insect control

[Mary]

Make Safe insecticides at home,here is what the guy does.He finds a plant which is not bothered by the pest that is troubling his garden plant.Usually a few weeds are resistant. He runs the plant through a grinder or chopper, saving liquid and residues and add an equal amount of water.He uses the ground - material soakings to spray or spinkle the plants he wants to protect. The soakings apparently contain the organic substances that keep the plant from being bothered. As simple as it sounds , he says it works.I 'm thinking of using this method on my garden , wax beans for sure unless some one doesn't agree with this. :rolleyes: :cool: :eek:
What do you all think ,let me know. Thanks Mary

[john in vt]

Mary,

It’s passable that mint work. It is worth a try.
See my post under “Squash Bugs” I know that works.
John

[Mary]

Hi John, thanks, will look up " Squash Bugs" . I went down to a amish greenhouse today and ask them what they do for insect control and they said " spray" .I'm surprised , I was going to buy some plants there but decided not to .Thanks for the reply. Have a great day.

Mary

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;Just for the Record-the Amish have all but given into the current industrialized farming philosophy.They have also given up OP varieties in favor of Hybrids.Since they do not Drive and their markets are farther away they have to ship farther and Hybrids are better suited and that is what non-Amish want.

[KimB]

While there may be a substance in the plants, (weeds in this case), that keeps the bugs off, it may also just be that a particular substance is NOT in the plant to attract the bug in the first place. For instance, cucumber beetles are really attracted to the chemical that makes cukes bitter, so the more a plant has, the more attractive they find it. (There are other factors influencing cuke beetles, but that's just one of them.) So, using this guy's method, you're just gambling on those non-affected plants actually having a repelling, (or killing) effect on the bugs.

It can't hurt to try, but you risk losing the bug battle if you only rely on this method when using untested plants. So, why not use a tested product that uses this same idea, hot pepper wax spray. In that case someone noticed bugs don't like the hot pepper plants. It turns out that it's the chemical capsaicin in the peppers that has the desired effect, and thus using it on other plants works, too (you can make it or buy a refined version). The mint that john in vt mentioned is another example of when this approach works as is Garlic. There are lots of different plants people have tried this with but it really can be hit or miss.

[Mary]

I have Norway Spruce, there is something causing the needles to fall off on the lower
branches .Can anyone tell me what it is and what I can do about it.Would it be aphids or leaf minner, I don't want to lose my trees.I don't want to use anything toxic ,I have
birds nesting in them and I have two dogs .Help ?

[redbrick]

Could it be because of light deprivation? Evergreens tend to drop inner needles, leaving an outer shell of greenery. Sometimes, they'll self-prune lower branches in shade as well.

[Mary]

I hope thats all it is, but I think I'll take a branch to have someone look at it.Maybe I'll trim the lower branches off ,I'll let you know what I find out.
Mary

[Mary]

Hi redbrick, I took a couple of spruce branches to the University of IL. Extension Office. They are going to do a test on them. The branches have what they call :lichens:,it is not harmful, but insects can invade inside the lichens. Lichens are green fungus.I need to spray the trees with copper sulphate ,and fertilize with dipel . I have never used either one of these so first I'm going to see if it is harmful to birds ,animals and people. Talk to you later ! :)

[Brook]

Am I getting confused? Isn't Dipel one of the brand names for Bt? As such it would be an insecticide, not a fertilizer.

[Mary]

I'm not going to use Dipel , I'm surprised they would recommend it when I told them I had birds nesting .If there is no safe organic way to help my trees , then I'll just leave them alone.

_________
Mary

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;Happy to see you back.Hope all is well and you had a great trip,with your daughter.Desert was probably really Fun.I still haven't received 1st issue but did get the issue "on Walden Pond".It is a great issue for Solar Power.-

[Mary]

;) Hi zebraman, I'm glad to be back. Had a good time, we went hiking ,shopping in Pheonix, fixed up a few things at her house.I haven't received my issue ,but it shouldn't be to long before it comes , I ordered it the 1st of May.You thinking of putting solar at your place?Hows your garden? My garden looks good, I didn't have a chance to plant beans before I left ,so I planted some today, they are wax.I think I'm ready for the bugs this year, hope so anyway. :D

[Mary]

well I'm still waiting for an answer for my spruce trees, the University of IL.Extension office refered my problem to the city forester, he agreed to come out to look at my trees, don't know when.Will let you know what I find out. :( :confused:

[Mary]

Hi redbrick, the city forester man just left,you were right about light deprivation on the inter needles. He said I also had them planted to close together,when I was planting them I thought they were far enough apart, they should of been as least 30 feet apart, I put them about 18 feet. :(

[redbrick]

So, what options do you have? You don't have to rip them out and start fresh, do you? Man, that would suck! Will they look really bad if you just let them continue as they are? Or maybe you could remove every other one? Best of luck in this one!

[Mary]

They are like 15 to 20 feet tall,I really don't want to remove any of them so I guess I"ll let them be for now.He said I could leave them alone.There is birds nesting in them,it would be a shock to them if all of a sudden I cut down their home, I don't know if there is still baby birds or not.He didn't think the trees looked that bad, but as time goes by they will look worst.The inter part of the branches are losing the needles,out on the tips there is a little bit of new growth.Guess I'm a softy, can't cut them down, if there was no birds I might.

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;Yes I am planning on Solar here.Not entire system but enough.I installed another Drip system today.Getting ready to plant late Tomato plants so I will have another large amount in Sept-Oct.have extra space,am planting Dragon's Tongue.-

[Mary]

You don't get cold weather where you are do you?I would think you could have a garden most of the year .Solar would be nice, since energy prices are so high.My growing season is first of May through end of September. Some times if I'm lucky I can plant early veg. the last of April.Never seen a Dragon's Tongue. :p ;)

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;I do garden ALL year.This past Feb.I still had Tomatoes,Peppers and Eggplant still producing.I still grow mostly salad crops,Fennel,Broccoli,Asian Vegs.,Turnips,Beets and things like that in Winter.You can drive a couple of hours north and play in the Snow-towards Big Bear and then drive back to the beach and wear jeans and T-shirt and watch the sun go down.We do get a week or two when the night temps.drop in the 40's.But not every year.Dragons Tongue is a Ramano Type bean,lt.green with purple stripes.It used to be called Dragon's Blood.-

[bluelacedredhead]

Z, is Fennell really something that can be used on a regular basis? I have heard really good things about it, but have never tried it? Does it have a strong licorice taste? or am I thinking of something else?

[Mary]

zebraman,Sounds like a great place to live.I love the beach,some times we go down to Mexico,the Americans have changed the place so much.There are big hotels right on the beach and they have built some really nice homes on the beach.Its just not the same any more so we haven't been there for a while.The green bean sounds good, does it change color when cooked?My garden looks good, won't have beans for a while yet,beets,turnips,radishes,onions are ready.It would be so nice to live where you could have a garden all year.I can and freeze all I can for the winter months.

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;Yes it is a great place to live.I came here for College(UCLA)in 1982 and have not left.what is amazing to me is that there are still any Mexicans in Mexico.
Yes,just like Purple Podded,but do have a great taste.I am also growing some old varieties that I got from Clemson Univ.I can and freeze too,There are down sides to living here but weather is not one of them.
A great place to get away from it all in Mexico is HorseTail falls outside of Mexico City.Hotel is built on the side of a cliff.Very remote and definately off the beaten path.-

[Mary]

Sounds like you are busy,putting in a drip system and planting more .I'll have to try the beans,are they bush or pole? I've heard about Mexico City,maybe I can talk my girls into going some time.The hotel sounds interesting, I'll keep it mind.

[zebraman]

Hey Mary;They are Bush.The Hotel is one story and the Large Dining room is right on the edge of the cliff.Spectacular veiw-There is also an outdoor Cabana style restaurant right next to the Waterfall.Which is way over 100 ft.tall.They also allow swimming in the bottom pool where the waterfall falls into,but water is really Cold.The Hotel is NOT on the Map.Book it thru a service.

[zebraman]

Hey BluelaceRedhead;I am referring to Florence Fennel.The bulb loses the anise flavor when cooked.I sauttee it in Olive oil along with red onion,Add pine nuts and Grasso Padano cheese(Parmesan)salt and Pepper.Sometimes add cream as well.Usually have it with Italian food.I also make my own Pasta.

[werecat]

Hey BluelaceRedhead;I am referring to Florence Fennel.The bulb loses the anise flavor when cooked.I sauttee it in Olive oil along with red onion,Add pine nuts and Grasso Padano cheese(Parmesan)salt and Pepper.Sometimes add cream as well.Usually have it with Italian food.I also make my own Pasta.
Ohhhhh man after my own heart. I thought I was the only one left that bothered with home made pasta. Got the crank roller thiing and everything. I make and absolutely awesome tomato basil and garlic pasta. :) Little olive oil and parmesan cheese and your good to go. :)