Posted on 07/05/2013 1:06:42 PM PDT by greeneyes
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I’ll probably spray them with my all purpose homemade cayenne spray too hoping to discourage critters.Can you tell me how to go about making your cayenne spray and for what issues is it successful? Thank you!
I bought a package of this 6 years ago, put it on a shelf in the barn, and forgot about it; and haven’t had a deer problem since.
It has worked so well that I’m afraid if I ever open it, there wouldn’t be a deer left inside the county lines, and all the other local hunters would come looking for my hide.
Thanks Marcella! I knew you probably had unearthed whatever there was to be had on the subject!
I grew some Mammoth ones last year and they were awesome. They produced the kind of seeds that you can eat - gray striped. I’ll need to look into getting the “Black Oil” Sunflower for next year, as well as the “Sunspot.”
I spent most of the 4th working on my land, only to realize about 5 hours in that I had forgotten to put on sunscreen. Fortunately I was wearing a good hat, but still, my forearms are a very bright red right now. Guess I won’t be outdoors much for a while. I’ve got stuff that will heal it completely in 3 days, but I’m having major surgery on Monday and won’t be able to move for a week or two.
My black raspberries are producing, and with all the rain they’re plump and sweet this year. And I have blossoms on my runner beans!
The local hardware store had a good sale on black plastic sheeting, so I got a bunch on that for when I’m able to work on the land next. I did some calculating and decided that I want a 10,000 square foot garden (slightly less than 1/4 acre). With the sale I might actually be able to afford enough plastic sheeting for that, but since I’m on medical leave I’m kind of hesitant to spend the money. Sale ends Sunday. We’ll see what I decide before then.
wow. It has been difficult to keep the water levels consistent with the crazy weather! Lots of rain, then not so much...but I DO water on non rainy days! Still and all, just learning, and I’m glad for the yummy maters despite their splits.
Thanks for the explanation about the fertilizers. Ye Gods! It can get really complicated, can’t it?
I did some reading (Jerry Baker - “Backyard Problem Solver” pg 191) and found that he cautions against excess nitrogen for squash:
“Leaf crops like lettuce and spinach need plenty of nitrogen, but for other veggies, go easy on the “Big N.” If they get too much they’ll lose interest in setting fruit (like squash or melons) or producing big plump tasty roots and tubers (like potatoes, turnips, and carrots.)”
I don’t have a clue if that is my problem, but it makes me feel very unconfident about following Darlin’s urge to “FERTILIZE!!”
Didn’t see anything yet about the additional minerals you cite, but I can see it could be an issue.
This evening, after I made my previous post, I went out to water armed with my new killer soap. Apparently my previous neem treatment was successful, because there were NO squash bugs when I squirted, as there had been when I treated with the neem. I flushed out only one tiny grasshopper (which I learned today could be problematic; there had a whole host of them when I squirted the neem) and several small spiders.
I’m wondering if, at least in the case of the yellow squash, that the two baby squashes I lost were due to the damage already done. There was another new forming squash I saw today, and so I’ll see over the next few days if the neem and soap may have done it. I’ll be sure to report back. If I still see a problem, I can see how minerals could be a situation to check.
My cucumbers are blooming like crazy and I have the irrational hope to see baby cucs any day now.
I like your idea about a soil test. I did squirt my legumes with the soap as well. I noticed while doing that that even as scraggly as they look, my favas managed to produce two pods. The cranberry bean produced a pod as well. I’ve lost one Great Northern, and the two others are circling the drain, I fear but holding on.
My black turtles look quasi healthy. The neem must have helped them. I see a few purple blooms, and feel hopeful they might do something.
The snowpeas are very ethereal appearing as they do not look long for this world, but they still keep hanging on somehow.
I will look into this...also will put out my own hair from brushes. I wonder if cat hair would smell like cougar hair to them?
I doubt it; I’ve seen them in close proximity to house cats, and never bat an eye. It is a familiar smell for them.
All the articles advise against animal remains, bones, etc in the compost. Mainly due to stink and attracting critters.
Hubby catches them in live traps. Hauls them out to the forest and lets them go. He would shoot them and skin them, but then he’d have to cook them or bury them, and he objects to both, though he would probably eat them if I cooked them.
I am experimenting with bones. I punched holes in a coffee can, threw in some old chicken bones and rib bones(after I had made broth with them) I dug a hole to sink the can in, and put a lid on it. The dog leaves it alone so far.
It’s just an experiment to see if it will give me some bone meal nutrients to recycle in the yard.
That Irish Spring is very fragrant. Just opened a bar the other day, and it made the bath room smell like Irish spring for a week.LOL
Every now and then city officials in St. Louis have to take action to deal with deer problems. It always causes protests if they decide to shoot them.
You have to fight for your food. Fight the government restrictions so you can grow your own, and processs your own, then when that battle is won, you have to fight the critters so you can have a harvest.
I am sure there’s a song/ballard in there somewhere.LOL
Thanks for sharing the results of your investigation.
LOL. I’ve heard that before, and was wondering if anyone had any first hand experience with that.
In a quart jar, put several smashed garlic cloves, a chopped onion, a spoonful of cayenne, fill the jar with hot water around boiling point or so.
Cover the top and let sit overnight. The next morning strain the mixture, and put it into a spray bottle. Add a drop of oil, and a drop of dishwashing liquid.
This will kill most of the bugs in and around the garden. Pepper is supposed to discourage squirrels and critters of that nature.
The dish washing liquid and oil help with adherence of the spray-don’t get too much it could harm the plant growth.
I was sceptical about it, but the first time I made it I squirted it on a bug that Mom always called a water bug, and killed it in 30 seconds.
Diatimacius Earth is also good for ants and some other bugs.
Sorry, I can’t remember off hand just which bugs. Johnny can probably tell you more specifics.
Ten thousand square feet is a mighty ambitious garden. I hope your surgery and recuperation goes well.
Fertilize or add compost in the spring when prepping garden for planting. When plants start blooming side dress with 15 30 15 plant food. Walmart usually has some all purpose stuff labeled for fruits veggies etc.
You can also side dress agains, when produce is starting to grow. About 3 times is all I usually have to do, but I sprinkle slow relese stuff in or around the transplants/seeds in the spring so that kinda fills in the rest of the time.
Plants have to have nutrients to grow, but follow the directions on the packages, and watch out for the nitrogen balance/ratio with the other nutrients.
I would if I could. The sad thing is that I have forgotten so much. Sometimes I have to read stuff 3 or 4 times, and it still doesn’t stick.
Gone are the days when I just raced through books and articles and remembered most if not all of the info.
It works. He was just away for 2 weeks for work and I had some broccoli and one tomato plant eaten. He got home and it was the first thing I asked him to do. He’s been home for a week and no more damage. Besides it gives him a chance to look over the garden and appreciate all my hard work.
Same problems. I do have some sort of beetles (stink bugs?) and have been spraying eggs, hatchlings, adults every day, but the issue(s) still persist - looks like the blooms are all "boy" blooms, too. My zucchini has had two on it - one turning yellow and still about 5 inches long, the other newest one may grow, but I'm not holding my breath. The straight neck bloomed and no squash, now the newest leaves are wrinkling up funny. If I can find another plant, I'm pulling up the first one & going to start over. Also, TONS of cucumber blooms - I've seen pollinators on them, but very few cukes. Tomatoes are doing very well - thank goodness!
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