Planting and Growing Vegetables

Yeah the lilac flowers of thyme are great  , the flower heads of chive are also nice on salads.

The basil goes  yellowy and to seed in the end and the flavour isnt as good .

To imagine traipsing through life with out fresh herbs that really would be a shame , theres a reason why these herbs are attractive to us ,its natures best medicine.

ruffrecords said:

I have not seen a lady bug (UK = ladybird) for years - we had a plague of them in the late 70s. I was not aware you could buy them.

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Bugs or birds, whatever. Amazon UK lists them, though actual availability is hit/miss, and you need "live ladybirds" to sort-out the plastic nic-naks.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-ladybirds-natural-pest-control-50/dp/B00YAT1IVC
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonfli-Ladybird-Adults-Ladybirds-Greenfly/dp/B07CG5Y4W2
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dragonfli-Ladybird-Larvae-Natural-Greenfly/dp/B07MRL4ZDH

They are not true bugs. They are not true birds.

PRR said:

Bugs or birds, whatever. Amazon UK lists them, though actual availability is hit/miss, and you need "live ladybirds" to sort-out the plastic nic-naks.
They are not true bugs. They are not true birds.

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I did a quick search and found quite a few places that sell them about £16 for 25. You can buy adults or larvae of a complete family of both. Cute.

https://www.greengardener.co.uk/shop/ladybirds-and-lacewings/adult-ladybirds.html

Cheers

Ian

ruffrecords said:

I did a quick search and found quite a few places that sell them about £16 for 25. You can buy adults or larvae of a complete family of both. Cute.

https://www.greengardener.co.uk/shop/ladybirds-and-lacewings/adult-ladybirds.html

Cheers

Ian

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I don't have to pay for them. hundreds of them take refuge in my window sills in winter. Apparently they hibernate there. When I open the windows in the spring they wake up and fly away. Maybe I could do some business...  ;D

ruffrecords said:

I did a quick search and found quite a few places that sell them about £16 for 25. You can buy adults or larvae of a complete family of both. Cute.

https://www.greengardener.co.uk/shop/ladybirds-and-lacewings/adult-ladybirds.html

Cheers

Ian

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That sounds expensive, I recall buying thousands of ladybugs (your ladybird) for close to that price.

I also recall separately buying lacewings, a different beneficial insect that also eats aphids, mites, etc.


JR

PS: Descendants of those original lady bugs are still around my yard, I don't see any lacewings these years later.

Not to change the subject but I just loaded this years seedling planting into my DIY greenhouse... 7 different kinds of peppers, mostly caliente, and one cucumber that I found only one seed left over from last year... so we'll test if that one seed has enough will to live.  :

This year I have the seeds planted inside a thermostatically heated mini greenhouse inside my laundry room with LED growlights (that may or may not help... they look pretty).

I am thinking about building a raised bed garden in my yard this year... no hurry, that sounds a little like work.

JR

I have three different (hot) pepper plants (in my small green house) showing first pair of leaves.

Anaheim, Habanera, and Jalapeno showing signs of life.... still waiting on several other pepper plants.

JR