At least it sounds like there’s little chance of collateral damage.

I heard about earwig traps on RRR’s gardening show. They work. Get an old container with a lid. Poke earwig sized holes around the top of the container, just below the lid. Pour a layer of linseed oil to cover the bottom of the container, close the lid then half bury the container next to your plants. Make sure the earwigs can get into the holes. They are attracted to the oil, go in, and don’t come out.
Very gratifying.

I’m sceptical about chiros, but hey whatever might work. They scare the shit out of me, but that’s all right, everything scares the shit out of this dog so it’s no worse than taking her to Werribbee for more srs tests (which is the long term Plan.)

Anyone know of a repellent?

Yes, it’s gardens, Ms Cherries. Thank you for asking.

Why, I’ve rhubarbs, cucumbers and squashes,
And great gourds that work well as galoshes,
I’ve got lettuce worth sellin’
And a hollowed-out melon
Where the stashed-away rainy-day dosh is.

“the earwig traps are working”

Do tell… man I hate those things.

I was pretty interested, so despite my preference for a PHEV I trotted down to the local dealer for a look see. Sadly, the signs notwithstanding, there were none available to look at. The dealer had sold the only one they had.

Oh dear …

“FDB @4 that sounds very yummy wots the recipe?”

It would have been nearly perfect, but I made a schoolboy error. Thinking the mussels (leftover from a big hors d’œuvres spread) I used were in brine, I poured about a quarter cup of their liquid into the sauce. Turns out it had sugar and vinegar in it. Not much, but a creamy pasta bake should not taste sweet and sour.

Anyway, it was just past spirals, blanched silverbeet (loads), paoched and flaked “smoked” cod (the cheap red crap that’s not actually smoked), mussels, then another layer of pasta. Pour over enough cheesy, nutmeggy bechamel to cover, grated gruyere on top, twenty mins in a hottish oven, and you’re done.

It’s sort of a fish florentine, but with pasta.

But use fresh mussels with their liquid, or those ones from a plastic tub without.

Ute Man:

“FDB – what sort of dropkick DJ doesn’t carry extra leads?”

Yairs, tell me about it. Here I was only a five minute drunken bike ride away, in a house teeming with them. I think my circle of party friends have become over-reliant.

Dylwah:

“eating button squash and Grey Zuccs, tho a lot of fruit is not setting”

I have a possibly related problem – loads of male flowers on my zucchini. The females are fattening up nicely when they do show up, but the males outnumber them 3 or 4 to 1. Anyone got any methods for encouraging a plant to be more ladylike? I guess grinding up contraceptives would be a bit mammaliocentric, wouldn’t it?