Pest Patrol Duty is Back
Now is the time to be vigilant about the pest in our gardens. With the recent rains and cooler weather and now warming up we have quite a collection of pest attacking our gardens from all sides. We have the Fire Ants, Mosquitoes, chiggers, ticks, aphids, and a multitude of spiders and other creepy crawling critters. So lets attack these little pests one on one.
Mosquitoes
Boy are the mosquitoes out in force. This is part of being blessed by all that rain we have been enjoying. Now that mosquitoes are here let us protect ourselves from these flying little pest. On page 84 of my book “Gardening in the Texas Hill Country”, I have the solution.
First and the easiest is the white ceramic dish, water and Liquid Lemon Joy mosquito trap. This is really effective. However, please place the dish in an area away from where you are going to be, as this solution will attract the mosquitoes to it and therefore you if you sit next to it. So place the dish with the solution in it in another location some 25 to 50 feet away from the area where you will be. Fill a white ceramic dish with water adding several drops of Lemon Joy dishwashing soap and mix together. Mosquitoes will be attracted to it a drink the mixture. When they drink the solution they will die within fifteen feet of the dish. This solution is not harmful to pets or children. Is that cool or what, now you can enjoy being outside once again.
Fire Ants
One of the good things about a drought was there were no Fire Ants in our yards or gardens, now we that we have had some nice rains and the Fire Ants are back. There are some easy and effective ways to control them.
One of the best ways to control the Fire Ants in the yard and gardens is to apply Beneficial Nematodes. These little, they are microscopic, guys are called the “Marines” of their world.
They seek, kill, and destroy their enemies, and their enemies are Fire Ants, chiggers, and fleas. The difference in these guys and other solutions such as baits is that they go wherever the Fire Ants go, as they are after their food source. These Beneficial Nematodes are found in the garden centers, feed stores, or nurseries. Look for them in the refrigerators or ask the folks at the centers where they keep them. Instructions as to how to apply are on the box or the containers they come in.
Bugs in General
This recipe came from Sharon Cuyler who sent in to “Organic Gardening” this effective and inexpensive solution to our bugs in the garden. Sharon uses it effectively on ants, potato bugs, white flies and she says it even works on bugs she doesn’t know the names of.
The formula is simple, and approximate: 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of witch hazel, and 2 drops of liquid dish soap. She puts it in a spray bottle and uses it on everything, and it is safe for vegetables. She also sprays it around her house. Shelli Rosamond of Marble Falls, has been testing it as well, and says it is working for her. This is something that I have been looking for a very long time a solution to the bug control problem that is effective, inexpensive and easy to apply.
Aphids
Last year we had an abundance of Aphids attacking our plants and trees, as there was a shortage of Lady Bugs in the area to get control of the aphids. Last year the aphids were so bad that my Meyers lemon tree and my avocado trees were covered up and then there came the black residue from the infestation. Both of those trees were in serious trouble. No lemons were had and no avocadoes either. I used insecticidal soaps and pure water and some other products but to no avail. Two weeks ago, I was listening to John Dromgoole, of The Natural Gardener in Austin, on the radio and he had a caller with the same problem I had. John told his caller about a product called Serenade. I immediately bought some and tried it. Wow! One application and my trees are already responding in a very positive way. Many thanks John. This product is good for any fungus that attacks our gardens.
Remember: We have had a very unusual Spring even for the Texas Hill Country, and we have to be patient as the plants are just as confused as we are.
Till Next Month!
Keep your souls and your soles in your garden!
Remember the True Master Gardener: Jesus said, “I am the vine; my Father is the Gardener.” John 15:1
Have questions or comments? Contact Bill Luedecke at The Luedecke Group Realtors, P.O. Box 1632, Bertram, TX. 78605 (no Post Office in Oatmeal) or email bill@texasland.net. For additional gardening web sites, go to his web site; www.TexasLand.Net and click on links.
Speak Your Mind