Hi Tim and all
It's been a real battle with the blackfly and I'm resisting using a chemical spray. I get good days and I think I've beaten it - then they're back - but on the whole, I think I'm winning. Today I saw real improvement. Some plants were completely clear (!) and I can see where the side shoots are flourishing. Fingers crossed.
My personal 'concoction' is a spray bottle full of water, a few drops of washing up liquid and a couple of peeled, whole garlic cloves just dropped in. Whiffy! I have the spray bottle tuned to 'jet' and I blast them off. If I see a clear plant, I turn it to 'spray' and give a light dusting to the top of new shoots (where the beasties hide) - as I say, real improvement - but who knows why? Could be the soap or the marigolds or the garlic or the weather or the season....
