Pumpkin Eaters

They have started their invasion.  Squash bugs.  Creeps.  Pyrethrum can help control the buggers; but I simply ripped out the pumpkin vines and did the Garden Croc Stomp on as many of them as I could.  Pyrethrum may need to be applied because you know that I had to have missed one or two – million!  The garden continues to be overrun with pill bugs too.  Diatomaceous Earth is supposed to be a great, natural way to control these cousins to shrimp.  I’ve never used it and will learn more about it with a visit to my local nursery.  I blame heavy seedling loss to pill bugs.  They simply need to get under control to allow my lettuce to flourish this winter.These creeps have got to go.

Imagine my delight tomorrow when I say, “It’s October!”.

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 Crime Scene Investigation

Some varmint is skeltonizing my cabbage!  The evidence/damage isn’t overwhelming.  Just a few outer leaves on a few heads.  Most all of the cabbage heads have been visited by caterpillars gnawing on the outer leaves.  They were discovered and picked off.  This recent damage is different and I can’t determine what is causing this.  I suspect beetle larvae; but I need more clues.

The next crime scene is disturbing.  You may want to click away.

 

 

 

 

 

Alright.  You asked for it.

That’s right.  Something is mowing down my beets. 

Here’s some healthy beets growing.  The little, out of focus, red dots in the foreground are the victims.

Bastards!  My 1st suspicion is pill bugs.  They’ve done me wrong before.  A few years ago, I grew heirloom tomatoes from seed.  The seedlings were transplanted into a beautiful, warm garden.  The next day, most of them had been mowed down.  What the…??!!  I came out that night to catch the fat mob of pill bugs returning to the crime scene.

Right next to the beets are carrots.  This next image may make you nauseous.  Continue on if you feel strong enough.

The offenders seem to prefer beets over carrots.  Nevertheless, damage is occurring in the carrot patch as well.

On New Year’s Day, this is how well the carrots had progressed.  Have you ever eaten a carrot right out of the ground?  Yeowsa!

Last evening, I waited for the sun to be set for an hour or two.  Waiting for darkness insured me the element of surprise to catch any offenders in the act.  I armed myself with a flashlight and camera.  Pumpkin, the yard cat accompanied me.  We were on a mission.  I envisioned hoards of pill bugs invading my garden. My assistant and I walked in darkness to the 1st crime scene then blasted the flashlight on  the cabbages.  Nothing.  Nothing at all.  We moved in darkness to the beets and carrots.  Same results.  What the??!!

The mystery continues.  I’ll try going out later tonight to catch the culprits.  They must be stopped.

To be continued…