How about a gardening thread?

[smoky]

	Quote:	Tom1234
	They're not worms, they're caterpillars of the box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). They're really recent to Europe, coming from East Asia - basically in the last two or three years. I lost some stuff last year but judging by the number of caterpillars you found, I guess you left it too late. A combination of regular checking and removing by hand and treatment with a spray containing pyrethrum sees to be keeping them in check. But we don't have as many of these plants as you did. Sorry that you lost them. I'm never buying another box plant though. And last week I heard of the most stupid, ignorant Swiss neighbour one could imagine who also had these caterpillars on her box bushes. No wonder most Swiss leave their gardens to professional garden companies to manage. Rather than pick them off and destroy them, she decided she didn't have the heart to kill them so she released them into a nearby wood - where they'll turn into moths and visit other people's gardens. So, do what you want with them but make sure it involves killing them

Ja, ok - I`m losing my English vocab, caterpillars, not worms!

Not sorry about losing the bushes - was a nuisance hedge not serving any purpose, just taking up time with yearly pruning..... when we`re trying to cut down on garden work for old age time.

The infection came from our neighbors, because they came over to view the aftermath of our cutting - and admitted they have bushes SO overrun they decided to do nothing until there was nothing left to dispose of!

So obviously their moths took flight to find new pastures?

We now have only two ornamental Bux`s by the pond - easier to manage any infections, by regular inspections and careful spraying.

Only one neighbor has her Bux hedge, after investing over Sfr120 (still low and not as large as 10yrs growth) in spraying last year, to be repeated this year, at another (+)Sfr120. But she`s a professional working woman employing a garden firm for her garden. Not everyone employs professional garden firms!

And by the time the invasion is noticeable, it`s usually too late, as the caterpillars work from the inside out.

Our caterpillars are contained - cooking in the heat. But ours a small portion of what I`ve seen around - much like the starfish story.

[Tom1234]

	Quote:	smoky
	Ja, ok - I`m losing my English vocab, caterpillars, not worms! Not sorry about losing the bushes - was a nuisance hedge not serving any purpose, just taking up time with yearly pruning..... when we`re trying to cut down on garden work for old age time. The infection came from our neighbors, because they came over to view the aftermath of our cutting - and admitted they have bushes SO overrun they decided to do nothing until there was nothing left to dispose of! So obviously their moths took flight to find new pastures?

Which is pretty selfish of them too.

It's not just imported ornamental box that's being destroyed but a native Swiss variety.

[sups]

I spotted these rascals too last year and I sprayed them with an insecticide. the bush regained some green lush but this year they are back and with a vengeance.! sprays are expensive over the time but it would be sad to lose such a beautiful bush border between us and the neighbors.I am going to try a tobacco spray ...I read this on internet...don't know if it really works

[sups]

Ok for those of you interested in planting a winter hardy banana..they are selling Musa bajsoo at Landi at 14Sfr- It apparently gives fruit a very sweet one but is full of seeds.

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	I would but I havn't got much to swap due to only having a big patch of mud for a garden at the moment. I have got a few bits though and I saved the bulbs for you ( tete a tete and muscari.

BM whenever you are ready with your borders, I've got 100s of plants you can have. They will mostly have to the 'Chelsea chopped' but that's fine.
And if you fancy going to the Pontarlier market on a Thursday morning - where there are so many plant sellers, I'm up for it - followed by lunch, menu at the Brasserie for E7.50 or the Chinese all you can eat buffet for E10!

	Quote:	sups
	EDOT i remember seeing licorice in wyss(volketswil) last year, don't know if they still have it.

When we were in the Netherlands, we had a dessert with small green leaves as garnish and they were delicious, licorice flavored. small roundish leaves. looked up licorice plant and that's what it looked like. I'll look again when we go back to the Netherlands in August.

I didn't see licorice in wyss last week, but i got lots of herbs and a lemon verbena. I ordered a replacement peach tree from baldur and some scented geraniums to keep away mosquitos. Now i have to organize dirt and new pots.

The husband wants a Meyer lemon, so i think I'll be getting that from Germany.

Enjoy your lemon verbena- I prune mine regularly, drying the leaves to make lovely tea- and it grows back even bushier. Just pour hot water onto the leaves, a great calming and soothing tea.

[Belgianmum]

	Quote:
	BM whenever you are ready with your borders, I've got 100s of plants you can have. They will mostly have to the 'Chelsea chopped' but that's fine. And if you fancy going to the Pontarlier market on a Thursday morning - where there are so many plant sellers, I'm up for it - followed by lunch, menu at the Brasserie for E7.50 or the Chinese all you can eat buffet for E10!

Thank you so much. The gardener is coming this week to landscape the garden and sow the grass so hopefully my borders will be ready very soon.

Having looked at the prices of plants in the garden centre and the number I will be needing I think a trip to Pontarlier will be necessary and you know me, I'd never refuse a lunch out somewhere.

And if it's still ok with you G would very much like to stay for his holidays in July.

Of course, a pleasure. As said, you will be able to fill in a lot of border space with plants from our garden - so many from our garden in UK and doing so well here.

Hi Belgianmum and Odile,

How I wish I could join you on your trip to Pontarlier market!

We've also gotten into the gardening groove and enjoy showing the kids how to grow (and harvest) fruits and vegetables. We don't really know what we are doing but Google is my friend. I simply enjoy doing something worthwhile while spending time outdoors with the children.

Hope to see you this summer!

	Quote:	Belgianmum
	Thank you so much. The gardener is coming this week to landscape the garden and sow the grass so hopefully my borders will be ready very soon. Having looked at the prices of plants in the garden centre and the number I will be needing I think a trip to Pontarlier will be necessary and you know me, I'd never refuse a lunch out somewhere. And if it's still ok with you G would very much like to stay for his holidays in July.

	Quote:
	Enjoy your lemon verbena- I prune mine regularly, drying the leaves to make lovely tea- and it grows back even bushier. Just pour hot water onto the leaves, a great calming and soothing tea.

Yes, i've had a few over the years. Had to leave several after various moves. It makes a lovely tea and i've got some other recipes using the leaves that i must dig out.

[meloncollie]

Have any of you ever successfully treated your cherry or plum trees affected by Schrottschusskrankheit?

(Shot hole disease is the direct translation, but I don't know if that is the common English name, or not. I'd never encountered this particular blight until moving here...)

My poor trees are now in the third year of this. Each year I think we've beaten it, blooms and early leaves look healthy, the tree starts to fruit - but then around June/July the blight hits, leaves sicken and die, the fruit mummifies on the branch.

I know this year is particularly bad for Schrottschusskrankheit in our area, but I'm wondering if after three years I should just throw in the towel.

So - any hopeful stories out there? If any of you have beaten this blight, could you share what you have done?

Many thanks.

[Wollishofener]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	Have any of you ever successfully treated your cherry or plum trees affected by Schrottschusskrankheit? (Shot hole disease is the direct translation, but I don't know if that is the common English name, or not. I'd never encountered this particular blight until moving here...) My poor trees are now in the third year of this. Each year I think we've beaten it, blooms and early leaves look healthy, the tree starts to fruit - but then around June/July the blight hits, leaves sicken and die, the fruit mummifies on the branch. I know this year is particularly bad for Schrottschusskrankheit in our area, but I'm wondering if after three years I should just throw in the towel. So - any hopeful stories out there? If any of you have beaten this blight, could you share what you have done? Many thanks.

As boys we "got" a tree each of us, my brother an apple tree and me a beautiful pear-tree. A few years later I had to learn that MY tree had got a bad illness, and so had to give my approval to have it eliminated. I felt sad and devastated

You will be forced to eliminate ALL trees suffering from the illness. As bitter as it is. ALL !!! And possibly even replace the earth below ! No chance to succeed with waiting,. Only a full approach brings results

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	Wollishofener
	You will be forced to eliminate ALL trees suffering from the illness. As bitter as it is. ALL !!! And possibly even replace the earth below ! No chance to succeed with waiting,. Only a full approach brings results

Thanks Wolli - I had feared as much.

I was hoping to avoid cutting the trees down. The current trees have been here long enough to be protected by the statute of limitations, but our tree-hating neighbor will file an objection to any new tree planted, even a replacement. This... ahem... gentleman will not rest until the entire neighborhood is concreted over.

(Why oh why do city folks move out to the country side, and then object to country life? But that's another thead...)

Ah well, ya do whatcha gotta do. I fear my jam-making days are numbered...

	Quote:	carlasmom
	Hi Belgianmum and Odile, How I wish I could join you on your trip to Pontarlier market! We've also gotten into the gardening groove and enjoy showing the kids how to grow (and harvest) fruits and vegetables. We don't really know what we are doing but Google is my friend. I simply enjoy doing something worthwhile while spending time outdoors with the children. Hope to see you this summer!

Why not join us Carlasmom? Can you make arrangements for the kids to have lunch at a friend's and bring the baby?

Anyway - yes it would be lovely to see you. Just say when and we will arrange something.

[biff]

	Quote:	sups
	I had been to Landi yesterday and was tempted to buy some fruiting seedlings.I bought pepino(melon brine) and a dwarf tamarillo seedling each costing 3.00....don't know how the fruit is supposed to taste but will be happy to harvest something this year itself.

Tamarillo (they used to be known as "Tree Tomatoes") taste like fruit salad - a perfumy, mixed flavour. They are sometimes quite tart. THe best way to eat them is to cut them in half, scoop the flesh into a bowl, sprinkle sugar over them, and eat for breakfast the next morning.

[Wollishofener]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	Thanks Wolli - I had feared as much. I was hoping to avoid cutting the trees down. The current trees have been here long enough to be protected by the statute of limitations, but our tree-hating neighbor will file an objection to any new tree planted, even a replacement. This... ahem... gentleman will not rest until the entire neighborhood is concreted over. (Why oh why do city folks move out to the country side, and then object to country life? But that's another thead...) Ah well, ya do whatcha gotta do. I fear my jam-making days are numbered...

To replace trees is not only allowed, it even is mandatory. In my case, Mum during our next holidays in the Toscana allowed me to choose three of my favourite mini-trees there to replace MY pear-tree. And the G--sehole does NOT have the law on his side, not at all

Thank you for inviting me, Odile.

Would you believe that I've never done that so the idea never occured to me? However, it wouldn't be possible on a Thursday anyway. Our daughter was moved to 2nd grade a few weeks ago and now her schedule is such that she has no classes on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Since she is fairly new in this class we don't know anyone well enough yet to invite ourselves . Her other friends go back to school in the afternoon.

But we could do a meet up on Wed or Thu afternoon! By the lake or in our garden.

	Quote:
	Why not join us Carlasmom? Can you make arrangements for the kids to have lunch at a friend's and bring the baby? Anyway - yes it would be lovely to see you. Just say when and we will arrange something.

[Vaud]

	Quote:	meloncollie
	Have any of you ever successfully treated your cherry or plum trees affected by Schrottschusskrankheit? (Shot hole disease is the direct translation, but I don't know if that is the common English name, or not. I'd never encountered this particular blight until moving here...) My poor trees are now in the third year of this. Each year I think we've beaten it, blooms and early leaves look healthy, the tree starts to fruit - but then around June/July the blight hits, leaves sicken and die, the fruit mummifies on the branch. I know this year is particularly bad for Schrottschusskrankheit in our area, but I'm wondering if after three years I should just throw in the towel. So - any hopeful stories out there? If any of you have beaten this blight, could you share what you have done? Many thanks.

Which treatments have you tried so far?

I had some success with copper spray and pruning.

[meloncollie]

	Quote:	Wollishofener
	And the G--sehole does NOT have the law on his side, not at all

Unfortunately he does.

The old trees were planted 3 meters from the property line; they are grandfathered, but any new tree would have to stick to regulations and so cannot be replaced in that spot.

Apparently tree height restrictions are measured from the property line, not the point where the tree is planted - and as my property is a slope, planting 5 meters back (that is, up the slope) from the property line means that I automatically lose 3 meters in allowable height.

I've looked at dwarf cherry trees, but the dwarf varieties I've seen are not suitable for our altitude. (Anyone know of a dwarf, high altitude, disease resistant cherry?)

	Quote:	Vaud
	Which treatments have you tried so far? I had some success with copper spray and pruning.

I've tried the copper spray (Cupromaag, sprayed in early spring before the tree sets buds, again after the flowers fall, a third time 15 days later), I'm religious about gathering up fallen affected leaves and fruit. When pruning, I've painted the cut site with a Wundverschlussmittel. I've been fertilizing the tree as well.

Is there another fungicide I should try? Is there anything I can do this summer or autumn?

Again, many thanks.