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[Alec]

Hi everyone,

This morning I noticed the first arrival of greenfly on my roses. Have you checked yours?

I find they are much more easily controlled if caught early. Spraying with soapy water, or even a powerful jet from the garden hose, can be surprisingly effective, whereas you will need a normal insecticide once they become established.

If you do have to use chemicals, can I put in a word on behalf of the bees? Please don´t spray during daylight hours, particularly if you aren´t using a a bee-friendly spray. Someone claimed recently that human life is more dependent on the survival of the bee than any other creature, and I can quite believe that.

Happy gardening!

Alec.

[Suzy]

Hi Alex,
Good advice, we were inundated with greenfly the year before last, strangely they avoided the flowers and plants and concentrated on the almond trees, there were motorways of them and of course the ants loved it and made use of of them.  We zapped them with the hosepipe, just water, and thankfully they have not returned in such numbers again.  These past few days we have been inundated with tiny black midges, but they don't seem to munch on the plants.  Come on swallows do your job!!!
Cheers
Suzy

[Campo Girl]

Hehehe my chickens are doing a grand job at eating the little bugs on my plants

My grandmother told me that after I have mopped the floor I should pour the water over my roses, especially if I have detergent in the water, aphids do not like this as it makes the stems and petels slippery and they struggle to grip but it does no harm to the plant itself

[Alec]

These past few days we have been inundated with tiny black midges, but they don't seem to munch on the plants.  Come on swallows do your job!!!
Cheers
Suzy

Hi Suzy

I am wondering whether those small flies might be fruit flies rather than midges? Our compost bin is breeding enough to cover the whole Costa, serves me right from putting some surplus fruit skins, peelings etc in the bin. I think they are the things which produce really tiny grubs in my apricots and probably lots of other fruit as well.

As you say, bring on the swallows; it´s a pity they can´t get inside the bin to help themselves, though!

[Suzy]

Hi Simone
Nice to see you on Facebook.  Those black things could be fruit flies, although I thought they were bigger,  but have not come across them before, although we have noticed there is some leaf curl on the almonds this year [shame on me for telling you they were trouble free trees!!] but I have managed to pick off the affected leaves and they seem okay now.  Hope I've "nipped it in the bud", ha ha.  All these fly things seem to want to do is cover any white surface, which means most of the outside walls, then curl up and die.  Although I am against chemical pesticides we have found a spray which confidently claims it will keep you free from bugs for a year.  Pah, I said, and of course it doesn't work on my pet hate the teeny weeny ants who I think are immune to everything including Enola Gray!  but it does seem to help on small localised problems, which means you are not polluting everything,  I would hate to kill any good insects.

We always tip our washing up water under the cypress hedge, which is thriving, being careful not to get it on the foilage, it is also beneficial in keeping wasps at bay who nested there, as they apparently don't like soapy water.  How great is Spain for improving your "greenness"  - we are always challenged in lots of ways and    it´s great fun finding a solution, so much better than the office wall charts of "strengths v weaknesses" etc.  we have all sat through in interminable office meetings.  Get out there I say. 

Cheers
Suzy