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Garden Pests
Garden Pests
Interested in info on the above , what to expect and what plants are most subject to attack.
We plan to have a small vegatable area and one for flowers.
We plan to have a small vegatable area and one for flowers.
Hi
We are new gardeners to the ALgarve and are successfully growing veg and floweres...well alos a lot of succulents as well.
The biggest pest for us is rabbits....we overcame this by building a pen for the Veg.
Insects are numerous...and many are unmentionable....you are not sure whether they have been genetically modified...but they are bloody huge not to mention wierd!!
I am never sure if they are going to jump...fly...walk not to mention if they bite or sting.
I usually always wear gloves...and now my veg patch is brimming with life of all sorts...usually wear long sleeve shirts and trousers as a precaution.
We also have an adder in residence...somewhere...I originally found it lurking in a stack of flower pots...I had narrow escape.
Also be careful of the scorpians and those huge mean ants. they certainly nip.
HAving said all this....as it came of a surprise to me...the vegetables are wonderful.
We started crops of french beans...and peas...in feb andd first harvest today. Alos Beetroot, carrots, toms, potatoes radish, garlic , onions and spinach. + cumcur...I think (could be cougets) + basil, coriander and parsley!!
I retain a healthy respect for all the insects that share my garden with me and give them a wide birth where possible.
Good luck
PS the farmers markets are agood place to get seedlings etc.
Kind Regards
Piglet
We are new gardeners to the ALgarve and are successfully growing veg and floweres...well alos a lot of succulents as well.
The biggest pest for us is rabbits....we overcame this by building a pen for the Veg.
Insects are numerous...and many are unmentionable....you are not sure whether they have been genetically modified...but they are bloody huge not to mention wierd!!
I am never sure if they are going to jump...fly...walk not to mention if they bite or sting.
I usually always wear gloves...and now my veg patch is brimming with life of all sorts...usually wear long sleeve shirts and trousers as a precaution.
We also have an adder in residence...somewhere...I originally found it lurking in a stack of flower pots...I had narrow escape.
Also be careful of the scorpians and those huge mean ants. they certainly nip.
HAving said all this....as it came of a surprise to me...the vegetables are wonderful.
We started crops of french beans...and peas...in feb andd first harvest today. Alos Beetroot, carrots, toms, potatoes radish, garlic , onions and spinach. + cumcur...I think (could be cougets) + basil, coriander and parsley!!
I retain a healthy respect for all the insects that share my garden with me and give them a wide birth where possible.
Good luck
PS the farmers markets are agood place to get seedlings etc.
Kind Regards
Piglet
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Ellie
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Oh well done! Sounds like a nice allotment you have going there piglet 
Nothing so good,as homegrown veggies.
and I remember those ANTS very well, and yeah they do sting!
You're very wise with the 'covering up' too....not only for protection against possible insect bites, but skin protection from the sun!
In my garden job there, I wasn't so wise and had quite a nasty bout of sunstroke & prickly heat....was quite ill for a week.
Yes, saw many strange looking insects,which I couldn't identify..all shapes & sizes!
We were warned about scorpions (to always look in our shoes,before putting them on)..but never saw any.
Wish you hadn't mentioned snakes..I have a phobia! Had a couple of close encounters
In response to tbbr :insects.......planting certain plants near to vegetables can help deter some 'nasties' such as mossies and other flies..Like, Marigolds..Basil..and Lemon Geranium (Perlargonium crispum)..they don't like the strong aroma given off!
Happy gardening!
Nothing so good,as homegrown veggies.
and I remember those ANTS very well, and yeah they do sting!
You're very wise with the 'covering up' too....not only for protection against possible insect bites, but skin protection from the sun!
In my garden job there, I wasn't so wise and had quite a nasty bout of sunstroke & prickly heat....was quite ill for a week.
Yes, saw many strange looking insects,which I couldn't identify..all shapes & sizes!
We were warned about scorpions (to always look in our shoes,before putting them on)..but never saw any.
Wish you hadn't mentioned snakes..I have a phobia! Had a couple of close encounters
In response to tbbr :insects.......planting certain plants near to vegetables can help deter some 'nasties' such as mossies and other flies..Like, Marigolds..Basil..and Lemon Geranium (Perlargonium crispum)..they don't like the strong aroma given off!
Happy gardening!
piglet how did you get rid of all those nasties? Did you use anything if so what? I am keen to garden when our own place is finished but the list you reeled of is enough to make me buy all my fruit & veg' from the market & leave it to the experts. 
I quite like snakes they can be so beautiful, I use to come across a lot of adders when dog walking, in fact we had a scottie dog when I was a child that use to catch them in the garden & toss them in the air & I'd have to go rescue them before the daft dog got bit. I think the Algarve equivalent is called a ladder back, but I'm not sure. Anyway I've always found with snakes you leave them alone & they'll leave you alone.
I quite like snakes they can be so beautiful, I use to come across a lot of adders when dog walking, in fact we had a scottie dog when I was a child that use to catch them in the garden & toss them in the air & I'd have to go rescue them before the daft dog got bit. I think the Algarve equivalent is called a ladder back, but I'm not sure. Anyway I've always found with snakes you leave them alone & they'll leave you alone.
Very true Ellie, I'm an arachnidphobic I'm always on the look out for spiders it's second nature to me so I'm really careful about where I put my feet or my hands come to that. Walking the dogs early morning on rustic land I've noticed big round cobwebs everywhere on the ground, they seem to be centred over a hole I hate to think what lives down there 
so I've had to change my walks.
so I've had to change my walks.-
Ellie
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That is Spooky Blue!...as in 'How big that there spider down hole ?
That rustic land , isn't up by Vila Nova is it?
I dont remember seeing spiders in our Lagoa apartment(Jamies like yourself with them..he cant even look at pics of those big hairy ones!)
D'you have the little lizards/geckos, in your home?
We had few that lived behind a picture on wall..they start out very tiny dont they? I used to look at them on ceiling over bed and worry Id sleep with mouth open and................. !
I dont know the Port. name for adders...our boys at workshops just called them 'Cobra' (snake).
An English friend, who had a bar out there, had a Chameleon that spent most of its time on ceiling,around the light..he reckons it was best way to deal with mossies
That rustic land , isn't up by Vila Nova is it?
I dont remember seeing spiders in our Lagoa apartment(Jamies like yourself with them..he cant even look at pics of those big hairy ones!)
D'you have the little lizards/geckos, in your home?
We had few that lived behind a picture on wall..they start out very tiny dont they? I used to look at them on ceiling over bed and worry Id sleep with mouth open and.................
!I dont know the Port. name for adders...our boys at workshops just called them 'Cobra' (snake).
An English friend, who had a bar out there, had a Chameleon that spent most of its time on ceiling,around the light..he reckons it was best way to deal with mossies
I don't know how big the spiders are but some of the holes are the size of a golf ball so that's gotta be some big 8 legged monster . It's funny how something as harmless (at least in Europe) as a spider can scare the c**p out of me but I'm quite happy to handle any other type of creepycrawly or snakes, rats etc.. I love the gekos, we had one lodging with us when we first moved in, it came in with the logs. I was setting up the fire one morning & saw something out of the corner of my eye, of course my first thought is spider so I've leapt back but it was the cutest little geko, it it ran up the wall & hid behind the picture appearing occasionaly to the dogs great curiosity. I finally had to catch it & put it outside when the cat started trying to leap onto the picture trying to get to it. 
I'd like to get a book in English on the flora & fauna of Portugal/The Algarve do you know if one exists?
. It's funny how something as harmless (at least in Europe) as a spider can scare the c**p out of me but I'm quite happy to handle any other type of creepycrawly or snakes, rats etc.. I love the gekos, we had one lodging with us when we first moved in, it came in with the logs. I was setting up the fire one morning & saw something out of the corner of my eye, of course my first thought is spider so I've leapt back but it was the cutest little geko, it it ran up the wall & hid behind the picture appearing occasionaly to the dogs great curiosity. I finally had to catch it & put it outside when the cat started trying to leap onto the picture trying to get to it. I'd like to get a book in English on the flora & fauna of Portugal/The Algarve do you know if one exists?
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Ellie
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I haven't got any books on 'Fauna' blue (but would love to have one..may take a look on Amazon?)..
But I have book called 'The Mediterranean Gardener' by Hugo Latymer
and a field guide for 'Wild flowers of Europe'.
You've got me curious to know more about Portugal's wildlife (animals).
Hub & Carlos had encounter with dead wolf, in the Senhora da Verde area.. 'Close encounters' on ellies corner & in book (blatant advertising
)
I would love to learn more of the Iberian Lynx. I have a 2yearold 'Resident' newspaper,with big article on Lynx..stating sightings of this wild cat near Portimao & Silves!
I believe Martin told us, that there are Mongoose too inland?
Let me know if you find a book on Portugals wildlife please
But I have book called 'The Mediterranean Gardener' by Hugo Latymer
and a field guide for 'Wild flowers of Europe'.
You've got me curious to know more about Portugal's wildlife (animals).
Hub & Carlos had encounter with dead wolf, in the Senhora da Verde area.. 'Close encounters' on ellies corner & in book (blatant advertising
)I would love to learn more of the Iberian Lynx. I have a 2yearold 'Resident' newspaper,with big article on Lynx..stating sightings of this wild cat near Portimao & Silves!
I believe Martin told us, that there are Mongoose too inland?
Let me know if you find a book on Portugals wildlife please
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Thunderbolt
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Ellie
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Hi ThdbltThunderbolt wrote:Hi Ellie,
We have a mongoose on our new site here. An Egyptian one apparently!
Thats interesting..so you will be guarded against the 'slithery things' that blue likes and Im scared of!
Remember Kipling's story of 'Rikky Tikky Tavi' the mongoose,who killed the Cobra?
Its funny, although Im phobic with snakes, Im 'drawn' to watching them on TV?
Remember seeing snakes dead in the road a few times, when we drove the back roads from Lagoa to Algoz. Saw a large turtle embedded there once too. Was told there were rice fields on the outskirts, water-filled gulleys..so, suppose amphibians would be around?
Will definitely have to search for book on Portugal's wildlife
Hi.... with regards to getting rid of nasties....I have not. Just given them a wide birth at the moment as I want the veg to be organic as far as possible. I do have some slug pellets.
Still, ater the really hot week I think I will be running down the patch July August to a minimum...so much water...and it really was just to hot to enjoy....with a view to getting a second crop re some peas and beans, carrots etc before DEC ie plant again beg sept.
HAs anyone ever tried this...Ellie??
PB any tips on growing basil??
Still, ater the really hot week I think I will be running down the patch July August to a minimum...so much water...and it really was just to hot to enjoy....with a view to getting a second crop re some peas and beans, carrots etc before DEC ie plant again beg sept.
HAs anyone ever tried this...Ellie??
PB any tips on growing basil??
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Ellie
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I never grew vegetables in Algarve..just tomatoes & salad veg in pots on my roof garden..
With things like broad beans, and seeing as you're in warm climes ..you can do autumn sowing late october/early November! So imagine you could try other veg too?Good drainage is important,
Sorry I can't advise more!
With the slug problem, I was told by an old gardening friend(he knew more than I ever will )..not to water in the evenings, as the little devils do their worse after dark, when grounds wet!
Its true..take a torch and look around your garden after dark when theres been rain in the evening...and there they are..munching away!
I remember seeing HUGE black slugs in Algarve..not nice!
How about this then...last week I was hoovering spare room, and I saw a silver trail leading under the desk of main PC.....slug! shudder! How it got there, is anybodys guess! Can only think it made its way along the hall from the garage door that was left open! 'orrible
With things like broad beans, and seeing as you're in warm climes
..you can do autumn sowing late october/early November! So imagine you could try other veg too?Good drainage is important,Sorry I can't advise more!
With the slug problem, I was told by an old gardening friend(he knew more than I ever will
)..not to water in the evenings, as the little devils do their worse after dark, when grounds wet!Its true..take a torch and look around your garden after dark when theres been rain in the evening...and there they are..munching away!
I remember seeing HUGE black slugs in Algarve..not nice!
How about this then...last week I was hoovering spare room, and I saw a silver trail leading under the desk of main PC.....slug! shudder! How it got there, is anybodys guess! Can only think it made its way along the hall from the garage door that was left open! 'orrible