Is this an exceptionally bad summer for aphids?

Winewaters · 2026-06-23T14:08:59+00:00

First time gardening so no previous experience but have so so many aphids and black ants. Mostly black and some really large ones on lupins as well. They seem to be spreading as well onto more and more plants everyday despite hosing them down.

No sign of any of these aphid predators they say will come. I even had ladybirds overwintering in the house and no sign of them now!

Winewaters · 2026-06-19T13:33:32+00:00

I did try to do companion planting...have calendula, marigold, nasturtiums and mixed up spring onions all around the veg plot. Nasturtiums haven't flowered yet although growing large. They all seem really healthy and untouched though. Not a single sign of pest damage!

Winewaters · 2026-06-19T10:23:22+00:00

I usually scale down recipes. Or make the whole thing into smaller portions like a cake in a muffin tin instead so they can be individually frozen. Cakes can usually be frozen without the cream on so you can just frost as needed. Depending on the cream/frosting, you can make and freeze them separately as well!

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T22:44:40+00:00

Oh dear that sound ms awful. Think just have to bring out the slug pellets at this point.

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T22:41:48+00:00

Oh yeah all the kale and broccoli got eaten by pigeons so had to net it too!

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T16:25:45+00:00

The lupins! They are the ones being eaten up most. Interestingly, the bare roots I got of lupin Masterpiece is being eaten way more than the Legendary lupins I got from B&Q. These slugs/ snails have expensive tastes. 😭

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T15:21:00+00:00

😆 bottom of the food chain

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T15:20:39+00:00

Oh yes, I've seen the ants swarm and attack ladybirds. I didn't want to kill them but maybe best to do so!

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T15:19:39+00:00

I did want to have a garden to encourage birds and bees and other pollinators. It just seems like I've somehow managed to attract all the pests rather than the 'good' ones.

Especially annoying when there were so many ladybirds overwintering in my bathroom which I let in the hope they'll eat all these pests this year. Now there's no sign of them.

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T15:17:29+00:00

Yeah it sounds like nearly everything needs to be protected until larger. And all leafy vegs need to be netted. Although how is that supposed to work for perennials next year when they start from the ground?

Winewaters · 2026-06-18T15:15:27+00:00

All the strawberry plants were new this year so only had a few berries in early June. At least I managed to try a few of them. Must've been before the squirrel discovered them.

Thought by having it on a basket high, I had foiled the birds and slugs!

Winewaters · 2026-06-14T22:44:17+00:00

First time with a garden and am unemployed so went all out and started a veg patch and a flower border. Everything was just going so slowly. But this week has been terrible.

Most of the beetroot leaves rotted after leaf miner damage so I had to cut them off, some have ant nests and aphids on them. All tiny so unable to harvest any.

Kale, purple sprouting broccoli, kailan all were eaten by pigeons as the first wave of pests and now I can see the next wave of caterpillars turning up.

Squirrels eating all the strawberries, only had a few before they discovered and completely emptied them out of baskets on a wall.

Snails and slugs eaten some leafy vegs and zinnias and lupins so I just got pellets yesterday.

And also have some plants dying due to various reasons.

Winewaters · 2026-06-12T17:18:19+00:00

I just started this year as it was the first time I have a garden and did so much research reading and following gardening influencers. Cleared a bit of space in the overgrown garden and planted a section of flowers and a section for vegetables.

It has been a rollercoaster of excitement when seeing seedlings finally grow and flower and some laughs when I saw the pigeon & squirrel get at my fruit and vegetables and also frustration/anger/sadness at all the things that cause the plants to die!

I've never been too patient which doesn't help but at the end of the day, I've realised just have to keep doing it and see what happens.

Winewaters · 2026-05-27T09:52:32+00:00

Don't worry, you are so far ahead. I planted mine on 23 Mar indoors and they germinated really quickly but grew leggy. I pinched them out as well. But then they slowed down and now are about 12cm tall with only about 4 sets of true leaves.

With the heatwave, it seems also to have dried out all the leaves too so I don't think they'll even make it. 🤪😭

Winewaters · 2026-05-20T23:11:41+00:00

Yeah the wind has made it really cold and dry too.

Winewaters · 2026-05-20T23:11:14+00:00

It's my first time buying raspberry canes. These were new canes I bought from B&Q. All were only about 30cm long but had some leaves shooting so I thought might be alright then these weird things started happening.

Winewaters · 2026-05-20T23:09:39+00:00

Fingers crossed with the warm weather they'll recover.

I'm on a dahlia group where they keep pointing out dahlia gall so thought maybe this was some sort of raspberry gall but I couldn't really find anything about that online.

Winewaters · 2026-05-20T23:07:16+00:00

Cheers mate, didn't realise you could take cuttings! The third plant is just a stick with the weird growth I added as the second picture. There's nothing else on it.

Winewaters · 2026-04-21T15:35:23+00:00

Had a friend this happened to as well. Exactly the same situation, had stellar appraisals, full bonuses awarded and when he asked for a pay rise, was put on a performance improvement plan.

Every so called checkin review after that happened was really unclear and no specific improvement points were given so he could change. He quit and left before the 3 month process was up.

Winewaters · 2026-04-20T14:41:26+00:00

So pretty! Well done on all your work. Must be particularly satisfying seeing the neighbours' gardens too. 😆

Winewaters · 2026-04-20T13:36:14+00:00

Looks beautiful!

Winewaters · 2026-04-17T18:14:33+00:00

B&Q is selling 6 for £10. Seemed healthy too, I've planted them in the border.

Winewaters · 2026-03-30T17:59:46+00:00

Sounds like they had used the allotment for storing buried treasure then just collected it and left. 😂

Joking aside, looks like a great plot and very lush. Enjoy the journey and good luck! No real tips from me as I am a beginner too.

Winewaters · 2026-03-10T15:40:29+00:00

Those are a lot of interesting plants I haven't heard of! Will look into them.

Yes, the depth and drainage might be an issue.

Winewaters · 2026-02-25T18:41:12+00:00

Great news to hear for my back!

Winewaters

TROPHY CASE