To all you organic gardeners....how to kill the darn bugs???

[karanleaf]

karanleaf- DE is diatomaceous earth it's basically crushed remains of an ancient algae. It's used in a large variety of industrial applications and pools. It's also used in the garden to control soft bodied insects by making them dry out. It's also used in chicken and other animal feed to help control worms and such.

Beekissed- yes, it will hurt your pollinators.

I highly recommend not using this in the garden.

THANKS Oakland I had no idea that is good info I like learning new things

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks, OCF. I bit the bullet and let the marauders back out of jail. The corn they damaged is too far gone to make a comeback, so they can go on beetle patrol. I hope they make a difference. My last cucumber vine succumbed this morning. We gave it a fitting burial in the chicken run....

I examined it for borers and the like but could find no evidence of invasion to the stem or root.

OCF, you wouldn't happen to have a pic of the worm, or larvae, of the beetles and borers, would you?

 

[me&thegals]

I'm rejuvenating this thread out of crippling grief (ok--a bit dramatic). My heavy, beautiful princess pumpkins (about 25-pounders) were over half devastated by squash borer, at least I think so. Would this cause internally rotten, mushy pumpkins? I'm ready for war!!! I will till this year, clear all garden foliage and try to find a way to sic my chickens on the garden (the farm is far away and I'm not sure how to round them up yet )

I have a pretty big squash patch, like over 50 hills. Any ideas on how to manage this size of a squash garden without breaking the bank OR my back? I don't remember seeing squash borers, just lots of beetles and stink bugs.

Thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

I'm rejuvenating this thread out of crippling grief (ok--a bit dramatic). My heavy, beautiful princess pumpkins (about 25-pounders) were over half devastated by squash borer, at least I think so. Would this cause internally rotten, mushy pumpkins?

Not actually answering your question, cuz I Dunno , but:

A few yrs ago I saw the most wonderful animated half-hour Halloween special on tv, "Pumpkin Moon". It is totally wordless, and the first ten minutes or so of it (which is BY FAR the best part - the last half is fairly lame-o) is the story of this little black cat who sleeps in the family's backyard pumpkin patch and cares for and protects this pumpkin as it is growing. The pumpkin grows bigger and bigger and bigger, til it is enormous and almost ready to be made into a jack-o-lantern... and then suddenly one day, the little black cat discovers that, horror of horrors, the pumpkin is ROTTING! It collapses into a comically horrible saggy blob. The cat is devastated! The family tosses the rotting pumpkin on the compost pile (probably the only representation of composting ever done in cartoon form!) and it rots further. But the little black cat stays loyally by it, even though it is all disgusting and nasty, because it is still Her Beloved Pumpkin. She keeps it company and protects it. And on Halloween, when really stupid little cartoon witches come and menace the little black cat, the oozing rotting pumpkin carcass comes to life and rescues her.

Um, point being (if I *have* a point ), apparently you're not the only one it's ever happened to

Good luck,

Pat

 

[me&thegals]

Uh..... okay. Alrighty then...



So, basically, watch my back on full-moon nights for my pumpkin corpses to reassemble themselves and.....????

 

[patandchickens]

Uh..... okay. Alrighty then...



So, basically, watch my back on full-moon nights for my pumpkin corpses to reassemble themselves and.....????

I see you have fully grasped all the important details of the plan

LOL

Pat