Author Topic: What methods do you gardeners use?  (Read 8570 times)

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Offline Bakersdozen

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What methods do you gardeners use?
« 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! 

Offline neillsayers

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #1 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.
Neill Sayers
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Offline iddee

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #2 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.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #3 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

Offline Wandering Man

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #4 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.
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Offline apisbees

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #5 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.
Honey Judge, Beekeeping Display Coordinator, Armstrong Fair and Rodeo.

Offline Wandering Man

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #6 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!
Never argue with drunks or crazy people

Offline riverbee

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #7 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!

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Offline Ray4852

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #8 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
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #9 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.

Offline neillsayers

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #10 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.
Neill Sayers
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USDA Zone 7a

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #11 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 ?

Offline iddee

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #12 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.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline Zulu

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #13 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
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #14 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

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #15 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

Offline Mikey N.C.

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2016, 03:37:05 pm »
Thanks iddee will try that this year. Zulu don't know if they eat bees too ? ?

Offline iddee

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #17 on: May 01, 2016, 03:48:41 pm »
No. chickens and guineas do not eat live worker bees. Drones and dead bees, maybe.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
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Offline Zulu

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #18 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
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Offline Jacobs

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Re: What methods do you gardeners use?
« Reply #19 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.