545 replies to this topic

[Clarimoo]

Has anyone ever tried putting the shells from pistachio nuts on the soil to keep slugs away?  Or would the shells attract other undesirables?  Do the shells break down eventually and enrich the soil?

...and if walnut shells would keep slugs away that would be nice for me.....

[Misterioso]

Has anyone ever tried putting the shells from pistachio nuts on the soil to keep slugs away?  Or would the shells attract other undesirables?  Do the shells break down eventually and enrich the soil?

 

If you have woodlice, the shells will attract those.

[Aquarelle]

Does anyone know how to get rid of moles?. I can't bring myself yo use gas pellets. I've bought a thing which emits vibrations but it was expensive and I would need two or three more to cover the garden.

[Clarimoo]

Does anyone know how to get rid of moles?. I can't bring myself yo use gas pellets. I've bought a thing which emits vibrations but it was expensive and I would need two or three more to cover the garden.

Is it the sort of thing you could move around? If you keep re-siting it every couple of days the moles might get the idea, and de-camp to a neighbour whose garden never emits vibrations.

[Aquarelle]

 

Does anyone know how to get rid of moles?. I can't bring myself yo use gas pellets. I've bought a thing which emits vibrations but it was expensive and I would need two or three more to cover the garden.

Is it the sort of thing you could move around? If you keep re-siting it every couple of days the moles might get the idea, and de-camp to a neighbour whose garden never emits vibrations.

 

 

Yes I have moved it it but our garden is very big.  I have capitulated and bought a second one while in the garden shop this morning. I suspect the moles have moved in from the surrounding fields. This .might; be because as it's winter Im not using the lawn tractor. Normally I would try driving it around without cutting but at the moment it's too muddy

[Aquarelle]

Well, I have had a look round for humane traps but they don't seem very humane to me.  They trap the mole in a tiny space and the poor thing stays there until you manage to find time to check the trap - which means digging it out.  That could be long enough for a slow death. I have now found a special offer for two emitters a for the price of one.  I will have them tomorrow. Meanwhile  the moles have moved from one of their places to another and I have counted 12 little hills so have put the two emitters I already have there. There are at least three other places in the garden that will have to be dealt with.

 

A nice thing happened while weeding yesterday. I found a clump of self sown wild primroses. I thought they had all died as they disappeared two years ago but it looks as if they left some roots or seeds. They are  my favorite flowers so I hope they will now thrive. Woe betide any mole that approaches them!

[Misterioso]

A nice thing happened while weeding yesterday. I found a clump of self sown wild primroses. I thought they had all died as they disappeared two years ago but it looks as if they left some roots or seeds. They are  my favorite flowers so I hope they will now thrive. Woe betide any mole that approaches them!

 

You could put up a sign saying "Moles - keep off".

 

I have two indoor plants that are growing out of being indoor plants. One is a parlour palm, the other is a fig tree. Does anyone know if it's possible to plant these outside with any success? What do other people do when their indoor plants get too big?

[Latin pianist]

There is a British Guild of Molecatchers. One man round here advertises that he will humanely remove moles with no gas, chemicals or poison. Unfortunately he doesn't say how!

[Hedgehog]

Not sure quite whether this comes under the gardening section but here goes:

One of our upstairs windows looks directly into the branches of a silver birch and it became evident that there was a bird's nest in the tree when all the leaves had fallen earlier this winter. Just a basic bird's nest.  When I looked out earlier this week, I was astonished to see a bright yellow "thing" in the bird's nest (immediate thoughts of an egg disappeared, after all there should be a shell!!)  But that's exactly what it looks like - it's still there.

Cue some deep thought .... and a bit of searching on the internet ..... and I think we can see a specimen of Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (a kind of fungus usually found in potted plants in the UK as it needs a warmer climate).  I was a bit mystified, but we have had unseasonably warm weather, and it's been damp - so I reckon it's the right conditions.

Unless anyone can offer a better explanation .... (I can't get close to the nest as it's too high and too far from the window)

[Clarimoo]

 

 

A nice thing happened while weeding yesterday. I found a clump of self sown wild primroses. I thought they had all died as they disappeared two years ago but it looks as if they left some roots or seeds. They are  my favorite flowers so I hope they will now thrive. Woe betide any mole that approaches them!

 

You could put up a sign saying "Moles - keep off".

 

I have two indoor plants that are growing out of being indoor plants. One is a parlour palm, the other is a fig tree. Does anyone know if it's possible to plant these outside with any success? What do other people do when their indoor plants get too big?

 

Idon't know, I have a fig tree growing in a pot in my garden but I don't live in the Outer Hebrides.

I had a lovely plant that got too big for my living room so I gave it to a friend who has a conservatory.

[Aquarelle]

 

A nice thing happened while weeding yesterday. I found a clump of self sown wild primroses. I thought they had all died as they disappeared two years ago but it looks as if they left some roots or seeds. They are  my favorite flowers so I hope they will now thrive. Woe betide any mole that approaches them!

 

You could put up a sign saying "Moles - keep off".

 

I have two indoor plants that are growing out of being indoor plants. One is a parlour palm, the other is a fig tree. Does anyone know if it's possible to plant these outside with any success? What do other people do when their indoor plants get too big?

 

We have a fig tree in our garden but we are a long way from the outer Hebrides - more like almost in Spain. However I think you can put the pot outside in a sunny spot during the summer but you then have to protect it from frost in the winter. This would presumably be a problem if it was too big to protect and in any case I wonder if you would get any figs as they don't much like the cold. They don't like the rain either and  I have to rush out and pick them before they get spoilt by late summer storms.However I think it is fairly safe to cut fig trees down to size so you might be able to keep it indoors after all. Ours is definitely large garden size but has frequently been cut down to a manageable size.

 

I'm afraid my moles are still at it. I don't think my  moles can read but perhaps someone can tell me if "Mole" in "The Wind in the Willows" was able to!

[Misterioso]

 

 

A nice thing happened while weeding yesterday. I found a clump of self sown wild primroses. I thought they had all died as they disappeared two years ago but it looks as if they left some roots or seeds. They are  my favorite flowers so I hope they will now thrive. Woe betide any mole that approaches them!

 

You could put up a sign saying "Moles - keep off".

 

I have two indoor plants that are growing out of being indoor plants. One is a parlour palm, the other is a fig tree. Does anyone know if it's possible to plant these outside with any success? What do other people do when their indoor plants get too big?

 

We have a fig tree in our garden but we are a long way from the outer Hebrides - more like almost in Spain. However I think you can put the pot outside in a sunny spot during the summer but you then have to protect it from frost in the winter. This would presumably be a problem if it was too big to protect and in any case I wonder if you would get any figs as they don't much like the cold. They don't like the rain either and  I have to rush out and pick them before they get spoilt by late summer storms.However I think it is fairly safe to cut fig trees down to size so you might be able to keep it indoors after all. Ours is definitely large garden size but has frequently been cut down to a manageable size.

 

I'm afraid my moles are still at it. I don't think my  moles can read but perhaps someone can tell me if "Mole" in "The Wind in the Willows" was able to!

 

 

Thanks, Aquarelle - perhaps I should try cutting it back rather than planting it in the garden, then. This winter we've had a lot of frost. It's about 4' 6" and is (as far as I know) an ornamental fig tree. There is no sign of figs on it.

[Aquarelle]

I am pleased to see that my  emitters work. The moles have moved to another part of the garden. I have  five mole "towns" now thriving in various parts of the garden. There are also two  little towns that have obviously been abandoned. I have four more devices but can't yet dig them in as it's too wet. Just wait until I can!

 

Question. Can anyone tell me why my daffodils have no flower buds? I have several  clumps that have been growing in a border near the house. They are planted near a forsythia bush. Yet again this year they have come up with no flowers. Should I move them?

[Clarimoo]

I am pleased to see that my  emitters work. The moles have moved to another part of the garden. I have  five mole "towns" now thriving in various parts of the garden. There are also two  little towns that have obviously been abandoned. I have four more devices but can't yet dig them in as it's too wet. Just wait until I can!

 

Question. Can anyone tell me why my daffodils have no flower buds? I have several  clumps that have been growing in a border near the house. They are planted near a forsythia bush. Yet again this year they have come up with no flowers. Should I move them?

When the daffs have no flowers it's called "coming up blind", sometimes it's due to them being planted too shallowly, sometimes in too shady a spot or other reasons that I don't know about. I would reccommend cutting back the forsythia to give more light and givin the daffs plenty of water and lots and lots of mulch (making them deeper below the surface).

 

I'm glad to hear that your moles are starting to pack their little bags!