Organic gardening tips and tricks

[Chuck]

I will go down and check it out next weekend, but they never mentioned that when I was down there looking for the DE.

To my understanding, the DE, which has to be put in dry earth, doesn't effect the japanese beetles in the larvae stage but as the turn into the adult beetles. I think I am going to have to dust the DE on the plants if the ground doesn't dry up soon.

DE acts as an abrasive and literally cuts its way thru a hard bodied insects exoskeleton, usually on the leg joints and they "bleed " to death, that's why I don't think it does much to soft bodied larvae. Beneficial nematodes have been greatly used here in Texas for at least 10 years with outstanding success. Most people when they here the word nematode can only relate to the root knot nematode. It is very possible that your nursury has never of them.

 

[Meowmie]

The DE is supposed to work on the Japanese Beetles as they move out of the larvae stage, as they emerge from the ground.

Since it's been wet, and it's late, I suspect they are already emerging or have emerged. I will dust my plants with it this year, and hope for the best.

The Japanese Beetles have no predators here. They were brought over by some idiots that thought they would eat the pests that bothered the crops. But all they eat are the leaves of every plant they find.

Everything under the sun has been tried for years, and this is the first thing I've come across short of hand picking them that shows any promise.

They are such voracious eaters they kill full grown trees in a few years time.

 

[Chuck]

The DE is supposed to work on the Japanese Beetles as they move out of the larvae stage, as they emerge from the ground.

Since it's been wet, and it's late, I suspect they are already emerging or have emerged. I will dust my plants with it this year, and hope for the best.

The Japanese Beetles have no predators here. They were brought over by some idiots that thought they would eat the pests that bothered the crops. But all they eat are the leaves of every plant they find.

Everything under the sun has been tried for years, and this is the first thing I've come across short of hand picking them that shows any promise.

They are such voracious eaters they kill full grown trees in a few years time.

www.nematodes.com We have them here as well, along with their cousins the cucumber beetle and colorado potato beetle. The only natural predator we have are lizards and they don't do much to them I spray the nematodes once a year at planting time and I have very very few damaging insects except grasshoppers and the lizards grow fat on them. Normally I don't have to spray anything but if I have to I use Spinosad which is made from a specific soil bacteria.

 

[Meowmie]

Just went back over the DE information and it does have to get them in the grub stage. It's windy today, so tonight I am going out to put the DE around the trees and garden, and if it rains just keep putting more out.

http://howtousediatomaceousearth.com/uses/insect-control/outdoor-bugs/

Meanwhile, I'm exhausted from trying to not fall over in the wind (unsuccessful), so will read the article on nematodes as I rest. I've given my neighbor enough to laugh about for the day!

 

[Chuck]

I am an organic gardener, and very strict about it. I won't even allow non organic food scraps in my compost pile, and all my seeds are heirloom.

I'm curious, are there a lot of organic gardeners out there? What are your favorite tips?

I make my own pots for my seedlings out of newspaper, and plant them right in the paper, leaving 1/4" of the pot above the soil line, no more cut worms!

How do you do this?

 

[Meowmie]

There are devices they sell to make the paper pots, for about $20 but I found (I'm cheap) that if I cut newspaper into strips and wrap them around pill bottles or any other size bottle, leaving enough off the end of the bottle to cover the bottom at least halfway, I can then fold in the bottoms. I then slide the paper tube off the form just a little bit, and pinch the edges on the bottom, and they stay together very well.

Watering is easy, I just keep them in a container and water from the bottom up, and find that I can even transplant things that don't like to be transplanted because the roots never get disturbed at all when planing. The roots will grow right through the layers of newspaper.

I make the strips long enough to have at least 4 layers around,

 

[Chuck]

There are devices they sell to make the paper pots, for about $20 but I found (I'm cheap) that if I cut newspaper into strips and wrap them around pill bottles or any other size bottle, leaving enough off the end of the bottle to cover the bottom at least halfway, I can then fold in the bottoms. I then slide the paper tube off the form just a little bit, and pinch the edges on the bottom, and they stay together very well.

Watering is easy, I just keep them in a container and water from the bottom up, and find that I can even transplant things that don't like to be transplanted because the roots never get disturbed at all when planing. The roots will grow right through the layers of newspaper.

I make the strips long enough to have at least 4 layers around,

And there is no glue at all? Not even flour paste? How would paper bags from the grocery store work? I don't get a newspaper because I hate being lied to

 

[JGPangi]

I wish I had earthworms. I'm starting a compost heap, and I think it would be just great to have a little team of workers just moving that along for me. And their 'castings' (earthworm poo) make the best fertilizer

I like the diy paper pots idea! I shall definitely try it. And I suppose paper bags would work great too, though if they're too thick, a good soak in water beforehand would make them workable enough. Scratch paper from around the house would be alright too, I guess. One question though: How do you water from the bottom up? Sorry if that sounds like a silly question, I've just never heard it put that way before.

 

[Chuck]

I wish I had earthworms. I'm starting a compost heap, and I think it would be just great to have a little team of workers just moving that along for me. And their 'castings' (earthworm poo) make the best fertilizer

I like the diy paper pots idea! I shall definitely try it. And I suppose paper bags would work great too, though if they're too thick, a good soak in water beforehand would make them workable enough. Scratch paper from around the house would be alright too, I guess. One question though: How do you water from the bottom up? Sorry if that sounds like a silly question, I've just never heard it put that way before.

Watering from the bottom up is my favorite way to water. Just get a container, I use a wheelbarrow, put about 2 or 3 inchs of water in it and place you potted seedlings or potted plants on a tray in set it in the water. When the top of your soil is wet they are ready to remove and are thourghly watered.

 

[Meowmie]

Chuck, no glue, no paste. As you pull it off of whatever you use for a form you pinch the edges of the bottom. It creates a little rim, and helps to hold it all together.

I don't take the newspaper either, I make mine out of the adverts that are always being delivered in the mail.

Your comment, Chuck, reminds me of a quote from Mark Twain. "If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you read the newspaper you are misinformed"

Sorry it took so long to reply I was out of town.

 

[Chuck]

Chuck, no glue, no paste. As you pull it off of whatever you use for a form you pinch the edges of the bottom. It creates a little rim, and helps to hold it all together.

I don't take the newspaper either, I make mine out of the adverts that are always being delivered in the mail.

Your comment, Chuck, reminds me of a quote from Mark Twain. "If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed. If you read the newspaper you are misinformed"

Sorry it took so long to reply I was out of town.

I am going to do this for my winter garden, My plastic 4" pots have just about had it and I don't want to waste gasoline going to the local nursury for freebies. About how long does it take to make one?

 

[Meowmie]

About a min and a half once you get used to it. It's so simple and it works better than the things you can buy in the store most of which you have to take the plant out of before you plant it

They are fantastic for wicking up water, planting outside without disturbing the roots, and there is no trash left behind. I have made them using 1.25" diameter pill bottles to 3.5" diameter hydrogen peroxide bottles. I'm sure you could make the larger if you want.

Once you start using these you won't ever be buying a pot to start your seedlings again. They aren't just free they work 10x better.