Don't forget that diatomaceous earth will kill beneficial insects as well as pests, so you will end up always having a pest problem. This is the main problem with using any kind of pesticide. Beneficial insects (predators) are always fewer in number than pests and so are much more vulnerable to being wiped out by pesticides. You need to tolerate pests for awhile until the beneficial insect population gets established in your garden enough to keep the pests in check. This is hard to do, but in the long run it's important as we might not have access to exotic materials such as diatomaceous earth in the future. A balanced garden ecosystem costs nothing to support, and requires no exotic ingredients.

I never use pesticides.

Thanks, Ludi, for the advice about pesticides. Gardening indeed is a pastime that teaches you patience. Last year my tomatoes were demolished by cutworms, which seemed to have no enemies. I was disheartened to say the least. This year I was looking at the bed where the slaughter had taken place and noticed quite a lot of ladybugs in the vicinity. Maybe they will take care of some of the bad guys this year.

Also we have grapes growing in abundance on our grapevine this year, for the first time. I hope the tide is beginning to turn for me as a gardener.

Regards,

L.

One way to thwart cutworms is to put a little paper or cardboard collar around each transplant to protect the stem. Some people use sections of toilet tissue rolls or paper towel rolls for this.

Vouch!

I saved many lives this way.

Also, the low-pesticide route is definitely preferrable and workable.

Part of farming is learning to live with shit. Pests come and go in cycles. Cut the wormy tips off your corn. Steam your broccoli and pick the dead worms off the inside of the steamer. Pluck hornworms off the tomatoes and feed them to the chickens: more entertaining than WWF. Keep pots of old seedlings nearby to replace casualties. Spray plants with compost tea and garlic repellent. Keep everything healthy and well mulched. Spend lots of time hanging out in the garden, cursing and plucking.

I hate Japanese beetles.


PS. Grifter: the pea thing stumps me. Sounds like flea beetle, but I didn't think they ate pea leaves.

Thanks Ludi & KillJoy for the great advice! I will persevere!

Regards,

L.

I just found my first tent caterpillar nest on my apple tree.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfac ... /ef423.htm

I've always just used a propain torch and burned them out. Does anyone know of anything that I can spray on that will help with them that isn't some form of poison? With the new tree's and the others getting bigger burning them out is getting to be a huge pain.

Thanks for giving it some thought. I never found out what it was, I lost about 20 pea plants but had planted 50 and the ones left are looking good and strong. Just one of those mysteries until next year.

However, I have seen quite a few of these things on my potatoes.

link

I don't think they're much of a problem, the plants are looking pretty good but there are quite a few.

Oh and I didn't go with the Diatomaceous earth in the end, I've still got loads of leatherjackets but most things seem to be growing well.

I've been having lots of trouble with chipmunks. I planted a bunch of garlic in the hopes of keeping them away, but they dug up the cloves and ate them!

My new cat hasn't left me any mice or rats yet but the squirrel population has been substantially reduced. I kinda liked the squirrels is the issue.

Speaking of cats, the one in my avatar is from our allotments. It sits with me but doesn't like anyone else, which is fine by me.

Most people don't want cats around their plot but I see it as killing mice, crows and magpies and so does more good than harm.

If you look closely you'll see it only has 1 ear and half a tail.

Found this nice link about attracting beneficial predator insects to the garden:

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-2 ... rticle.htm

These guys are helpfull in keeping some bugs under control as I found out on my last visit to the village here in Poland. Before the farmers did not like them and now they wish they returned as some bug that the crows ate are out of control.

That is a great link Ludi

but it says that ladybugs are a pest!!!! Man, I thought they ate aphids.

I've been trying to attract them, well thinking about how I can attract them, there's loads and I was happy about it, until now.

I take it ladybugs are the same a ladybirds?

Check in the column "Predator insect" it shows ladybugs (ladybirds) as the predator of the pests aphids and mites. Ladybugs are beneficial, NOT pests!

Oh yes

my attention to detail seems very poor lately.

Anyway, cool link.