Sunday 24 August 2008

who's bugging who ?

I managed another couple of hours at the lottie today and whilst checking out the phacelia seeds spotted a stink bug shedding his skin

hatchingStinkBug1 copy

hatchingStinkBug copy

hatchingStinkBug3 copy

about half an hour after this photo was taken he was starting to move around and his skin was turning a really rich deep reddy-brown:

hatchingStinkBug2 copy

I found a few bigger ones outside:

GreenShieldbug copy

GreenShieldbugs2 copy

GreenStinkBug copy

GreenShieldbugs copy

The sweetcorn has lots of different bugs - this fella is a metallic green and 'pings' when you get close to him

ShineyGreenBug copy

This brown one jumps like a flea ... err, not that I know what they look like

JumpyBug copy

who knows what these are going to grow up to be ...

Eggs copy

I did manage to do some work in between bug spotting - I've dug in the Fenugreek and sown some Chard (Bright Lights). I weeded the (small) strawberry bed and also the broad beans, which are beginning to look past their best. I noticed yesterday that one of the hedges has managed to grow higher than me, so I had a bit of a chop at that. I've also tidied the Globe Artichokes up a bit - the branches are so heavy that they've collapsed and the plants are looking quite scruffy.

I'd forgotten about the peas that I sowed a couple of weeks ago and had to think twice when I looked in the brick bed ... hopefully I'll get a quick crop before winter arrives. I've been checking out the Meteor packet and it says to sow in October and overwinter - should have peas for May.

Pea copy

We've eaten our way through the Vales Emerald Potatoes (not growing them again) and we are now chomping our way through the Kestrel. The look great - very pale with delicate pink markings, but apparently they are not a patch on the Cara as OH has told me for, oh, the thousanth time I think this week. So far not critter damage, or scab on them either ... they are definitely on my shortlist for next year.

Did I mention the blackberry & almond cake with meringue topping that I made last week ? It was a definite hit, so I've picked some more blackberries and think I'll be baking later ...

1 comment:

  1. Fabulous pictures!! One of the things about growing your own is seeing all those amazing little bugs that you would otherwise never have witnessed. I was particularly intriuged with the little chap that "pings" when you get too near.. TC Tatty

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