John's Gardening Diary (03/06/20)

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Produce which would normally have been sold at the Gardens Open Day or given to friends is now surplus. So plenty freesias, streptocarpus, Duke of York potatoes available at the Smiddy gate. Donations to Hall funds.

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Picking strawberries between the showers and the proportion only fit for jam is about 50%. Caused by slugholes and the depredations of the strawberry seed beetle. Slug pellets were put down before strawing but wet conditions don't help. The strawberry seed beetle does what it says - namely eats the seeds of the strawberry fruit as can be seen left. They also continue to eat the flesh leaving the affected area mushy. No control available to gardeners. The host plant is annual meadowgrass and I thought the problem was solved by moving the plantation yearly, but they are back this year - also worse in wet conditions. SUN PLEASE!