Kate Bradbury

The Prettiness of Moss

That looks like a moss wall, Marion!

Kate x

Brown Ooze on Ornamental Cherry

Hi Jay, don't panic, it could just be gummosis, which is natural oozing of sap on healthy trees. Are there any other signs of bacterial canker on the tree, for example sunken, dead patches on the branches? If so, prune these out to prevent the infection spreading and keep a close eye on it. You won't need to replace the tree if it's young and the infection is dealt with quickly. If the tree is otherwise healthy though, just give it a good mulch in spring.

Kate

Still in Flower

Lovely Queenslacey. A colourful addition to the winter garden!

Kate

Winter Pansies

Slugs and snails are the most likely culprits. Is it mild where you are? The slugs are still active in my garden, but luckily, so are the frogs!

Kate

Best hedging shrubs?

If you're planting a big hedge, a mixed, native hedge is a great idea, as happymarion2 suggests. Make it an 'edible' hedge too - grow your own hazelnuts, sloes, rosehips, crab apples, elderberries and wild pears. Anything you don't eat will be eaten by the birds in winter, while the flowers will provide a long season of pollen and nectar for insects.

Kate

Talkback: Moths and caterpillars

@oldchippy I agree. The more wildlife the better, in my book

Kate

Talkback: Making a wormery

@oldhippy Happy Christmas to you too. I envy you having more than one bin!

@GRACELAND if you click on the link to making a wormery in the blog above, there's a video demonstration of how to make one.

@Pauline Gardens Weekly thanks very much! It's working really well. I'm now on the scrounge for more containers to make a more permanent wormey!

Kate

Bumblebees?

I was in Bolton last week and saw a queen buff tailed bumblebee foraging for pollen (which means she's starting a new nest) on some snapdragons that were still out. In the south a very few buff-tailed bumbles don't hibernate, while others just emerge from hibernation as early as January, but to see one starting a new nest in the north in mid-December was incredible! Has anyone else seen any bees out this month?

*I am posting this in potting shed until our wildlife section is built*

Kate

hi all, got some bugs i'm stuck with.

I would avoid using a flame gun as it would kill off lots of beneficial insects - including worms - as well as bacteria in the soil. Chemical pesticides would do the same and would probably be absorbed into the crops you're growing, which you would presumably eat.

Spotted Snake millipedes tend to only attack crops in drought, so next year, make sure plants are well watered. Also encourage more birds, frogs and toads into your garden, which prey on millipedes. pansy2's idea of keeping chickens for a couple of years is a great idea, and before planting you could dig the area thoroughly and rermove any you find.

Good luck!

Kate

Talkback: Moths and caterpillars

@oldchippy I know, but what can you do?

@2 I love their ability to disguise thmeselves too. So clever!

Kate

Talkback: Queen wasp

Lovely x x 

Talkback: Leaf-cutter bees

Saw my first leaf-cutter only a couple of weeks ago Richard. Didn't get a chance to look at its underside... Kate 

Potted ponds in Thailand

Just some of the many 'potted ponds' I found in Thailand 

Frogspawn

Bumblebees?

Ladybirds

Favourite tools

Redesign of garden

Seed buying

Plants still in flower?