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Growing lillies.

Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

I grow lillies in pots and last year lilly beetle seemed worse than in previous years. 

This year, my first line of defence was to replace all the compost in the pots with fresh. 

Q is - There's alot of old compost, can it be recycled in a dalek, mine does get very hot, at times you can feel the hot air hit you as the lid is taken off and it will have all summer to rot down. I won't be using the compost as a mulch now until the autumn, will the beasties be killed in a hot bin...  .

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,384

    Only the adult beetles overwinter and not eggs or larvae so there is little to be gained by changing the compost other than giving the lily bulbs extra food.  If there are any in your old compost they will just crawl or fly out when you put it in your dalek.  I've found adult beetles this winter in parts of my garden which are far away from any lillies!  image

    Constant vigilence is our only real defence Zoomer.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Zoomer44Zoomer44 Posts: 3,267

    Thanks Bob. I found them on other plants last year and the one's on the allotment were totally infested.Such a shame they are such lovely flowering plants.

    Guess it's back to daily inspections...image...and the compost is going to the tip, I don't want them flying out of there when I come to take off the lid.

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