Gardening with Joey

[Joey66]

Hi Joey
Don't wish to nit-pick but Japanese Knotweed was brought into the UK legally in mid-19th century as an ornamental plant and was actually sold in nurseries long before it was recognised as an invasive species. I totally agree it is a now 'dangerous' plant in the UK without any natural predators, hence it's ability to spread without control.

You’re looking at a starting cost of around £950 to deal just a couple of square feet. & a poster in jest puts it on this thread - that was my main concern
his quote on this thread -
Yes it was introduced in the UK for a specific reason to hold bankings together to stop soil erosion in the mid 19th century....
No mention of it being sold in garden centres, as they did not exist then - Market Gardens were the rage in those days - it was used incompetently, and propagated itself into waterways at an alarming rate - most weed killers do not touch it specialised firms can stun it at an exorbitant cost

the poster " I like it, think its underrated and gets an unfair rap."

I.E not explaining its dangerous or jokingly ......
That was my concern if it's a joke say it in a joking way.....
The poster now has come clean thank goodness ..... this site was for good Horticultural advice - that was my main point .....

 

[Joey66]

Haha joey, i thought you'd realise straight away i was joking. Plus I've told you several times I've got a horticulture background as well.

Well use it then - use it positively.......

 

[Joey66]

@cronullasharks Can you please inform posters how to propagate an arsp old creeper please lol

 

[Joey66]

It's a great time for planting Ormond e plants to plant in your garden, plus planting your outdoor vegetables....

 

[Tommy.]

On it, cheers mate.

 

[Joey66]

On it, cheers mate.

Remember to water in your newly planted plants, puddle them in .....

 

[peteblue]

@Joey, my gardener makes an awful racket with his mower which sometimes upsets my daily nap...should I get rid of him.......

 

[Sassy Colombian]

@Joey66 This morning I found my baby zinnias with big holes on their leaves. I’m assuming it is slugs the ones doing this damage but I need your expertise to confirm if they are the culprits. My poor zinnias are having it rough this year, our cat wants to make of their spot his litter box so I had to put net over them and now the ones that have survived are getting eaten at night

 

[Joey66]

@Joey66 This morning I found my baby zinnias with big holes on their leaves. I’m assuming it is slugs the ones doing this damage but I need your expertise to confirm if they are the culprits. My poor zinnias are having it rough this year, our cat wants to make of their spot his litter box so I had to put net over them and now the ones that have survived are getting eaten at night

View attachment 130041

Slug pellets needed or a pesticide named in the UK called slugget which kills the Slugs eggs - pet friendly -

Amazon product ASIN B00I5KOHGA
Also gravel around the plant as they hate a rough surface to crawl over - snails & slug damage also check for caterpillars on the back of the leaf of your Zinnias - snails & slugs lay loads of eggs by your plants - Mild beer in a small saucer they can't resist the smell of MILD beer and in the morning they will be in the saucer off their face drowned or drunk ....
I use slug pellets as I have Hostas which they love sprinkle once per month over my gravel - it keeps them away..... those plants will recover with a good nitrogen feed ....

 

[Joey66]

@Joey, my gardener makes an awful racket with his mower which sometimes upsets my daily nap...should I get rid of him.......

Hide the petrol to stop him using his mower lol
It's not @COYBL25 is it he likes grass lol

 

[LEONARD]

@Joey, my gardener makes an awful racket with his mower which sometimes upsets my daily nap...should I get rid of him.......

Grass him up to the gardening police mate.

 

[Sassy Colombian]

Slug pellets needed or a pesticide named in the UK called slugget which kills the Slugs eggs - pet friendly -

Amazon product ASIN B00I5KOHGA
Also gravel around the plant as they hate a rough surface to crawl over - snails & slug damage also check for caterpillars on the back of the leaf of your Zinnias - snails & slugs lay loads of eggs by your plants - Mild beer in a small saucer they can't resist the smell of MILD beer and in the morning they will be in the saucer off their face drowned or drunk ....
I use slug pellets as I have Hostas which they love sprinkle once per month over my gravel - it keeps them away..... those plants will recover with a good nitrogen feed ....

I'm so tired of the slugs munching on everything on my garden. I have tried the beer and haven't been successful so I'm going to try some slug pellets, looking at Amazon to order some today. I'm determined to be a slug and snail killer this growing season.

 

[kev]

Grass him up to the gardening police mate.

Yeah, grass him up to the lawn, the little sod.

 

[LEONARD]

Yeah, grass him up to the law, the little sod.

Then Turf him out of the the gardners union.

 

[ClausThomsen]

I'm so tired of the slugs munching on everything on my garden. I have tried the beer and haven't been successful so I'm going to try some slug pellets, looking at Amazon to order some today. I'm determined to be a slug and snail killer this growing season.

I'd be careful what you use though. Slugs are part of the food chain and putting poison in them puts poison in their natural predators. And I personally think those bright blue pellets look a bit crap in a border. Of course there are probably other more subtle forms of pesticide but it's an industry I'm pretty wary of and struggle to see the necessity outside commercial growing.

I've grown lots of hostas in the past which are a slugs favourite. Making sure the plants were healthy and a bird feeding station which encouraged slug predators into the garden was more than enough for them to restore a healthy balance where the slugs couldn't take over. Nematodes work well also but I think you might have restrictions on their use over there.

I personally don't use chemicals in the garden bar a very weak washing up liquid solution on aphids. Otherwise I try and aim for balance in encouraging natural predators and if a particular plant is too much work to keep well without chemicals then I'll grow something else...there are plenty of something else's to be had!

Lily beetles are a good example. No natural predators here in the UK and they were obliterating my Lilies even if I was out there twice a day squashing the blighters. In the end I sacked the Lilies off and grew some Iris and Crocosmia there instead. Problem solved!