MURCIA LIFESTYLE

San Javier steps up battle against red palm weevilNew €160,000 contract to protect palm trees with low impact treatments San Javier is launching a new offensive to protect its palm trees from the red palm weevil, one of the biggest threats to ornamental palms in south eastern Spain. The Ayuntamiento.. 02/02/2026

How to keep cockroaches out of your home this autumnWhen the temperatures begin falling in Spain, cockroaches head to the cosy indoors As the temperatures start to drop, sightings of the dreaded cockroach begin to dwindle, especially in the cooler outdoors. But don’t be fooled. When it gets chilly.. 31/10/2025

The cheesy reason mosquitoes find you irresistibleCertain body odours have been shown to attract these pesky insects Mosquitoes are a guaranteed nuisance during the summer months in Spain, disrupting our sleep with their incessant buzzing and causing unsightly and itchy bites. What’s more, each..

Is your home ready for the summer sun and mosquitoes?Keep out the heat, UV rays and bugs this summer in Spain   Get ready for the upcoming summer season with Blinds Casa, your trusted partner in window dressing solutions. They are offering an exclusive promotion to kickstart your summer preparations.. 23/05/2024

How to make your own home-made mosquito trapBite back against irritating insects this summer season in Spain There are so many sounds that herald the arrival of summer in Spain, from the electric hum of cicadas to the delighted shrieks of kids splashing about in the pool. But there are few.. 15/03/2024

5 garden plants that will keep mosquitos at bayThese natural repellents will keep your gardens and patios mosquito-free this summer The Spanish summer is once more stretching ahead of us, with days made for sunbathing and refreshing dips in the ocean and long, balmy evenings, perfect for catching up..

Got a plague of ants in your home? These two surprising household items can help you get rid of them...Ant infestations are very common in Spain, especially at the height of the summer They are hardly seen throughout the year but suddenly, one particular summer day arrives, and along with it, swarms of ants that are only too eager to migrate from your garden..

The Geranium moth in Southern SpainHow to recognise and deal with the Geranium Moth One of the great glories of Spanish gardening is the vibrant colour of Mediterranean plants, geraniums being a particular favourite amongst expats because of their hardy nature and generous displays of..

Dog owners beware: stephanotis pods can kill dogs Urgent warning for dog owners Be aware that the seed pods of the Stephanotis plant, also known as Madagascar Jasmine, are lethal for dogs. This is a stunning plant with waxy green leaves and a beautiful white flower which gives off a gorgeous sweet.. 30/05/2015

Natural insecticide for use against Spanish garden pests Effective against white fly, red spider, scale insect, aphids etc Extract of Garlic and Hot Chillies This is a very effective insecticide against white fly, red spider, aphids, ticks and fleas.  5 – 7 ml is diluted in a litre of water to..

Brace yourself gardeners, Scyphophorus acupunctatus, the black snout weevil, has arrived. The great Agave meltdown. The mighty agave plants which form dense, living hedges across the region of Murcia and are regularly mistaken for Aloe Vera by newly arrived ex-pats face an uncertain future. Majestic striped, or blue agave americana are.. 19/01/2012

The Datura Stramonium is a dangerous plant The Datura stramonium or jimson weed grows throughout the Region of Murcia This week national Spanish TV carried a report about a plant which is worryingly common throughout the Region of Murcia, the Datura stramonium plant, also known as jimson weed, devils..

What to do when an uninvited Queen takes up residence Dealing with bee and wasp nests It´s funny how things pan out. Last year we were running around trying to find a beekeeper for everyone else and this year we needed one ourselves. The office is a converted garage area, so we have left the.. 26/04/2011

Aphids, a spring plague here in southern spain, how to recognise and treat. Gardening in Murcia, how to recognise and deal with aphids Abundant lush spring growth is the welcome flush of green which fills the countryside with colour following the spring rains, but which heralds the onset of the most persistant and destructive..

Whitefly, how to recognise them and treat them Gardening in Murcia, Spain, dealing with whitefly There are clouds of whitefly in the air at the moment, as they feed on new growth and suck the sap from a wide variety of plants. Theyre very much like aphids in that they breed incredibly quickly and..

Oleanders, how to propagate and important information about the dangers of pruning them Gardening in Spain, Oleanders are extremely easy to propagate and very useful in a dry garden Oleanders are one of the most popular choices for hedging or for filling up large, empty spaces, and can also be extremely useful as topiary specimen trees in..

La Cochinilla del Carmin is destroying vast tracts of prickly pears Chumberas, prickly pears, problems  A new pest threatens to wipe out the emblematic prickly pears that form part of the traditional Spanish landscape, sweeping down from the North of the region and leaving ugly blotches as it destroys vast tracts.. 13/01/2010

Gardening in Spain- What do I do about ants in the orange tree? Help, There are ants in my orange tree. What can I do to stop them? This question came in today from a member of the gardening club whose neighbour was in a panic about the number of ants climbing into his orange tree.   The likelihood.. 01/11/2009

Leaf miners Costa Cálida gardening, damage to citrus leaves Leafminers attack many other plants, but here in Spain, citrus are their favourite snack, and the damage caused by their burrowing larvae can devastate new growth, leaving the tree looking very untidy..

Citrus Tree Problems – Yellowing of Leaves. Spanish Gardening Problems, Chlorosis in Citrus trees, yellowing of leaves Chlorosis is the yellowing of leaf tissue due to a lack of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll gives the leaf its green colour and is necessary for the plant to produce the food it.. 08/05/2009