Anticipation, A Look over the Garden!

[Pharmer Phil]

A Look Over The Garden

Well I have got to admit,from here, It's Hard to see the gardens in our southerly and other areas of the U.S., where it is Almost time to Plant..., looking over My frozen,snow covered Zone 4 plot.
The garden was cleared last fall of All plant debris. This is important, as insects will 'winter over' in this debris.
Any weeds were 'flamed', ammendments were added, some lime, rotted straw, leaves, compost, and an additive called "Neem Cake', and were all worked in with the tiller.
All is ready, and even if it were warm enough...and time to plant, I would have to wait till the soil was ready.
The best way to tell, is simply take a shovel and dig down about 10 inches, grab a handfull of soil and give it a good Squeeze, enough to compact it into a firm ball, take your thumb and fingers and try to break it apart, if the soil, crumbles apart in your hands, You are Set to go!
Working your soil Too soon can cause more harm than good, so if it is sticky.....Go Back inside, Mope, and organize your seeds, which is where I am heading! 2head

[theresa]

Ok whats Neem cake?

[Pharmer Phil]

Early Last seson T, I hooked up with a company, who Dealt :
Neem and Karanja Products
Being Strictly organic, and going into the pumpkin competition, I was going to need some "strong Allies" in the defense of thr dreaded Cucumber beetle!
I found control for these Lil monsters and a whole buncho' Pests in these Products;

Neem Oil, Karanja Oil, and Neem cake

Neem Cake, is really a misnomer, and is actually very small granules, that have a 'coffee brown' appearance, and a slight 'garlic like' odor.
Oil is extracted from the Neem seed, and the resulting pulp, is Neem Cake,or granules, I believe that Granules is being used now, due to the confusion.
As far as Just a soil ammendment, I can happily say the help and boost it gave my sweetcorn ,alone, was well worth it.
It Contains(from the literature):
Moisture: 9.0% max
Total Ash: 7.5% max
Nitrogen: 4.0% minimum
Phosphorus: 0.5% minimum
K as K20: 0.5% minimum
And controls a whole host of Critters:

Nematodes controlled by Neem Cake
Haplolaimus Indicus, Helicotylenchus Erythrina, Meliodogne Arenaria, Meloidogyne Incognita, Parasitic Fungi, R.Brassica, Reniform Nematode, Root-knot Nematodes, Rotylenchus Reniformis, Trylenchor hynchus - various species. Other pests: Grain Moth, Lesser Grain Moth, Red Flour Beetle.
Ya'll can do the research(j/k), (if Ya want to know I will break the above down into laymans terms) But believe me the benefit of being almost, CUCUMBER BEETLE FREE, was Good enough for me, and the other BAD things it controls were Just an added Bonus! and By the way, In years Past, I had a Population of about a BaZILLION Cuke beetles, last year, I had a HANDFULL
I would like to add:
The Neem and Karanja Oil is totally Safe to use, I can provide info If you all wish, In fact ,(And although NOT SELLING Thse Products)... I can obtain these products at a price far below what you will find else where, as the headquarters are just about 40 minutes from here!
NEEM OIL and KARANJA OIL, gets a bad rap sometimes, because:
The Thing is...(quilty Myself...first time out)
As with ANYTHING....

Ya GOTTA FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS

In the case of these products here(_{many Neem products are sold of Lesser strengths})
This IS an OIL, and the mixing direction must be followed closely. Thumb 2head

[theresa]

Thank-you Phil! Thumb

[seadog]

I wonder if neem cake has any value for controlling colorado potatoe beetles?
Another strategy I use for deciding when to plant is putting a cheap thermometer about an inch in the soil and planting crop specific to temperature. I have tables of minimum germination temperatures and optimum growth temperatures that are handy. When my computer savvy daughter comes home I'll post those if anybodies' interested. otherwise ask me about a specific plant and I'll look it up.
Of course moisture and temp have to be right. I don't have to worry about that, its' almost always dry around here. moisture is tested as Phil describes above.

[Pharmer Phil]

Seadog, you are correct, I too use a soil thermometer, I may get a pic of it later, it's an Oldie but Goodie! I should have included soil temp concerns in the above, and do have the info...I am trying to compile and post timely info; however, don't want to sand-bag too long here, yet I have many things to do, so Please post any info you Have Thumb
Below is a list of Critters That neem,neem cake and karanja oil will control. I do Know that the Neem cake will control the colorado potato beetle, and most any pest that goes through it's larval stage underground
Some of the pests controlled by neem are Aphids, Army Worms, Beet Army Worms, Blow Flies, Brown Plant Hopper, Caterpillars, Chinch Bugs, Colorado Potato Beetle, Cotton Boil Worm, Cowpea Weevil, Desert Locust, Diamondback Moths, Fungus Gnats, Grain Borer, Green Rice Leaf Hopper, Greenhouse White Flies, Gypsy Moths, Horn Flies, Horn Worms, Japanese Beetles, Kharpa Beetle, Leaf Beetle, Leaf Hopper, Leaf Miners, Loopers, Mealy Bugs, Mexican Bean Beetle, Migratory Locust, Pink Boll Worm, Plant Bugs, Potato Tuber Moth, Red Cotton Bug, Red Flour Beetle, Rice Gal Midge, Rice Hispa, Rice Leaf Folder, Rice Weevil, Sorghum Shoot Fly, Spiny Boll Worm, Spotted Cucumber Beetle, Sweet Potato White Flies Thrips, Tobacco Caterpillar, Tobacco Horn Worm, Vegetable Leaf Miner, Web Worms, Weevils. 2head

[jeanette]

CUCUMBER BEETLE FREE

oh how i would love that... you'll probally freak-out but i spray mine with raid..... works like a charm, for several weeks...

[Pharmer Phil]

you'll probally freak-out but i spray mine with raid....

Ok, I'm Phreakin'
If I am not mistaken...Raid contains PERMETHRIN
_{OK, Pharmer phil you SWORE to be Open-minded}...
Oh and OK, Busted on my Post...I edited it jeanette, to ALMOST Cucumber Beetle Free! So I'll Compromise here and re-direct you: _{:4-thatsba No, don't be opinionated.. :poundon: Just gotta... :4-thatsba...Be} :poundon:
simpletimes.blogspot.com

[jeanette]

you can say, i can take it ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO... i said that because i wanted to know what you thought. Waving

[jeanette]

i don't just spray willie nillie around my garden, i love the bees and even the big creepy garden spiders... i wait until i have an infestation and then i get really close to the plant and just spray right on the plant, after they are dead i water....

i love my bees

[jeanette]

[jeanette]

pretty quiet here...i really am interested in hearing your thoughts on this... i'm sure you know how fast those little buggers can eat up your plants... they have been the bane of my exsistance.. so lets have some words of wisdom please

[Pharmer Phil]

jeanette said:

pretty quiet here...i really am interested in hearing your thoughts on this... i'm sure you know how fast those little buggers can eat up your plants... they have been the bane of my exsistance.. so lets have some words of wisdom please

Bane of your existance!! ROTFLMAO
What; Cucumber Beetles? Try Raising Giant Pumpkins and fighting with them!
As with Most Pests, You have to start your defense early, Cuke beetles will appear, then come back about August in your area...With the Whole Freakin' Phamily!
As with any pest Knowing what they are doing, and their Life Cycle is half the battle won.
There are several types of cucumber beetles, I have a 'rouges gallery' on cd some where here, I will look them up for a visual. I will wait till I find the pics here to finish answering your question...and I have a lot of cd's here...( _{Maybe I can get Laura to start marking my cd's fer me})! Shaking

[jeanette]

they are the reason i don't grow pumpkins any more...
it's these little devils...

[Pharmer Phil]

Don't Raise PUMPKINS OMG, Now yer Just asking for a Big 'o' shipment of pumpkin Seed!!! ROTFLMAO I think We can get you "Back in Production" maybe even get you to Compete in the National Weigh-off!!
The cuke beetles in our neck of the woods,(for the most part-striped variety) over winter in protected areas under dense grass, near buildings, in fence rows, and in woodlots. When The spring temps reach about 50, then they start moving about, munching on several different things...even dandelions.
In the South,the spotted beetle show up from hiding about 3 weeks after the striped.
Although they are here, the spotted beetle migrates here from the south.

Here is one we Don't have in the midwest, but our Westwardly Phriends do, this is the "banded" cucumber beetle

SO, the beetles wake up from their winters nap, eat on whats available till our cucumbers, squash,melons, start to sprout! Then They Munch on them for about a week, Have a Little Hanky-Panky then the female deposits about a thousand eggs, right there at the base of yer plants.
This is a GOOD TIME to let your plants...Be a Little on the dry side as the female not only prefers damp soil, but the survival rate of her hatch will drop if the soil does not remain moist for the first day or so.
In the north, Minnesota, Iowa (for the sake of our conversation), striped cucumber beetles produce only one generation per year.
Our southern members, can expect 3 or 4 generations per season.
But...lucky UsHere in the Corn producing states,We have another added bonus, Guess what the immature Spottted Cuke beetle is? (I Know you have to deal with these jeanette)...Corn Rootworm
Here the young,lite green Boogers are munching on a Jack 'o' Lantern Pumpkin

So My plan of attack is this: Early on, I apply the Neem Granules (cake) to the soil, this will start to affect the 'Nasties" in the soil, when the temps get around 50, and I see a few, I start mixing Neem Oil solution and drenching the soil around the plants. then while the ones that make it are turning from the larva into the "PROBLEM' I put up these traps.
This is a "I can't believe it's not Butter" tub!
In it I smear Tangle Foot, In the tangle foot, I place a small cotton ball a (wick) to the wick I apply , pure CLOVE oil You can get this at wally world, just ask the pharmicist, the ingredient that you want here is, Eugenol
Wet down the cotton and place these around the perimeter of your patch, about every 25 feet and about 2 ft. off the ground. Bigger, YELLOW containers may be used.
It's the yellow that attracts them, the clove oil makes m' REAL interested, and the tangle foot, well Just try getting it outa ya hair!!! Thats about it jeanette, And as always:
The methods I described..Can Be Used with "other" Insecticides. Pyrethrins, although acceptable 'organically' will Kill Your Bee's, Sabadilla Dust, will also damage your beneficials. For those using The chemical approach:
Try a soil drench of Sevin, at the time of the females Laying there eggs.
Some Plant varieties Are WAY MORE attractive to these pests, Most Zucchini, those cute lil miniature pumpkins!! Plant these as a "TRAP" crop, then apply your RAIDor other Insecticide, to the critters that collect on them...Sort of a KILLING zone.
Whatever you Use, the Timing is Most important! The most active time for these pests is between dusk and dawn,Spraying for them then will not only get the most "BANG for your buck, but the Honey Bee's and other beneficials activity will be really low then, as opposed to in the morning.
2head

[Pharmer Phil]

It is Important to Say here that the Cuke beetle does not damage your plant by consuming it, it will DESTROY your crop by infecting it with ,Bacterial Wilt.
Plants infected with this are chewed and then healthy ones get chewed and soon, your vines start to look Dark, and droopy...A good test for this is to take a portion of the vine, squeeze it till it breaks, and pull slowly apart, Do you Get a slimey, sticky Goo? if so...Your Plant Is DOOMED

[Sheri]

I live in a great place. The only pests I have to deal with is Japanese Beetles on the rose bushes and last year I hard thripe(?) on my peones. I just posted some pictures, February 19, 2005, on my site. Lots of stuff blooming here. My family comes to my house at Easter to look at the flowers. Wonder if anything will be blooming then.

www.picturetrail.com/bestofour

[jeanette]

maybe they aren't the same thing but i also have little bugs that eat the flowers the pumpkins, watermellon summersquash etc..
also i have trouble with pumpkins because of vine borer.. by the time i see the damage it's too late...i am considering having another bash at it.. i know my family would think giant pumpkins are 'the bomb' boy if i do i'm gonna need a lot of help.. (nudge nudge hint hint)

[Laura]

They will eat the flower's. Sometime's you see stink bug's. The vine borer's are another story..We haven't had one out here. But Phil put's clothe around the base of the plant. You will have to ask Phil when he does this..

[douglas]

Cuke beetles, nasty they are, had to deal with them last year. Some of my vines had wilt through out the season because of them critters :boese3: :boese3: :boese3:

[seadog]

Pharmer phil, thats such a good bunch of info I almost wish I had some pests to try it out on, but I've never seen one out here. ROTFLMAO

[douglas]

Then again I could send out some to you if ya like seadog ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO ROTFLMAO

[seadog]

I suppose I could swap for my irritating crackhead neibors with the barkin dogs. :3angry1:

[Pharmer Phil]

Thats not a fair trade, you can't find cuke beetles just everywhere Shaking

[douglas]

They'er quite small and can be hard to miss, rottin pests :3angry1:

[theresa]

I suggest we all gather our pest up and mail them to Seadog, so he'll know what we have to put up with. Last year I encourage the growth of the Assassin Bug, they eat the other bugs!!! Hope they will be back this year!

[seadog]

You send me all those pests and I'll tell my crackhead neighbors you got a party goin on.
Besides We got a drought goin on and may not even have water past spring. The pests woul'nt evcen stick around this year.
Shame on you for having such mean and ruthless thoughts! :boese3: :boese3:

[theresa]

sorry! huh, no I'm not!!!! I'll send you all you want. Wonder if you can ship the Assassan bugs? I know they are raising those little critters in Canada for pest control. I put these all over my plants and let them do the job for me, NOw if I could get them to eat the Jap. Bettle I'd have it made. I did notice I didn't have as many wasp and mosquitos last year, of course we have a zillion of Lighting Bugs too and they are pest eaters.

[jeanette]

T what in the world is an assassin bug?


ooo lightning bugs i can hardly wait... this is really cute

mywebpages.comcast.net/singingman7/LightningBugs.htm

[Pharmer Phil]

Assassin