Hop Along

 

The Butter Bush Squash is coming along nicely since those pesky squash bugs left the garden.  The recent rain helps to keep the beds nice and moist.  But that danged moisture is very attractive to earwigs (aka earrywigs).See the little darling cradled in the munched on squash blossom?  Jerk.  There’s precisely one gagillion just like this pestoid trying to take over the garden.  But…

…there seems to be a large crew of mourning doves hanging out on the ground of the garden.  Most particularly, they enjoy the bed where the squash is growing.  This morning there were about a dozen birds picking at the ground out in the garden.  One particular dove has a bit of a handicap.  It walks like it’s trying to start a motorcycle with its right foot.  Regardless,  these birds are helping to balance out the good guys vs the bad guys.

Take a look at the video of Hop Along if you have absolutely nothing better to do.

Hop Along helps to keep the garden bug free.

Hoppy says, “Eat your bugs to grow up big and strong.”  That’s swell.

Twitterpated!

I can’t stand these wee beasties.  They creep me out.  Are they swarming currently?  The past few evenings out in the garden, I’ve been getting bombarded by them.  They seem to be attracted to my hair, neck, and t-shirt.  AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!  They fly and latch on or drop down onto me from a tree, arbor, or ledge.  Gross!  Last night, one was clinging to the outside passenger window on the car as we cruised the streets of Oildale.

I believe the danged things are twitterpated.  That’s right.  Did you know that they start mating in the autumn, and can be found together in the autumn and winter?  A lot of bug love going on in the garden.

“Management of earwigs requires an integrated program that takes advantage of their habitat preferences. As moisture-loving insects, earwigs would not normally thrive in California’s arid climate without the moisture and shade provided by the irrigated garden. Where earwigs are a problem, consider reducing hiding places and surface moisture levels. Initiate a regular trapping program. If these measures are followed, insecticide treatments should not be necessary,” recommends UC Davis.

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to do my best to disrupt their “make out” spots.  It’ll be like going on a date with your Granny tagging along in the backseat.

Anybody else notice the increased activity?

Oh Brother Where Art Thou Toads?

A recommendation was given to add a water feature to the garden.  It doesn’t need to be big or expensive.  The feature can be as simple as a saucer of water at ground level to draw in some garden terminators.  There’s no electricity out in the garden so a recirculating pump won’t work.  I’m going to start with a simple large terra cotta saucer of water.  If that’s a success, I’ll expand to accommodate the pool party.  The question is where to best locate the toad pool.  Where?

As I was puttering around in the garden pondering the location, my able garden assistant proceeded with the site excavation.

With the site secured and excavation underway, the saucer was cleaned out and ready to install.  A quick check for depth and we’re about ready to proceed.

I’ve suggested to a co-worker with young boys that they might be able to make some money by catching toads and selling them to gardeners like me that would like to control the pest population in the garden without damaging the balance too much.  If that doesn’t work, I may have to head on down to the North Chester bridge and see if any local young sirens have loved up any fellas down by the river and turned them into toads.

From one of my favorite movies:

Be sure, if I acquire three of these creatures they will be named Pete, Delmar, and Everett.  I hope Ajax doesn’t take on the personality of Big Dan.

 

Bonus:  This may be a good area to transplant my Scotch Moss.

Sluggo

I've just learned that regular Sluggo doesn't work against pill bugs and earwigs.  The ingredient used in Sluggo Plus is Sevin.  Sevin can kill beneficial bugs as well as the boogers I’m trying to control.  It has been suggested a water feature should be introduced into the garden.  This will encourage beneficial insects as well as toads.  Thanks to Chiot’s Run for alerting me to items left off of labels such as the hazards caused to beneficials.   For now, my regular Sluggo will be kept in the garden shed.  Now I need to introduce a water feature and some toads.  Perhaps I’ll hire some neighborhood kids to wrangle up some toads for me.

 

 

 I’m thinking of using Sluggo Plus to bring down the population of earwigs and, most especially, pill bugs in my garden.  Generally, I would leave these terrorists alone; but since my entire late crop of lettuce, beets, and carrots has been wiped out something needs to be done before summer growing gets into full swing.  If no one stops with with a screaming e-mail or negative comment, then this stuff is going down on Saturday.

 

Garden Update

Here’s a few things that have been going on in the garden.

March 6, 2010 – The tomato seeds sprouted.  They were planted, along with pepper seeds, on March 1.

The lilac continues to perfume the garden air.

The broccoli has bolted.  The final harvest was made and the plants removed to make way for summer crops after the soil is amended.  Note:   the Lobelia in the background.  I have been unsuccessful in capturing how dark the purple is on this Crystal Palace variety.  Finally, the color shows when it’s not the focal point.

The beets are really starting to take off.  I usually thin out the smaller ones; but now they’re really starting to get big,

The Red Flame grape is starting to show signs of life.  The vine was fed today.

These little caterpillars along with their thug friends the pill bugs and earry wigs (earwigs) have been found guilty and executed for the damage they have done to the cabbage.

Most of the rest of the cabbage was salvaged.  The bed is now completely vacant awaiting amendments so the summer beans and savory can be planted.

Carrots continue to produce.  A bunch was recently harvested to add to a pot of mushroom/wine chicken.

Peas continue to go nuts.  Now that the heat is cranking up, the pods are filling out at an accelerated pace.  They joined the carrots in the pot with the chicken.

All the fruit trees have been fed:  plum, peach, apple, pear, nectarine, apricot, fig, grapefruit, orange, mandarin, lemon. 

Maybelline’s CSI Unsolved

Last night, I returned to the garden even later than the night before.  This would, no doubt, allow ample time for the punk bugs to return and start chewing.  No luck.  The only thing I saw was an earrywig (earwig) on a carrot green.  I was so excited to find a pest that I fumbled with the flashlight and camera so long that it scrambled off to a more peaceful setting.  There was absolutely nothing in the cabbage patch.

This morning I was out there before the sun came up.  Again, nothing.  The earrywig may be my only suspect.  During the wet years of 2005 and 2006, we had an enormous amount of these creepy crawlies.  I’ve learned that they can mow down seedlings.  I’ll keep my eyes opened; but for now the earrywig is public enemy #1.  Creeps!