaged by greenfly. Is this happening all over? Car windscreen and Motorbike Visor both lacking in insect splats as well.

Different years see different numbers of insects appearing, but the trend isn't good.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ng-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature
Personally, as a bit of a butterfly lover, this year, I've never seen so many Marbled Whites, but so few Common Blues. Next year could be the other way round. As I've been looking at butterflies for over 50 years, the numbers now are nothing like as many now, of any species.
Insecticides, downland ploughed up for farming and house building have all contributed to the reduction in numbers of insects.
This is why it's so important that everyone does there bit to create habitat for them, normally the simple task of easing off with your mowing is a good start.

 

[jakarta]

Different years see different numbers of insects appearing, but the trend isn't good.
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...ng-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature
Personally, as a bit of a butterfly lover, this year, I've never seen so many Marbled Whites, but so few Common Blues. Next year could be the other way round. As I've been looking at butterflies for over 50 years, the numbers now are nothing like as many now, of any species.
Insecticides, downland ploughed up for farming and house building have all contributed to the reduction in numbers of insects.
This is why it's so important that everyone does there bit to create habitat for them, normally the simple task of easing off with your mowing is a good start.

Cheers for that, very very few Butterflies seen at Jakarta Towers, we planted a Buddleia specifically to attract them and last year it was covered, this year hardly a one.

 

[Stat Brother]

Blimey La Jardin du Stat can certainly attract lumberjacks.

Following on from 'Blue' my shuffling 87 year old, who took it upon himself to badly saw down most of my trees, I got a mate of Jnr's to tidy up the stumps and drop one last tree.

It turns out this trainee hasn't used his chainsaw on the ground before and his catchphrase is 'well no-one died'.

'I can bring that tree down to there no probs'.

I was stood behind him and off to the right.
The trunk missed me by mm's and fortunately it was a reasonably bare section of branches that thrashed through me.

 

[jakarta]

It turns out this trainee hasn't used his chainsaw on the ground before and his catchphrase is 'well no-one died'.

Was he a swimming pool attendant previously?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8YfgxF3APY

 

[WATFORD zero]

Blimey La Jardin du Stat can certainly attract lumberjacks.

Following on from 'Blue' my shuffling 87 year old, who took it upon himself to badly saw down most of my trees, I got a mate of Jnr's to tidy up the stumps and drop one last tree.

It turns out this trainee hasn't used his chainsaw on the ground before and his catchphrase is 'well no-one died'.

'I can bring that tree down to there no probs'.

I was stood behind him and off to the right.
The trunk missed me by mm's and fortunately it was a reasonably bare section of branches that thrashed through me.

Well he has to learn somehow

Hope he was wearing the proper gear. Skinny Jeans, Lumberjack shirt, Hushpuppies, couple of Tats and Beard.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I keep a good eye on insect levels in my garden as I have slow worms , newts and frogs.

I did think the bees in my garden were doing well but they do seem to have reduced especially the bumble bees in the last month. Hovver flies seem to be greatly reduced, i normally have loads of them.

Very few butterfies seen this year, certainly a lot less than were around say 5 years ago though i normally get more in september/october when the ivy flowers and they are topping up.

My buddleia is not out yet but I have lots of lavender and other plants to attract them.

two other markers - I have not seen a 'rain' beetle (local name maybe ) this century. I have seen 2 earwigs in the same time frame my garden as a kid was absolutely full of them (used to feed them to the common lizards whose numbers have also gone down)

 

[Stat Brother]

Oh and this was it 4 months ago.

View attachment 148533

Well the 'labour of hate' is finally over.

Next spring I'll be following [MENTION=12381]croydon seagull[/MENTION] 's guide to growing a lawn.
So in the meantime will just keep turning this area over in order to get the lumps down pre-grass.

 

[Stat Brother]

Now it's time to head round the corner, FFS:-

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

[MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION]. Post 1 fantastic work. Post 2 not so much lol.

 

[Weststander]

A positive regarding bees.

I’ve a wild area of ‘weeds’, this summer dominated by Linaria purpurea, for 2 or 3 months it’s been busy with every type of bee. Just a moment ago.



Then in a border, Betony hummelo have just come into flower and are proving popular. Lovely looking plants too.

 

[Stat Brother]

A positive regarding bees.

I’ve a wild area of ‘weeds’, this summer dominated by Linaria purpurea, for 2 or 3 months it’s been busy with every type of bee. Just a moment ago.

View attachment 149336

Then in a border, Betony hummelo have just come into flower and are proving popular. Lovely looking plants too.

View attachment 149337

The top one looks like Colin.

Sorry don't recognise the other.

 

[Weststander]

The top one looks like Colin.

Sorry don't recognise the other.

Bambi. It's the eyes.

 

[Sirnormangall]

Well the 'labour of hate' is finally over.

Next spring I'll be following [MENTION=12381]croydon seagull[/MENTION] 's guide to growing a lawn.
So in the meantime will just keep turning this area over in order to get the lumps down pre-grass.

View attachment 149325

View attachment 149326

View attachment 149327

Looks like Upton Park end of season 1965.

 

[Questions]

Looks like Upton Park end of season 1965.

Tell me that is not Ronnie Boyces face in the tree stump …..that’s spooky

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Now it's time to head round the corner, FFS:-

View attachment 149328

View attachment 149329

Five minute job.

Just chuck a gallon of petrol on it, strike a match, and all your problems are over.

Just make sure the house insurance is paid up to date.

 

[Jack Straw]

The top one looks like Colin.

Sorry don't recognise the other.

The other one is Chris!

 

[Stat Brother]

The other one is Chris!

Don't be silly, Chris is asleep upstairs.
He was shattered after today's collections.

 

[Sirnormangall]

Tell me that is not Ronnie Boyces face in the tree stump …..that’s spooky

I can see why you say that, but I think if you look at it from a different angle it could be Trevor Brooking with Ron Greenwood looking over his shoulder.