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Rodent Derby.
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Author:  jimsong6ss [ Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:18 am ]
Post subject:  Rodent Derby.

Hello,
I am a retired truck driver, wood worker, and guitar player, and have been an organic gardener for about 40 years.
Until about seven years ago, all of my gardening was in Oklahoma, and very productive.
I can't say that for my gardens since I've moved to central Texas. I have soil that is only marginally improved, despite literally tens of thousands pounds of organic amendments. Weeds that appear profusely, in ground that is never idle. ( I garden year round) Bugs that I have never seen before, and bugs I know, but was able to control in Oklahoma. Particularly harlequin beetles, which I had never even heard of, before they destroyed my cole and crucifer crops, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, for the past seven years.
Now and then, I get a good cole and crucifer harvest, but as soon as I see one harlequin, I have taken to pulling every cole or crucifer plant, putting them in bottomless barrels, and with a propane torch, burn them to ashes. The improvement has been marginal and temporary.
The other bug that is a pain here, is regular old squash bugs. In Oklahoma, the wheel bugs killed most of the adult squash bugs, and the rest were easily picked, and drowned in soapy water. No wheel bugs here, only their cousins, leaf footed beetles, which aren't particularly harmful, but do my garden no good whatever.
I am surrounded by enthusiastic gardeners, but I am the only organic gardener in this neighborhood, and overall, I think I have better production, but I am considered a lunatic for not spraying with Sevin, when the bugs are eating up my gardens.
I, truly, don't think that Sevin will control harlequins and squash bugs, in any case.
I have tried every commercially available organic insectacide, plus some pretty loopy recipes, from all over the world. Urine and soap (Didn't work) Blood (Didn't work, but , boy, are the cats and dogs peeved! (Just kidding, I used blood meal.) Ginger tea (didn't work, but it sure smelled good.) Bay laurel tea, rosemary tea, habanero tea and alcohol (make sure you know where the wind is, using that one! Don't ask me how I know!)
Beneficial nematodes were a $300 mistake. Milky spore was a shot in the dark, and another $300 mistake.
If anyone has any way of controlling these two pest, I will listen!
I listened to fermented fish from Viet Nam. (Didn't work) I listened to cannabis tea from Pakistan. ( I listened, but I have enough problems already, without going to prison!)
Jim

Author:  Dirt Doctor [ Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Rodent Derby.

Harlequin bugs are a sign of stress and the plants beginning to bolt. Squash bugs are ubiquitous. Both can be controlled with regular sprayings of compost tea or (beter) the entire Garrett Juice Plus mixture with orange oil added. Start with 1 ounce and go up to 2 if needed. You have to do it on a weekly based for good results. For whatever reason the beneficials aren't bothered too much. Ounce the products are on the market, using the Thrive bacteria in the soil will be a helpful addition.

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