# Gardening group?



## BlunderWoman (Mar 3, 2016)

I wish someone knows a lot about gardening would start up a group so I can join and ask questions


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## fureverywhere (Mar 3, 2016)

Any questions and I'm all ears...I worked for two stores in lawn and garden n' have a great big yard of my own


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## BlunderWoman (Mar 3, 2016)

How can I keeps bugs and worms from eating my vegetables without using poison?


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## fureverywhere (Mar 3, 2016)

Neem oil foliar spray has been shown to be most useful when applied to young plant growth. The oil has a half life of three to 22 days in soil but only 45 minutes to four days in water. It is nearly non-toxic to birds, fish, bees and wildlife, and studies have shown no cancer or other disease causing results from its use. This makes neem oil very safe to use if applied properly.


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## BlunderWoman (Mar 3, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> Neem oil foliar spray has been shown to be most useful when applied to young plant growth. The oil has a half life of three to 22 days in soil but only 45 minutes to four days in water. It is nearly non-toxic to birds, fish, bees and wildlife, and studies have shown no cancer or other disease causing results from its use. This makes neem oil very safe to use if applied properly.



Thanks! Does that mean I should respray after every rain?


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 3, 2016)

Here are some tips for more natural insecticides.  http://www.chiff.com/articles/natural-garden-pest-recipes.htm  For those little long bugs that look like claw-bugs you can set out a damp rolled newspaper in the evening and it will attract them, dispose when it's got a lot of bug in it.  Planting flowers like Marigolds are supposed to deter insects, and leafhoppers are supposed to detest Geraniums.


*Homemade and natural bug & garden pest repellents

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*Bar soap: *Simply put, deer hate the smell! Hang several extra-fragrant bars in net bags about 3 feet from the ground to keep deer from regarding your plants as their personal feed store.


*Liquid soap: *4 parts water and 1 part liquid is a great non-toxic remedy for white fly infestations on basil, tomatoes, and other plants. Place the solution in a spray bottle. Aim and fire.
To help deter mosquitoes, try using lemon-scented dish soap and water (a cheaper alternative to citronella candles) to spray around the backyard or wherever mosquitoes become a problem.


*Vegetable oil:* Mix with liquid soap for a non-toxic remedy for aphids by simply mixing 1 cup vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon liquid soap per cup of water. Pour into a handheld spray bottle and liberally spray infected leaves.


*Beer: *It's well known that slugs can't resist hoisting a few, especially after hours! Treat them to a shallow dish or saucer of beer where you know they will congregate. By morning, you’ll find a dish filled with dead slugs.


*Human hair: *Yes, human hair has been frequently reported as another sure-fire deterrent for deer. Place in net bags and hang about 3-feet from the ground to help shoo away any doe-eyed predators. If you plan on cutting your own or the kids' hair, put it to good use by recycling it in the garden.


*Fox urine: *Available in most garden centers, nothing frightens away mice, rabbits, skunks, and chipmunks better than the smell of a dangerous predator.


*Lady bugs: *Cute and colorful, lady bugs will earn their keep by voraciously eating aphids and other unwanted insect pests around the garden. Attract them by planting geraniums or cup-shaped flowers such as tulips and lilies in spring. You may also shop around at local nurseries or order ladybugs online for speedy home shipment.


*Natural weed killers for the home garden

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Vinegar:* Although usually not strong enough to kill older weeds, vinegar makes for a quick and lethal acid bath for younger and emerging plants. The higher the concentration, the better it works so pour it right out of the bottle, or ask your local garden center for a stronger horticultural grade vinegar solution.


*Boiling water: *Fire up the tea kettle and pour boiling water right over the weeds to effectively "cook" the leaves and their roots.


*Bleach: *A powerful stain remover, it also works as weed remover to effectively eliminate leaves and roots.


*Salt:* The old standby is safe and effective when used between bricks and patio tiles. However, avoid sprinkling it around the rest of the garden or nothing else will grow.


*Corn gluten meal: *This powdery leftover from the corn milling process is a very effective plant food and weed suppressor available at most garden centers. It’s safe for pets, plants and shrubs, and it won't burn your lawn.


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## fureverywhere (Mar 3, 2016)

Yup, but there are a bunch of different concentrations in the pre-made sprays so you have to read labels carefully. If you're into homemade you can create your own spray too.
http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-insect-spray.html


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 3, 2016)

I've heard a lot of good things about Neem Oil Fur, I think people also use it on their dogs for certain parasites.


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## fureverywhere (Mar 3, 2016)

You have a bunch of good ideas too SB. Boiling water works on ant hills too. We get ant hills under the walkway stones. At the height of summer I'll put a mild insecticide down, then carefully pour boiling water to soak it into the ground, but we get monster ant colonies.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 3, 2016)

My pet peeve isn't an insect that eats veggie plants, but one that nests all around my house every year, and stung me twice last summer, leaving painful, itchy and red areas for weeks.  The yellow jacket wasps are already starting to be seen flying around. 

 They also come in through my chimney in fall and winter, still dealing with them in my basement, even though many are dead or almost dead.  I have two yellow hanging traps they sell in Home Depot, but the bait, which is expensive, is not effective. 

 I've even tried using fruit in those traps and moving them around to different areas, to no avail.  I put a little dog food in a trap once, because I read online they'd go after it during a certain season, but it didn't work.  I don't want to lure coyotes to my yard either by having meat around at night especially. 

 Any tips for yellow jackets?  I don't like to use poisons, but last season when I got stung I did use a poison spray in the front yard where my pets rarely go.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 3, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> You have a bunch of good ideas too SB. Boiling water works on ant hills too. We get ant hills under the walkway stones. At the height of summer I'll put a mild insecticide down, then carefully pour boiling water to soak it into the ground, but we get monster ant colonies.



I had a lot of ants and anthills too between my stones, and used boiling water with salt in it, seemed to do the trick, but a bit of a hassle.


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## FazeFour (Mar 3, 2016)

Don't forget your snail traps! Go to youtube and enter 'snail traps' in the search bar.

There are several gardening mentors on youtube, and oodles of videos.


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## fureverywhere (Mar 3, 2016)

With wasps and yellow jackets it's about finding where the little buggers are coming from. There's usually a nest somewhere, under the eaves is a popular spot.
http://wtop.com/garden-plot-living/2015/07/garden-plot-best-way-get-rid-yellow-jackets/


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## debbie in seattle (Mar 3, 2016)

I too am an avid user of Neem Oil.


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## SeaBreeze (Mar 3, 2016)

Thanks for that info Fur, I always have Pam spray around the house, may need to use it on the wasps someday.  Also, I need to get some meat tenderizer, which I never use, just in case I get stung again this summer, it's supposed to lessen the pain by neutralizing some of the toxic poison.


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## Don M. (Mar 3, 2016)

I've had good luck keeping bugs out of the garden by keeping a spray bottle of dishwashing liquid soap(Dawn, or Walmart brand)...about a 5 to 1 water to soap mix...handy to spray on the tomatoes and beans, etc.  Naturally, if it rains, or I water the plants, I have to respray, but it doesn't take much of this solution to do the job.  I used to lose more of the vegetables to our local deers, until I rigged up a couple of motion sensor sprinklers...the noisy burst of water sends them hopping.  

As for wasps...we always have a bunch.  They like to build their nests under the eves, high up....so I keep a couple of these spray cans of wasp spray that shoot about 20 feet into the air, and that keeps those nests under control.  They also like to build nests behind the shutters around the windows, and I've found that a shot of WD-40 behind the shutters keeps them away.


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## FazeFour (Mar 4, 2016)

A caution regarding wasp poisons, if your pet (or wild animal or birds) eat the dead wasps, the poison can make them ill. 

Something that you can do to prevent a wasp problem is to hang false wasp nests wherever they tend to build their own nests. There are false wasp nests available, some look like a paper lantern, and others look similar to a real nest. I've seen them at our local garden shop. They work pretty well because wasps won’t build next to another nest. Some people claim to have success by simply hanging up a small brown paper bag.

If you decide to call an exterminator, they will use natural, pet-friendly products if you request it.


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## BlunderWoman (Mar 4, 2016)

I just re-noticed this thread. I didn't realize it was moved. Thank you so much everyone for all of these helpful tips


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## Debby (Apr 2, 2016)

Apparently too, I've heard that if you cut an onion and apply the raw side to the bite, it will take away the pain of the toxins.


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