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LETTERS TO WENDY At the end of the drought…
Then came the rain: as the torrent gushed through the water butt taps, Robert had another technique to maximise his water collecting
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WIN £20
A takeaway
Star letter could get rid of it. I was going to have to refit the downpipe. I can say with some conviction that attempting this job with water gushing out of the pipe is not recommended if you want to stay dry (and I was already soaked to the skin). I did think though, after the downpipe was refitted, that I had gone above and beyond the call of duty in my efforts to save water and I decided to call it a day! Robert Hinchcliffe, North Lincolnshire
Moth traps are lethal to blue tits
Reader Material unless credited
Thank you for all your gardening-themed poems. Marilyn Wellman from Taunton, Somerset, writes about the antics of visiting birds and the joy that they bring...
My outside space is a wonderful place, Wild birds visit each day. They argue and fight all with their might, To pick up a takeaway. I leave out a treat for them to eat, And though this may sound absurd, I have sparrows and tits who eat the most bits – And even a grape-eating blackbird. .
FTER what seemed like a never ending heatwave and drought this summer, I was determined that when the rain did finally come, I would save every drop I possibly could. So when the weather forecast promised thundery downpours I rushed to the garage and gathered up every receptacle I could find to maximise the water collection. The next day, steady rain soon turned into a deluge! I was soon outside, filling various small containers via the water butt taps, emptying some onto the garden before going back for refills; I was getting a bit wet but it was worth it. Then I had an even better idea. If I removed a section of downpipe from the gutter (one that did not feed into the water butts) I could put my three large tub trugs underneath and they would soon fill up. Once done, there was a steady stream coming out into the trug and I was quite pleased with myself. When I next looked, however, the steady flow had turned into a torrent – this was maybe working too well! Sure enough, in no time at all the last trug was overflowing. I tried to bail it out using a smaller trug but it was no use, the water was flooding in faster than I
DEAR John and Ruth, you suggested a pheromone moth trap from Agralan for capturing the male moth and preventing the plums being eaten. However, the one suggested is absolutely lethal to the blue tits who try to get the male moth from the trap and end up smothered in the glue. An alternative one is a cup and cap sold by 8 Dragonfli.co.uk and it’s both pleasing to the eye and safe for our feathered friends. Having bird feeders in the garden and a good water supply to encourage our little feathered friends into our gardens, is good as a deterrent, they will pick off those pests in no time. Andrea Farrell Wendy says Thanks Andrea. The pheromone trap you mention has entry holes that are only big enough for moths. The pheromone lures for the trap are available for plum fruit moth, codling moth as well as other moth caterpillar pests
The Castellastion Pheromone Trap, 8 Dragonfli.co.uk
Wagtails abound, they vacuum the ground They will only eat from the floor. Starlings eat fast as if each peck was their last, They drop more than they eat I am sure. If a wash is their wish there’s always a dish, Or a bird’s bath to do as they please. To drink or to clean and then away to preen, Nor far just up in the trees. It’s just my bit to keep them healthy and fit, As they live their life every day. The joy they bring with the songs that they sing, Saying thank you in their own special way. Mrs Marilyn Wellman
22 OCTOBER 2022 AMATEUR GARDENING
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