permaculture

[Jennifer Peltier <peltier@isi.edu>]

>                       RE>>questions about PNWI                     6/25/96
> 
> I am also trying to use deep mulch on a new garden area that has not been
> tilled and have had good results so far.  I've got nice healthy plants so
> far, but I'm wondering if I'm going to have some slug or insect problems
> later.  A bumper crop of small crickets have appeared lately, and if they
> start eating the plants rather than the decaying mulch I'll be in trouble. 
> I hoped to put guineas in the garden soon to eat the bugs, but I've heard
> recently that they will also eat the plants.  I've heard the same about
> ducks.  I'd like to hear more from those with real experience using fowl to
> control insects.  Thanks.
> Dan Settles
> 
> --------------------------------------

HI Dan,
 
I have two ducks that roam free in my yard.  I my home is situated on
a 50'x150' piece of land.  I am slowly adopting more and more
permaculture techniques.  I really enjoy the animals and they
definitely do their job cleaning up bugs.  I have a front lawn, that
used to be infested with slugs and pill bugs.  This problem is
completely erradicated.  They do not seem to be interested in pulling
up the grass if there are enough bugs (eventually this lawn will be
gone so I don't care if they do :) ).  I have some raised bed gardens,
that are 1ft' high off the ground.  The ducks can reach over and grab
seedlings about 8" in on the complete radius.  Thus I have put up some
low wire mesh to keep them from eating the plants.  I can say that my
bug problems have diminished exponentially since I have had these
creatures.  They especially like to eat tender seedlings, and plants
with tender leaves (lettuce, peppers, basil) so I have to make sure
they have no access to these.  I have a 3 year old orange tree and
it's branches are just low enough that they can jump (yes I have seen
it with my own eyes) and grab the leaves.  I don't mind as they only
eat a few but I have to keep them away from the trunk of the tree.  

I have to say, ducks are destructive animals.  However, one can keep
them relatively barricaded from the seedlings and tender plants and
they will still be very effective.  My biggest problem with mulching
here in S. Cal. is earwigs.  Since I keep the ducks totally separate
from my vegetable garden, I had to contend with them myself, which was
no big deal.  I, like everyone else out here, still have mites and
aphids.  The ducks really don't help this problem.  They are very
useful in pulling seedlings and bugs out of the compost pile.  When I
turn the pile, I let them have a feast before I put the whole thing
back together.  I also set the pile aside for a week or two before I
use it and I let them dig through it to their hearts content.  They,
shall I say, eliminate frequently and anywhere, so unless they are
confined to a garden area, some hosing of the stuff into the garden is
necessary.  I find my plants are healthier, and my lawn is greener
since having them.

Ducks need water.  I have a kiddie pool that I clean out weekly.  I
siphon the water into the garden.  It's like duck manure tea and my
plants really like this.  If you get a male and female, be warned,
they really understand the concept of reproduction and carry on with
no shame.  The female becomes completely useless for gardening and bug
control when she is nesting (30 days or so) and the male becomes very
protective, and can be mean.  I had the female first, and raised her
as a chick.  She is very frienly, likes to accompany me in the garden.
In fact, she knows her name, she knows to come to the garden if I am
working, she knows when she is being yelled at for eating a forbidden
plant, she is very conniving, and she lives with and among my two
dogs.  I had to introduce her very young to the dogs and acclimate all
of them slowly.  They exist quite well together (though the dogs will
raid the nest for eggs).  I bought an old dog house at a garage sale
and they use this for shelter.  I brought the male in full grown when
the female was about a year old.  It took a while for them to accept
each other.  The male is not nice, he is mean and he will bite, given
the opportunity.  My advice, is to get the ducks as chicks and raise
them to be friendly.  They also have adopted some of the dogs traits
and will squawk at the gate if someone comes up to it.  Many people
think ducks are mean.   I have found that working with them young
allows one to be completely interactive with them without the fear of
being bitten.  Ducks can be rowdy and get kind of loud.  I found the
female really quieted down when I introduced the male.

Also, they are very cheap.  One can set up a nice synergistic
relationship through gardening.  They will control bugs, and they will
eat, say scrap lettuce leaves, chard, underdeveloped fruits and
vegetables that are castaways.  I do supplement with a poultry feed,
but this is inexpensive, and probably unnecessary if they get a good
variety to forage on.  These animals are workers and spend most of the
day foraging.  My experience overall, though I have sacrificed quite a
few plants and put up a few barriers, is extremely positive.  I
volunteer for a gardening organization and when people call to ask for
advice on bug control, beside the partyline answers, I always
recommend ducks.  Also, a really fun thing to do, if you do have a
lawn you water, is to guide them out there while the sprinklers are
on.  Besides being entertaining, they like to forage in water and as
they do this, they areate and the water will penetrate deeper.

I hope this helps and does not ramble too much.

I'll be glad to answer any questions or offer any other comments.

Take care,

Jennifer
peltier@isi.edu