Thoughts and opinions on the life and culture we have and need.
Before you clean out your green house this year, please consider the following; there is a very simply procedure to follow for all organic growing areas that will greatly reduce your pest pressure and input of bio-controls in the following season/cycle. This is essential, whether you have 200 acreas or 10 square feet. The time... Continue Reading →
Brown Lacewing is one of the lesser-known but highly-efficacious natural predators. Unlike its cousin - the green lacewing, whose larva are the only predators - Brown Lacewings are predatory at all life stages. In fact, the adults are likely the most voracious life stage. An introduction of brown lacewing into your crop or garden... Continue Reading →
Why I hunt: a Canadian’s perspective I like to hike. However, my version of “hiking” may be different from yours. Living on the West Coast means there are countless hills and mountains everywhere you look. To me, hiking means: to summit that mountain. Or, more specifically, to reach a destination and engage in a challenge... Continue Reading →
It’s mid-October and we are enjoying a long stretch of sun and daytime highs of near 20 celcius - a late “Indian Summer.” I spent part of last Saturday cleaning-out a couple garden beds to prepare for winter plantings. As the long-effort of my summer gardens came to a close I couldn’t help but reflect... Continue Reading →
I am happy that I still get regular “hits” on the vermiculture post I created earlier this year. I hope it means that people are searching for ways to help the environment. Because of this frequent attention, I thought it was prudent to provide an update, especially as things have changed! I re-read my vermiculture... Continue Reading →
All this wet weather we’ve had has provided an opportunity for aphids to get a foothold in many local gardens - mine included. I have found black aphids on a sunflower and cabbage aphids on - well - my cabbages. As there is often a mid-summer push of aphids, I thought it was time to... Continue Reading →
There is a revolution taking place in people’s gardens. The demand for Organic products; mistrust of chemical companies; the longing for a simpler time; near complete chemical resistance in some pests; and an adjusted sense of what constitutes garden productivity have all played a role in the major increase in demand for biological controls... Continue Reading →
How to use good bugs,
Stratiolaelaps scimitus (sometimes called Hypoaspis miles) is a commonly used predatory mite for biological pest control. It is a tiny clear to orange/pink mite that is very quick. Traditionally, stratiolaelaps are used to control fungus gnats in greenhouse applications, however, there are many, many more uses. Stratiolaelaps also: eats eggs of other soil borne insects... Continue Reading →
This is the easiest and surest way to start saving the world. I wouldn’t start here if I didn’t KNOW we all can do it and find immediate success. So, get ready to raise worms! What it is: Vermiculture is the use of worms to break-down organic waste into worm-castings, which is an extremely useful soil... Continue Reading →
