More food

Harvested some potatoes today.  I had some seed potatoes left over, so I planted them in another bed at the beginning of the season knowing I would take them very early to make way for green beans.   In a small area, I got some good size potatoes.  Some have wireworm damage.  I will just cut that area out when I roast them later.  Wireworms are the larval stage of the click beetle.  Unfortunately, you don't know until you pull the potatoes up.

accidently pulled out an onion while weeding 

First round of green beans are setting fruit.

Dusted broccoli with Bt.  Little caterpillars are starting to actively eat the leaves.  The Bt affects only the caterpillar, nothing else.  I will have to re-apply after the next rain.

imported cabbage worm is green.  the other is a cross-striped caterpillar

Native plant bed was weeded.  Seeing good bugs hanging out.

lady bug

another good bug

brown daddy long legs

zucchini squash and cucumbers are doing well

You may notice I have corn and green beans hidden in here.  Trying out the "three sisters" as an experiment

training cucumbers up the trellis

planted the next crop of bush green beans.  When the sugar snap peas are done, I will plant pole beans up the trellis

"bona fide" Burpee bush beans (Wal-Mart for a dollar)

volunteer marigold. Marigolds are believed to deter bugs and bunnies

Had a fight with gnats this morning. After digging three out of my eye with dirty hands, I sprayed my hat with Burts Bees insect spray.  Strong smell, non-toxic, really works.

A word about different gardening techniques.  At the University of Maryland Extension program we are taught Integrated Pest Management  We are also taught that many people want to know what to spray on their plants to make all the bugs go away.  That is fine for them,  we encourage people to carefully read all instructions on the bags or bottles they buy.

The way I garden is the way I choose to garden.  I can tolerate a little damage here and there, some people cannot. 

Last year, I was planting my russet potatoes and a neighbor came over and told me that I should start throwing Sevin down right away to keep the potato bugs away.  I don't disagree with their methods,  I just like to take a wait and see attitude.  When I see damage I need to address,  I will address it then.  I figure the lowest amount of chemicals in my life, the better.

During a breast cancer talk I attended a few years ago, a chemist from the University of Maryland spoke about chemicals in our everyday products.  The most eye opening part of the speech concerned the chemicals  in synthetic  fragrances added to almost everything we use in our everyday lives.  These are not good for anyone, so I started slowly going to fragrance free for almost everything I buy.  I use glass to store most food in the fridge and never cook food in plastic containers.  I also cook in cast iron or enameled cast iron pots and pans.  Even my grandson's Pampers have a strong fragrance to them when you take them out of the box.  Who are they trying to kid?  Nothing is going to cover that smell!   :)

BUGS

Good Rainy Morning!  We need it,  so no complaining.





I found a  Praying Mantid sac this week.  Good news.  When these little guys emerge they come out hungry.  So hungry they will eat their siblings if there is nothing else to eat.  If you find one of these, let them be.

In my University of Maryland Master Gardener education program we had a wonderful instructor come in and talk about bugs.  This truly was my favorite class.  I am the bug person in my house.  I can deal with anything with more than 4 legs. (I suck at mice.)  We learned about Integrated Pest Management.



"IPM is a knowledge-based, holistic approach to managing pests at an acceptable level.  It emphasizes biological, cultural, and physical methods to prevent and manage problems." (UM MG handbook)

The gist is - do not kill bugs indiscriminately.  When we blanket our gardens with insecticides, we kill all the good bugs as well.  This means butterflies and honeybees!

Monarch butterfly caterpillar

Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly caterpillar

If I plant certain plants, in some cases weeds,  predator insects will live in my garden to help balance the population of insects I don't want.

Not my picture - I had one of these guys in my garden last summer.  It felt like Christmas when I found him.  Unfortunately I did not have a camera last summer.

This is a tomato hornworm covered with braconid wasp pupae.  This wasp is a beneficial insect.  It lays its' eggs in the worm.  When they hatch, they use the hornworm as their food source.  The worm stops eating and soon dies.  The wasps then find more hornworm hosts to feed on.  If you see one the these, let it alone.

 I do use some pesticides.  Bt to control cabbage worms.  This is a bacteria that kills only cabbage worms.  It is safe for birds and people and other bugs.   Insecticidal soap to kill aphids.  Water spray works too.  So does waiting for the lady bugs to show up!  Milky spore to kill Japanese beetle grubs in the lawn.

There are some bugs you want to encourage and leave alone if you see them.

Syrphid fly

Lacewing

Assassin Bug

Praying Mantid (Mantis)

Spined Soldier Bug
I know it looks like a Stink bug.  Look for the spikes on the shoulders.

I just got back from Lowe's with my husband Mike.  We bought the shelves and lights so I can start my plants!  He will assemble and find a place to put the shelves in the next day or so.

I brought in some forsythia branches to force a few days ago.  Spring is almost here!