Comments for The VeggieSmith Blog

Comment on Back to where we started by Joan

Joan — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:49:32 +0000

Potato beetles like tomato plants :o)

My cucumber plants are the only things NOT attacked by the crazy cucumber beetles.

Your zucchinis are beautiful!!!!

Comment on Caught in the Act by Cheri

Cheri — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:49:44 +0000

Thanks Michelle! I never squish an unidentified bug, but thanks for letting me know. I guess I shouldn’t have called him a “ne’er-do-well,” hey? This novice gardener is learning verrrrrrrry slowly, but I figure as long as I keep remembering how little I know things should (mostly) work out okay.

Comment on Caught in the Act by Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:58:57 +0000

The nameless ne’er-do-well is most likely a parasitic wasp - a beneficial insect. I hope you didn’t squash that one, it was probably laying its eggs in some nasty bug or caterpillar. With enough bugs like that around you won’t need pesticides.

Comment on Organic Pest Control by Gina

Gina — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:02:02 +0000

Vaughn would think bug squishing to be a wonderful party game! Let me know how that works out for you and perhaps we’ll give it a try as well.

Comment on Organic Pest Control by Joan

Joan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:04:38 +0000

Fantastic fun! Two at a time is the easiest… they seem to be preoccupied when they are doubled up :o)

Comment on Caught in the Act by Cheri

Cheri — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:04:51 +0000

Thanks, Aunty Mary! I just wonder whether I should try to get rid of earwigs in the garden if they’re going to eat aphids… They’re icky, but sort of beneficial…

Comment on Caught in the Act by Aunty Mary

Aunty Mary — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:02:18 +0000

Soapy water works well on earwigs. They killed a few clematis I had tried to grow over the years, but the one I planted here last year has made it and is in bloom! Yay! Love your stories, Cheri! Keep ‘em comin’!

Comment on Caught in the Act by Joan

Joan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:58:23 +0000

Owen can smell earwigs…. I know… weird…

So, not believing that one would be able to smell them, I did a little research. I found out that they do, in fact, stink. There is research with tiny tubes made of canvas that hang in trees and the earwigs live in the tubes to deter aphids.

Comment on Caught in the Act by Cheri

Cheri — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:30:32 +0000

Sara - if I had some beer on hand, I’d send the kids out right now! What a marvelous use of child labour. I approve.
Jools, I only FOUND one slug…probably there are many, many, many more.

Comment on Caught in the Act by Julie Redl

Julie Redl — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:21:19 +0000

You have ONE slug?? That’s hysterical to me. Slugs outnumber people in the Northwest US. I didn’t know earwigs (shudder) ate aphids! I’ve only seen them eating plants - my zinnias most recently. They ick me out, too - I don’t let the kids touch them.