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  • Midges

    I seem to have acquired quite a lot of midges. Is there anything i can do to deter them, i'm getting bit quite a lot by the little B....., every time i go to my raised beds. I have put chicken manure pelletts on top of my soil, so it will feed my veg gradually over the winter. I know this is proably the cause for them . Will they damage my veg at all . Hopefully some of you wise and wonderful veggie growers, can tell me how to get rid of them. Thankyou in anticipation of some great advice as always. Kind regards judith.

  • #2
    If you mean mosquitos then they are not a pest of veg. They are probably hatching from a nearby pond.
    Mark

    Vegetable Kingdom blog

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    • #3
      Try using a citrus smelling body lotion, mozzi spray or eat lots of garlic or all three just to be sure!
      Imagination is everything, it is a preview of what is to become.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Capsid View Post
        If you mean mosquitos then they are not a pest of veg.
        I didn't think midges and mosquitos were the same thing , but no midges won't affect your veg either.

        Chances are, you'd have the midges anyway, regardless of the chicken manure pellets - it's that time of year! We've been saving stuff for a bonfire down at the lottie, piles of bramble cuttings, rotten wood etc, because the only thing that keeps them away on an evening is big clouds of smoke I even burn incense sticks in the shed so I can make a brew without getting eaten alive!!
        I've heard a lot of people say (even big hairy fishermen) that the best insect repellant is Avon's Skin So Soft moisturiser/body lotion, although it wasn't designed for that purpose! I've never gotten around to trying it myself though.

        This is a good link explaining how/why/where about midges http://www.midgeforecast.co.uk/2008/....asp?pageid=29
        Last edited by SarzWix; 26-09-2008, 12:29 PM. Reason: Adding link

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        • #5
          The only way to beat the midgey is to move(it's why no one lives on the west coast ,much)First frost will do them untill next may/june.

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          • #6
            One of the best products to prevent humans being bitten by midges etc is made by the ding-dong company.....ask the rep or order online (preferably thru a cashback site) for skin-so-soft in 'woodland fresh'. It may be known by a different name - soft and fresh - but its the one in the green livery in the range!

            Any of the oily products - bath oil, dry oil spray or body lotion will do the trick. Even men will not be put off by smelling like a fairy as it is rather - non flowery to say the least - bordering on almost the disinfectant! Still its certainly not unpleasant. Its worth spraying your outdoor clothing with it - if its and old gardening jumper or the like - and you don't mind a few oily patches.

            This product cannot be sold as an insect repellent as it would need a pharmaceutical licence, but has all the properties thru its natural oils and extracts - it is, however, well known - particularly in the film industry - as an excellent solution to the wee bites of those tiny pests. Used on Braveheart for instance.

            I'm a former ding-dong lady!

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            • #7
              Originally posted by burnie View Post
              The only way to beat the midgey is to move(it's why no one lives on the west coast ,much)First frost will do them untill next may/june.
              Don't move round here then!!! I got Bit last friday taking some photo's at the local nature reserve and ended going to the docs this week as the pain was unbelievable!! thats after dosing myself up with anti histamine all weekend

              Viscous little bugger they are but they won't hurt the veg. What you may have is fungus gnats on the chuck poo pellets as they break down on the soil - shouldn't do any harm either
              ntg
              Never be afraid to try something new.
              Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
              A large group of professionals built the Titanic
              ==================================================

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              • #8
                Midges won't affect your plants Megan's Mum, but they can be bloomin' nuisances. There's nothing you can do to eradicate them - there's a fortune waiting for the person who comes up with a solution. For personal protection - the British Army uses Avon's Skin So Soft.

                From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by quark1 View Post
                  .... skin-so-soft in 'woodland fresh'. It may be known by a different name - soft and fresh - but its the one in the green livery in the range!

                  Any of the oily products - bath oil, dry oil spray or body lotion will do the trick....
                  Well you live and learn - mum was a ding dong lady when I was little, and we grew up with her using the woodland fresh skin-so-soft in the bath. It's the only thing she could put in the bath that didn't send her skin 'funny' (v sensitive skin - still can't use biological washing powder). We weren't allowed to use it - her bit of luxury!

                  I would support your local ding-dong lady (you can find her through their web site) rather than buy through the web site, by the way - you save the p&p, give a local lass some pin money, and they know their stuff too - super service!

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                  • #10
                    Scottish midges are vicious little b*****s, even worse than Devon ones, and definitely more of a problem to me than African mosquitos! They all breed and swarm near water. Spent a camping holiday in Scotland a few years and got eaten alive. I also react very badly to insect bites so need to keep antihistamine cream handy. Jungle Formula cream works as a repellant (but I didn't have any in Scotland and we were miles from the nearest shop), applied to all exposed skin, and keep as much skin as possible covered (long sleeves, trousers, socks). Never heard of Skin so Soft as an insect repellant but it's lovely stuff, used to use it regularly years ago. Probably smells much better than Jungle Formula.

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                    • #11
                      Midges are drawn towards the source of Carbon Dioxide........simple really....just hold your breath!!!!!
                      "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                      Location....Normandy France

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                      • #12
                        Hi All,

                        Can confirm the lotion from Avon works. Use it when hill-walking cause the wee s***s are lying in wait for the next for pound of sweaty flesh coming up the hill. For the people being bitten (the real nasty bites) are you sure it is a midge bite? Just wondering if it could have been a Clegg bite - they are painful? There is one reason why the North West coast of Scotland is empty - the midge! In Canada they have "no-see-ums" which is their equivalent of our midge and they complain about them. Huh! Wimps! Should try camping at Bridge of Orchy then they would know pain and suffering

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                        • #13
                          Well thanks everybody . I do have my own personal ding dong lady called jeanette i will get some of the skin so soft. I do take anti histamine and eat tonnes of garlic . Could always be the sheep behind my fence, as we have farm land behind us, thats also attracting them. I cant wait for the first frost to arrive and kill the little s...s off. Once again thanks everyone i'm glad i'm not the only one getting bit by them. Keep growing everyone and good luck with next years crops. Kind regards judith.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Megans-mum View Post
                            I have put chicken manure pelletts on top of my soil
                            the packet recommends that you dig/rake them in, and not leave them on the surface - the smell could attract rats & foxes
                            Last edited by Two_Sheds; 07-10-2008, 11:11 AM.
                            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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                            • #15
                              Catnip is a good midge-repellant.

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