Keep your spiders and banana skins

[GardenFan]

Banana skins are useful to add to your toms when potting them on, just drop a skin into the pot when doing so. Tom's really appreicate it.

Any spiders I find in the house I rehome in the green house, they are a very useful way of keeping any flying insects down in your greenhouse. Along with marigolds and basil you should any white/black fly problems in your greenhouse.

[eskymo]

Good idea re: spiders - not sure I'd be happy with the job of catching them and transporting them and also have them hovering over my head in my tiny greenhouse.

I forgot about bananas - I used to do that with my tomatoes and it does really work.

[JennieAtkinson]

Great advice GardenFan.

Eskymo - my kids brought me for Christmas a Spider Hoover, which conveniently hoovers up spiders and other creepy crawlies into a tube and you can then transport them and let them out in a more appropriate place. I have used it alot!

[Alice]

Thanks Garden Fan. I always have basil and calendula in the greenhouse and don't have a problem with white fly etc. I always catch the spiders in the house in a wine glass with a post card slipped under it. (We call it the spider catching equipment!) Some of the spiders we have now are enormous, think they're on steroids and they come out with their boxing gloves on. Never used to have spiders that size. I usually take them outside and release them but will put them in the greenhouse now. Any idea what the theory behind the banana skins is ?

[Lesley Jay]

I really don't like spiders but there was one last year in the greenhouse that ran up and down my pepper plants all day - it never stopped running - and needless to say I never had any trouble with aphids!

[poultrychat]

Banana skins are meant to be really good for planting under roses as well aren't they?

[Squirrel]

I have heard that banana skins are good for roses, also garlic is supposed to up the perfume stakes of a rose! Assume that there is potassium in the skin as well as in the fruit itself so that is maybe why they are good for roses and tomatoes?

[Shortie]

Maybe this goes to shows to show just how un-girlie a girl I am but I've never understood the problem with spiders...
Jellyfish.... I give the widest berth to... Eeuurrrrrggghhhh

[Sunbeam]

I've got one of those spider hoovers too & I tackled the mother of all spider - you know the house-ones with antlers ! No problem - a quick woosh & the spider is trapped - it gave up a good struggle though! It is now chicken-dodging in the garden!

[Lesley Jay]

Where do you buy these spider hoovers from?

[JennieAtkinson]

Mine is bright pink with a flower on the top (kids have no taste!), but hopefully Lesley you can get a more classic one !

Thanks for the Roses tip Poultrychat - knew my Dad used to use banana skins for something. It must have been his roses.

[Jaxom]

My green house is full of spiders and webs. I think Mother Nature is wonderful.
Last night I was in the green house and the light was attracting lots of midges. I live near a river and enclosed bay that also acts as a marina. Since the bay was flooded we have had major problems with midges each summer.
Today there was not a single one left. A spider had built a veritable minefield round the light bulb and all along the web little silk wrapped midges could be seen.
Tonight when the light was on all the flying insects left the plants and started to circle the light fitting. Twice round the fitting and all hell broke lose with the spider whizzing back and forth catching and immobilising the insects caught in the web.
One good thing about the large increase in midges over the last few years is the increase in bats, swallows and other insect catching birds now living in the area.

[sewer rat]

Shortie
To watch a jellyfish from above whilst it is swimming is to witness one of mother natures most amazing creatures - it is a truly wonderful sight and never fails to stop me in my tracks and watch.

[Shortie]

Rat, you're making me feel green with envy that you can see such things frequently

I only see them when they're a wobbly lump marooned on the beach

[JennieAtkinson]

Judging by the ones we see when out sailing, I would NOT want to fall overboard!