> Just wanted to relay some interesting and pleasant observations to you.
> This year I made three major changes in my garden - first, it is the
> first season that I have used no poisons at all - No rotenone, pyrethrin,
> sabadilla, B.T. -
(snip)
> Does anyone else have any observations or information to add to this
> idea?
Hi Todd,
I am SO glad to hear stories like this -- they're rare, even among organic
gardeners. We've had a similar experience. For six years we were market
gardeners registered as organic growers with the state of Oregon. For the
last two years we've just had a big garden for ourselves.
At first, we used the usual sprays: phrethrum, sabadilla, rotenone, Bt,
insecticidal soap, etc.. Each year we found we had to spray less in order
to protect our commercial crops. Finally, 4 years ago was our first year of
no spraying, other than occasional insecticidal soap on aphids. It came
almost as a surprise and I thought it was a fluke! Now in our fourth year
of no spraying, I'm firmly convinced that organic gardening does WORK better
in the long run, as well as being easier on the environment. So far this
year we haven't even had aphids on the roses.
From the beginning I've planted lots of flowering herbs which attract
beneficials, increasing the numbers each year, and we don't use sprays, even
organic ones, that will kill them. Also, we live on 5 acres in the country
where we don't have neighbor's pesticides settling on our garden. I do
apply beneficial nematodes each spring, and they seem to keep populations of
many beetles down. We also concentrate on building the soil and keeping it
healthy.
I hope more people will discover that to have a healthy, well-balanced
organic garden, even the so-called "organic" pesticides demand a price.
Congratulations, Todd!!! It sounds wonderful!
Joyce Schillen, Southern Oregon, Zone 8
gardenpg@cdsnet.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.cdsnet.net/Business/GardenPages (Gardening info and links)
http://www.so-oregon.com (Southern Oregon Magazine)
Howdy all,
Just wanted to relay some interesting and pleasant observations to you.
This year I made three major changes in my garden - first, it is the
first season that I have used no poisons at all - No rotenone, pyrethrin,
sabadilla, B.T. - Nothing (except a little diatamaceous earth around my
strawberries to keep the slugs at bay). Second, I have allowed a larger
strip around the garden to revert to the meadow that it was three years
ago. Lots of wildflowers this year (most of which attract beneficials).
Third, I tried to focus on rebuilding trace elements in my soil -
using green sand in particular. What I have noticed is a real eye
opener. I have less pests than I have ever had, and an inverse
population of birds (considerably more than in the past). In the context
of a garden about 4000 sqft, this is my pest report this year:
Flea beetles - normal populations - too small for birds to see?
cabbage worms/loopers: about 12!
striped cucumber beetles - usually very bad by now - 5!
Tarnished plant bugs - also usually a problem - about 6
CPB - two adults (no potatoes planted this year, though) - bad last year.
aphids - slightly lower than normal - also too small for birds?
Yes, you read these numbers correctly.
These are the pests that normally bother us. In addition to the increase
in the bird population, I am beginning to see more beneficials
(especially lacewings, which should start to reduce aphid populations by
next season).
If this trend is real, and continues, I may be looking at a very
naturally controlled pest situation within a year or two. To me, this is
very exciting, and a real education. To play devil's advocate for a
moment, pest populations could be slightly delayed by the cool, wet
spring we encountered in april/early may - but I don't think this is the
cause (we had similar weather two years ago, and horrendous pest
problems). I will keep you all posted if this is the case.
One other incidental observation I have made - I built a tomatoe support
structure out of ash saplings (I had an excess) and bailing twine, all
about 6' tall. The robins love it. They sit atop this thing, all
vigilant, occasionally swooping down to collect some evil-doer in my
garden. The best part is that they come back to perch again, and reward
my garden with their droppings. What a deal!
Does anyone else have any observations or information to add to this
idea?
Todd in Vermont
Here I sit, typing and being hugely gluttonous on vanilla ice cream,
smothered with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and FRESH ORGANICALLY GROWN
STRAWBERRIES! My thinking is that the strawberries cancel out all the
other stuff, right?
Hooray for you Todd! Looks like you have a good thing going. This is the
first year I have *really* paid attention to pests so I can't make
comparisons. We also do not use any type of sprays (except twice for the
homemade one that I recently tried, but will not use again) or anything
purchased to control pests, and I don't think my neighbors do either. We
have a fairly large herb garden, perennial garden and veggies. We also have
a small pond, and a large number of toads. I think the toads are helping
some, but am not real sure.
Surely, with all the good things we have to offer, we must have some beneficial
insects. Now I just have to find out which ones they are. We are keeping
track of things in a software program for reference. Wish us luck.
Ed
Way to go Todd!
Kicking the spraying habit can be tough, (I've been 'clean' for 7 years).
Once the birds and beneficials find safe haven in your garden it's
amazing how few problems you encounter. Three years ago we dug out a wet
area near the vegetable garden to make a shallow pond for the birds and
toads. The birds tend to use the asparagus ferns as cover while waiting
their turn in the 'bath' and pass the time gobbling up asparagus beetles
and larvae. In exchange, I'm more than happy to ensure there is water in
the pond during dry spells.
> Here I sit, typing and being hugely gluttonous on vanilla ice cream,
> smothered with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and FRESH ORGANICALLY GROWN
> STRAWBERRIES! My thinking is that the strawberries cancel out all the
> other stuff, right?
Mmmm, have you ever tried chocolate chip ice cream with those
strawberries? My nephew's suggestion...out of the mouths of babes. ;-)
Marianne
This thread on "Organic Gardening" is *GREAT". It is something that one
could print and keep to show other less organic gardeners to prove that
there really is a choice. Thanks Todd for starting this one.
Ed
Todd,
I've seen our bug population dwindle by the year, and I suspect it's
because of the number of birds I've released hereabouts, and the
fact that, since the ones I've raised consider this their home, they
migrate back here every year.
You may want to get in touch with your local rehabber and tell
him/her that you'd be willing to have birds released on your pro-
perty :)))
Sherry, whose morning coffee is enjoyed to the serenade of blue-
birds, thrushes and finches galore
Horsefeathers Farm Wildlife Center
Apex, North Carolina, USA
Sherry,
Thanks for the excellent suggestion - I'll cast about for some rehabbers
in our area. We are in a great location for just such a thing - lots of
forest and mixed meadow around for many thousands of acres. Again,
thanks for the input.
I also have the great fortune of waking up to birds - I get to greet the
pheobe family every morning while making coffee, since they're nesting in
the eaves above the kitchen window; the "husband & wife" sit on the
wicker furniture and watch me every morning. Tres cool.
Todd in Vermont
Who goes out of his way to allow birds their due space.
Ed Ellesson wrote:
Ed,
Isn't it exciting? I wish more people would get down on their knees in
the garden looking for good bugs and less would run to K-Mart for the
KILLZALL.
P.S. - thanks for the encouragement.
Todd in Vermont
Ed Ladendorf wrote:
Howdy again, all,
Due to the kinda heavy response to my post on pests, I'm gonna respond to
several posts at once.
First - Thanks, thanks, and more thanks to everybody that reassured me
that what I was seeing was not a fluke.
Second - I'll definitely have to try chocolate chip ice cream
w/strawberries next time - kids are always right about these things...
Third - I would love to hear, on some sort of regular basis, other's
progress reports on this topic: What bugs you're seeing/not seeing,
observations, etc.
To all who responded - thanks again.
Todd in Vermont
Just a comment on pests.
Overall, my own experiences are similar to yours, Todd, Joyce, Ed and
everyone, and I'm very encouraged to hear that others are making similar
observations in different regions.
A potentially interesting area of research might be the effect of diversity
in plantings on pest populations. I grow flowers and herbs which flower
in their season (or is that seasoning?-in truth, herb flowers are
wonderful additions to cooking, and are almost impossible to find in the
market) among my vegetables. I've noticed strikingly lower pest
populations this year, as I have increased diversity of plant species in and
around my garden. Especially enjoyable was watching the apparent
confusion of cabbage butterflies as they fluttered over broccoli
intercropped with pansies .
Last week, a good friend asked me what she could do about an outbreak of
leafhoppers. From her description, I thought her yard would be striped
bare. When I visited, there were a few holes in a few leaves. So, I
suggested watering well (the plants were drought stressed), building the
soil, handpicking the worst affected areas, early morning washing with a
strong jet of water...maybe some insecticidal soap.
Her reaction (and this
is a very aware and bright person, who very much wants to learn to garden
organically) - "You haven't told me what I can do! Is there nothing I can
use on them?"
Moral? The cultural habits we all must struggle with can be a plague
worse than biblical locusts.
Don
Charlotte, 8a
NC, USA
