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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Soil Building

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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Chronological Thread  
  • From: miranda@tagoresmith.com
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Soil Building
  • Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2006 08:57:39 -0500 (CDT)

It's better not to have an infestation in the first place, which you
really won't once your soil is balanced. But while you're building soils,
you're likely to see some problems. Beneficials can take care of them
unless the pests are totally out of hand.

You'll never need to import beneficials if you plant permanent biological
niches. Use a mix of small and large, high-nectar flowers. The chalcid and
bracnid wasps, which take care of huge numbers of aphids, will arrive in
early spring if you set out blooming sweet alyssum at the same time you
set out your lettuce starts. Ladybugs like all the umbelliferae--parsley,
dill, sweet anne's lace, and so on. Another trick with annuals that I like
is to plant a tall dill in between the rows of my last Brussels sprouts
and late collards. The dill attracts the last beneficials flying and they
keep down the fall aphids.

Permanent islands on the field give beneficials a place to overwinter and
a steady source of nutrients. Make sure you have both large and small
flowers blooming all season long. You'll need to include some annuals,
although many of them reseed nicely. Put a tall shruby plant at the south
side of the island--ladybugs will overwinter in the soil on the south side
of it, and Aphidoletes aphidimyza will overwinter or lay eggs in niches in
the bark.

Miranda Smith



> You can buy Lady Bugs and turn them loose in your garden and they will
> control the Aphids. Just a few Lady Bugs can eat a lot of Aphids.
>
> Art





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