Grow your own dinner 2014

Happygreen

CAFCGirl wrote: »

Some odd looking brown insect is eating through holes through the leaves on my aubergines, my chillies, my peppers yet leaving alone my tomatoes, beans and basil.

Theyre slightly smaller than a 5p in length, and almost shield shaped. I keep trying to get a picture of one but they leap, like a flea.
Any ideas what they could be?

could it be those?
http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/stopping-stink-bugs

Fruittea

Stink bugs are horrible - also know as shield bugs. I had them last year and they wiped out my herb bed. So this year I was waiting for them when they started to bred back in May time. They are bright green then just like a mint leaf and quite hard to see.


Look under the leaf and see if there are any little brown areas - that will be their babies. If you have them in one area - pick them off and squish them. Also I have to say I sprayed the plants (Bayer Organic Bug Free - on sale in Tesco at the mo for £2.50) this double attack seems to have worked .


They seem to like overwintering in debris and old leaves - which is just what my herb patch is.


Good luck.

Happygreen

Fruittea wrote: »

Stink bugs are horrible - also know as shield bugs. I had them last year and they wiped out my herb bed. So this year I was waiting for them when they started to bred back in May time. They are bright green then just like a mint leaf and quite hard to see.


Look under the leaf and see if there are any little brown areas - that will be their babies. If you have them in one area - pick them off and squish them. Also I have to say I sprayed the plants (Bayer Organic Bug Free - on sale in Tesco at the mo for £2.50) this double attack seems to have worked .


They seem to like overwintering in debris and old leaves - which is just what my herb patch is.


Good luck.

Not all of them eat everything you grow and cherish, though. We have a variety that thrives on Hawthorn, so they can stay and live in the hedge.

WantAnOrange

Thanks for the help the other day. My courgettes are looking much happier, the little ones I had stayed tiny and dropped off but now have more which are growing at an incredible rate. Patty pans don't seem to have improved much but I am getting lots so maybe I'll be having lots of tiny ones? We found they are very good on pizza yesterday and DD (age 1 and a half) is able to chop them herself so she was very proud. :rotfl:

Fruittea

That sounds like a perfect use for patty pans. What a lovely thought and it will encourage your little one to enjoy the veg.


I've been thinking about next year (squash-wise) and I think I'm just going to grow crown prince and a butternut - plus one green and one yellow courgette. Already I have four large marrows and about ten courgettes in the veg box. I'll put them out by the gate today and see if any passers by want them. Plus all the surplus beans hopefully make a pound or two.


Looks like another hot day for Gloucestershire.


Oh by the way I spent the day at the International Birds of Prey Centre yesterday in Newent and have to say it was well worth the visit. The hour long flying display was really impressive. A great place to take a picnic and spend an afternoon - if you're in the area.

Slubberd

My friend got one in her salad wrap at work...the are very bright green and he was just sitting there..munching away....:eek:

Jazee

Slubberd wrote: »

My friend got one in her salad wrap at work...the are very bright green and he was just sitting there..munching away....:eek:

Oh dear!!

I'm just back from a week's holiday so I'm planning to get out in the garden today. Although DD had the job of watering the garden, it was looking decidedly dry when we got home but is recovering well now. The grass needs cutting, there is weeding to do, and I need to harvest some turnips and the potatoes. My first cucumber is almost ready, can't wait to taste that, but no luck at all with the peppers or courgettes.

UnluckyT

my attempt at veg growing another flop. plus trying to grow lavender seeds a non starter, I seem to get things so far and don't want to grow any more.
am going to try again though, although my garden in desperate need of de weeding seriously at the back with this invasive weed plus a good hack back of stuff growing from neighbur on one side.






will need to cut grass and turn composters soon. plus de weed lawn.
im kinda new to being keen on gardening so I think persistence and research and time and I will get their (and my garden too).

Happygreen

UnluckyT, it's a learning curb step by step for all of us, even if we'd done it for years! Trowel and error as a lovely and funny youtuber gardener put it

zafiro1984

Been away for 4 days, watered well before I went, came back and the beans are in flower and there are some very small ones developing - should be ready for the weekend, yipee