Worldwide Beekeeping

Sustainable Living => Gardening => Topic started by: Bakersdozen on April 25, 2016, 10:34:54 am

Title: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Bakersdozen on April 25, 2016, 10:34:54 am
I would like to know what methods are used to control vegetable garden pests when honey bee colonies are nearby.  What does everyone do to control the bad critters but protect your colonies from exposure?  Have you eliminated the use of sevin dust?   :o  Do you pick off pests by hand?  I hope to hear some good methods! 
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: neillsayers on April 25, 2016, 01:19:54 pm
I pick and crush every Japanese Beetle I see. BT works for cabbage worms and tomato hornworms with regular applications. When the plants are pretty strong and thriving let the chickens run through. They are bug killing machines but when fruit starts to set keep em out. They will trash a lot of crop. Rotenone dust is pretty good for flea beetles and others and is short lived. I'd be careful about getting any on flowers the bees are pollinating. Hope this helps.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: iddee on April 25, 2016, 03:38:11 pm
Powdered lime will discourage most pests while raising the PH of the soil, but not harming the bees. Just cover all leaves and repeat after the rain adds it to the soil.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on April 25, 2016, 04:27:57 pm
B13, wanted to know also,I've had a problem with squash bugs ,and the hand picking doesn't work for me
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Wandering Man on April 25, 2016, 06:17:58 pm
We haven't done anything, yet. Wife has planted a few marigolds in her raised garden. 8 X 10.

She won't even let me spray round up outside of the frame.

I've got red and silver aluminum strips waving in the breeze to keep her birds out.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: apisbees on April 25, 2016, 08:59:22 pm
Quote
I've got red and silver aluminum strips waving in the breeze to keep her birds out.
I find this works until the fruit is just getting rip By then the birds are use to it and have gained enough confidence to ignore it and come in and help themselves.
It's the same as putting a scare crow up to early By the time you need it the birds have figured out it is a fake.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Wandering Man on April 25, 2016, 10:19:40 pm
Quote
I've got red and silver aluminum strips waving in the breeze to keep her birds out.
I find this works until the fruit is just getting rip By then the birds are use to it and have gained enough confidence to ignore it and come in and help themselves.
It's the same as putting a scare crow up to early By the time you need it the birds have figured out it is a fake.

I'm not telling wife. She'll make me stand out there all day to shoo away the birds!
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: riverbee on April 25, 2016, 11:26:43 pm
"I'm not telling wife. She'll make me stand out there all day to shoo away the birds!"


now that's funny!................. :D :D :D

sorry bakers, we have some methods, we don't use sevin and we don't use any pesticides........just over plant i guess to make up for losses.  we have planted marigolds around the tators and cucumbers  and squash (these beetles drive me crazy) to discourage the beetles, but i think the trick to beat potato beetles is to move potatoes around. since we started doing that, no problems with them. and actually, many other vegetables are moved around..........our biggest pests are not the usual beetles that drive you nuts picking them off or spraying, it's the other bigger critters!

Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Ray4852 on April 26, 2016, 08:45:51 am
The two worst insects sprays you can use is malathion and sevin. This stuff stays active in your garden for 10 days. The best insect spray to use is pyganic. It breaks down in 8 hours. I spray at dusk and by mid morning the next day its out of my garden. Its very expensive for a quart. I get it for 50 dollars a quart.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/product/omri-listed-pyganic-ec-insecticide-pyrethrin/organic-insecticides
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Bakersdozen on April 27, 2016, 08:08:12 am
Thanks for all the replies.
Ray4852,  Pyganic looks interesting as it is derived from chrysanthemums.  That is a cool link.  I learned a lot of new things.

riverbee: I have practiced the theory of planting extra when you can.
 
neillsayers:  Rotenone's link to fish kills and Parkinson's disease is a little scary.  Chickens in the garden is a good IPM tactic.  I recently learned that certain breeds of birds will feed their clutch between 4000-5000 catepillars, worms, etc.  Bird houses would make a good addition in the garden.

iddee:  Our soil is a nice neutral PH.  There are times with I try to raise the acidity for specific plants, but overall we like our neutral soil.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: neillsayers on April 27, 2016, 01:04:50 pm
BK,

I forgot about bird houses. Wrens are great and we encourage them. Also bluebirds and martins.
My understanding of rotenone is it breaks down quickly in soil. If your garden runs off quickly into a stream or pond I'd avoid it.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on May 01, 2016, 09:06:07 am
Iddee, wondering if I mixed powder lime with water and sprayed under squash leaves if would help ?
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: iddee on May 01, 2016, 09:15:47 am
When mixed with water, it heats. That is what repels the insects. It burns their wet feet. If you mix it, it will burn you if you get it on you. Once it is mixed and cools, it will no longer repel. I use it dry on my squash leaves and have no bugs.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Zulu on May 01, 2016, 09:38:26 am
Chickens .... They take care of most bugs , but they do like to scratch in the garden beds
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: brooksbeefarm on May 01, 2016, 09:58:40 am
Turned the cows in on the thornless blackberry patch yesterday, the fescue grass got so thick between the plants that i couldn't use the weed eater without cutting the canes. :o Of course the are eating the dutch clover between the rows first, but the calves are munching on the fescue next to the blackberry plants. Hope this works they will be blooming in a week or two. :yes: So far they haven't bothered the canes or there leaves. :no: Jack
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on May 01, 2016, 03:28:35 pm
Zulu, I've read somewhere before that guinea fowl (hens) are great an don't scratch or dig, you've got to train them though or they'll get in line and march off your property
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on May 01, 2016, 03:37:05 pm
Thanks iddee will try that this year. Zulu don't know if they eat bees too ? ?
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: iddee on May 01, 2016, 03:48:41 pm
No. chickens and guineas do not eat live worker bees. Drones and dead bees, maybe.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Zulu on May 01, 2016, 09:39:51 pm
Zulu, I've read somewhere before that guinea fowl (hens) are great an don't scratch or dig, you've got to train them though or they'll get in line and march off your property

Know them well, but they are VERY VERY Noisy when it comes to roost time.  They are after all African birds

Chickens don't go close the front of the hives , they scratch around below them but avoid the front
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Jacobs on May 15, 2016, 03:34:09 pm
Unless they build in very bad areas, I mark the yellow jacket nests in my yard with large rocks so I don't mow over them.  I let them hunt insect pests in the vegetable garden and haven't had an issue with them bothering healthy honey bees or hives.  They will butcher the dying and recently dead honey bees.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Mikey N.C. on May 20, 2016, 05:16:48 pm
Seemed to be more European hornet's here last year, but also wonder if the sugar water feeding , brings the yellow jackets in ?
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Les on May 20, 2016, 05:41:10 pm
Now this post struck a chord with me.  I so dislike using any chemicals in the veggie gardens but I am tired of losing the battle to the striped cucumber beetle.  If they don't beat the bees to the pollen, they infect the plants with wilt.   I tried hand picking but the old back doesn't like that position.  My neighbor is going to use pyrethrum this year, so I might as well try it too.  My bees are in her yard anyway so they either get exposed in her yard, mine or both.  I use yogurt or cottage cheese containers (with the bottoms cut out) around the bottoms of my other plants so the cutworms can't get at them.  Having our new pup is keeping the squirrels away.  If I find aphids, usually a blast with the hose knocks them off.  Plant lots of nectar plants (flowers) and you will get the predatory wasps.  Also bee houses similar to the mason bee houses, they will feed the other bugs to the bee larva.  Last but certainly not least birds!  Hummingbirds love aphids!
Happy Gardening everyone! Not sure how much I will get in this year due to this doggone hip but I keep nibbling away at it.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: neillsayers on May 20, 2016, 05:46:05 pm
Les,

You keep plugging away at it. I believe the healthiest activity in the world is gardening. I often say, " every hour spent in the dirt adds an hour to your life" :)
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: brooksbeefarm on May 21, 2016, 11:37:49 am
Thanks Neill, i have a long life ahead of me if what you say is true? :D Jack
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Les on June 27, 2016, 08:04:00 am
At this point nothing but once the squash and pumpkins start flowering and that stinker striped cucumber beetle emerges, I am going to spread food grade diametacous earth around the plants. As far as the berry eaters, I do not like to use that plastic bird fencing, however, I discovered tulle (you know the stuff ballerina tutus are made from). If you can find it on sale, I buy it by the yards and lay it across my strawberries and cover my blueberry bushes with it.  I fastened it to the ground with those two pronged thingies.
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Alleyyooper on June 28, 2016, 08:53:10 am
I believe in marigolds, plant per raised bed 4'x8'. Also a firm believer in the pick pinch and drop in a gallon jar of water those pest you can catch. Mash them up real good and strain into a sprayer and spray the plants. I am guessing they don't like the flavor of their dead kin folks.
Normally how ever I don't have a problem since I started doing marigolds in th egarden.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi280.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk194%2Foldmasseyguy%2F2016%2520garden%2520pictures%2FIMG_0479_zpsxywaakdn.jpg&hash=59a6b0b4b1348f11e1ba227eabbf89b2935b93be) (http://s280.photobucket.com/user/oldmasseyguy/media/2016%20garden%20pictures/IMG_0479_zpsxywaakdn.jpg.html)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi280.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk194%2Foldmasseyguy%2F2016%2520garden%2520pictures%2FIMG_0480_zpsrmbanvqz.jpg&hash=bf5b9f808fa0dae58b7f04a72fbc5db0baa27781) (http://s280.photobucket.com/user/oldmasseyguy/media/2016%20garden%20pictures/IMG_0480_zpsrmbanvqz.jpg.html)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi280.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk194%2Foldmasseyguy%2F2016%2520garden%2520pictures%2FIMG_0481_zpsdl2getbi.jpg&hash=0d4a2ee83ccf574b74bc45629f86c94680de2ee4) (http://s280.photobucket.com/user/oldmasseyguy/media/2016%20garden%20pictures/IMG_0481_zpsdl2getbi.jpg.html)

2015 tomatoes

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi280.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fkk194%2Foldmasseyguy%2F2015%2520garden%2FAug%252016%25202015_3186_zpsj6x66dsh.jpg&hash=59f8dd947e38eb174fb763a1b9d664306cb579dc) (http://s280.photobucket.com/user/oldmasseyguy/media/2015%20garden/Aug%2016%202015_3186_zpsj6x66dsh.jpg.html)

 ;D  Al
Title: Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
Post by: Alleyyooper on June 28, 2016, 09:04:44 am
"Scientists have discovered that insects from cockroaches to caterpillars all emit the same stinky blend of fatty acids when they die, and this sinister stench sends bugs of all kinds running for their lives.

Biologist David Rollo of McMaster University in Canada made this morbid discovery while studying the social behavior of cockroaches. When a roach locates a great new abode (like your kitchen cupboard), it gives off a chemical signal to attract its cockroach friends. To determine the chemical composition of these pheromones, Rollo and his team started crushing dead cockroaches and spreading around their body juice.

“It was amazing to find that the cockroaches avoided places treated with these extracts like the plague,” Rollo said in a press release. “Naturally, we wanted to identify what chemical was making them all go away"


Here are some more I knew about but just decided to be lazy and let Ya'll check out the link.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/back-to-the-basics-hope-for-the-best-prepare-for-the-worst/how-to-make-your-own-garden-pest-sprays-more-recipes-added/428150725241/

four legged pest learn to enjoy rabbit stew, fried squirrel with biscuits and gravy, venison jerky just to name a few.

 ;D  Al