A dusting of diatomaceous earth might help also. That inbetween spraying them on contact with the soap should bring the numbers down fast.
Albino bulldozer flees?
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A dusting of diatomaceous earth might help also. That inbetween spraying them on contact with the soap should bring the numbers down fast.
Thanks, someone mentioned that for a slug problem I had, didn't really beleive it... not easy to separate folklore from real science in this field.
Man isn't there anyway to just grow without worrying about 2 biblical issues of plague and swarms of bugs. Maybe a big ass green house is the way... considering buying expensive grow tent equipment, try to grow 30 roma plants over winter, but expensive and complicated.
Man isn't there anyway to just grow without worrying about 2 biblical issues of plague and swarms of bugs. Maybe a big ass green house is the way... considering buying expensive grow tent equipment, try to grow 30 roma plants over winter, but expensive and complicated.
I guess green houses help with pests, but the weather would be a problem with a lot of them I imagine. I never had one so I can't say from experience but things like wind and hail must do a number on a lot of them.
30 tomato plants would need a large grow tent, not only enough room for them to fully grow but for you to get in there and water them, inspect etc. If possible it would be easier to just use a spare bedroom or something with some reflective foil here and there.
I've never tried the DM on slugs, some say it works some say it doesn't. I find beer works very well. I did have a problem with cucumber beetles and used it on them, it worked great. To me the real science behind science is testing and experimenting everything first hand to know fact from fiction instead of believing others lol. At least when possible. When not possible I tend to believe the majority but still keep an open mind and learn about it to come to my own conclusion or theory, if it's something that interests me.
That's all you can do... you beleive the consensus, or you have to care enough to disprove it scientifically. Usually easy to disprove bad science, but the internet is mostly advertising so the motivations aren't science. No one seems to do studies on the cheap effective solutions, in fact many products in the garden are designed specifically to require continuous use. Even the incandescent bulb, intentionally often designed to fail early. So, I guess your right, but experiments can be expensive.
Yeah, I don't think I can find a 10x10 tent setup for under 3 or 4k... thats some expensive ass tomatoes... guess I'd rather buy that bookshelf I've been wanting. I'll probably gamble and just place these 30 roma seedlings outside around September 10th... might get lucky, 60 to 75 days it says... gives me till November 10th. Last year it was like 75 till the end of December if I recall. Here in Georgia.
Maybe I'll get a cheap pop-up greenhouse if it gets more cold earlier this year... 40$ vs 4000$.
I would love to experiment with a 10x10 tent in the garage, or gorilla had a 8×16 which is perfect for a 2 car garage with 1 car in it. But the lighting... and deciding if I wanna do hydro... it looks like a great little hobby, if I where a millionaire =(. I like good equipment.
I thought about turning a room into a grow area, tough when renting... but I got 2 unused bedrooms just sitting there. Still, good lights are spensive, hard to consider all factors to get the best quality and deal. Maybe some day.
I can only say what I'd do, and I would pull out all the parsley plants but one. That one would become the egg laying area so you could observe what happens to the eggs. In an attempt to attract predators, I would plant flowers and place a bird water bowl in the area. It is end of season and time to replant anyhow.
My spinach has grown all winter but now has widespread yellow dots all over. I will prune the perpetual spinach and throw the silver beet to the chooks a bit at a time. Already a tiny spider has inhabited the spinach and I'm pretty sure it's clue as to what will happen in the ecosystem next.
My spinach has grown all winter but now has widespread yellow dots all over. I will prune the perpetual spinach and throw the silver beet to the chooks a bit at a time. Already a tiny spider has inhabited the spinach and I'm pretty sure it's clue as to what will happen in the ecosystem next.
My first though was flea beetles too. They do jump around like fleas. Boing, boing. They may be called something else in your country. Dish soap will kill them but you have to directly spray them.
There are a few other strategies you can use when feeling overwhelmed by pests-
1. Increase plant immunity by fertilizing. Before planting the tomatoes spread a general-purpose organic fertilizer with trace elements. Cover that with compost and water over with a yeast or lactobacillus liquid inoculant.
2. Companion planting. In between the tomatoes plant parsley, basil and calendulas (marigolds). Once the seedlings are planted let any weeds or self-sown flowers or vegetables grow for a while before pulling out or transplanting as necessary.
3. Extra plants as insurance. Grow from seed and raise three times more plants than you need.
4. Mulch/top-dress. When the flowers appear use seaweed as a liquid fertilizer and mulch with decomposed humus, straw or aged manure. This strengthened the toms by feeding their developing aerial roots.
5. Insect netting. Find a fine netting to keep out birds and fruit fly. If necessary, cover the plants with a vertical cylinder of this stuff.
6. Predator Park. Devote a quarter of your garden space to hiding places for predators. Rockpiles and wood piles are good for lizards. Undergrowth or ground covers are good for centipedes and mole crickets. Taller plants like corn, sunflowers and tree dahlias are good for spider webs and dragonflies, parasitic wasps, hoverflies and lacewings. Don't be too tidy - let lawns and grasses grow for a while longer than two weeks. Low water bowls with rocks in them are vital for all creatures.
In a little while the creatures of your garden are as interesting as the plants.
1. Increase plant immunity by fertilizing. Before planting the tomatoes spread a general-purpose organic fertilizer with trace elements. Cover that with compost and water over with a yeast or lactobacillus liquid inoculant.
2. Companion planting. In between the tomatoes plant parsley, basil and calendulas (marigolds). Once the seedlings are planted let any weeds or self-sown flowers or vegetables grow for a while before pulling out or transplanting as necessary.
3. Extra plants as insurance. Grow from seed and raise three times more plants than you need.
4. Mulch/top-dress. When the flowers appear use seaweed as a liquid fertilizer and mulch with decomposed humus, straw or aged manure. This strengthened the toms by feeding their developing aerial roots.
5. Insect netting. Find a fine netting to keep out birds and fruit fly. If necessary, cover the plants with a vertical cylinder of this stuff.
6. Predator Park. Devote a quarter of your garden space to hiding places for predators. Rockpiles and wood piles are good for lizards. Undergrowth or ground covers are good for centipedes and mole crickets. Taller plants like corn, sunflowers and tree dahlias are good for spider webs and dragonflies, parasitic wasps, hoverflies and lacewings. Don't be too tidy - let lawns and grasses grow for a while longer than two weeks. Low water bowls with rocks in them are vital for all creatures.
In a little while the creatures of your garden are as interesting as the plants.
Good tips. It is all definitely interesting. It's like a game and we try to score the unattainable perfection.
With my dyslexia, I read "decomposed humus" as "decomposed humans"... lol, had to share, my disability is hilarious sometimes.
With my dyslexia, I read "decomposed humus" as "decomposed humans"... lol, had to share, my disability is hilarious sometimes.
We are part of nature so we will compost well. A few more tips for going back to nature -
7. Site drainage. Find the lowest spot on the site and drain all the paths towards it (keeping the beds higher). Develop this area as a wet area/swamp for frogs, dragonflies, damselflies and all the birds and creatures that will come here for a wash, swim or drink. Frogs have very porous skin and will be the first casualty of contaminated water. When the frog chorus returns celebrate.
8. Ladybirds and praying mantis. When you see these predators, your tactics are working. Plant cosmos, yarrow, dill, parsley and fennel. Aphids will be the first to go and the ladybird will lay her eggs under rocks or rotting logs so she will establish a permanent presence. The mantid nest is a web like structure you will see attached to a strong stem or small branch.
9. Garlic spray. This is crushed garlic dissolved in water and detergent. It's effective on aphids, possums, slugs, caterpillars, grasshoppers and red legged mites. Unfortunately, it needs renewal after rain and almost every day.
10. Multi-cropping. Always plant more than one crop in a bed. Onions can be scattered and left permanently in one place if you leave the roots in the just cut off the tops. Many flowers like sunflowers can be scattered throughout the garden. Peas and beans are the companions of all other plants. Look to interplanting with beets, radish, pumpkin and brassicas because there is no advantage to planting them all together and you will confuse predators more if everything is planted everywhere.
The cost of these tactics is very low, and the effects are permanent. Nature works at its own pace so patience is needed.
I know that Dawn dish detergent does not work on caterpillars and grasshoppers. I know you are in a different country and have different detergents but are you saying the garlic part will kill caterpillars and grasshoppers or the detergent? I am interested in something like that to kill those.
It won't kill anything. It will deter pests long enough for the predators to arrive. I'm saying that all these measures add up to a long-term natural solution. You can't beat nature you have to come up with ways of using it to advantage.