Eastern Tennessee Thread - Page 368  

 

 

I just picked up 14 a couple days ago from Greenville for my friend(I'm sure I will be taking a few too once they hatch). Bearded white, black, blue, splash, cuckoo, porcelain and buff. I can give you her e-mail

Last year was my first year gardening in TN. I did ok until the end of September when I was overrun with first blister beetles and then harlequin bugs. First I tried to go the organic route, but that didn't work, but then I pulled out the big guns and used chemicals with no success. Those little monsters ate everything that was above ground(I ended up with only potatoes, yams and onions), I even lost my hot peppers planted in between everything and my birds wouldn't touch them. I even went out there every day picking them off by hand, but it seemed I would have twice as many the next day. Is there anything that kills these things? I am not used to anything this bad, we don't have these in Europe where I grew up. I am almost afraid to plant anything this year.

Have you tried planting flowers between the rows that the bugs dont like? We did that along with sevin dust lightly and it works very well.

I had wild vines growing, but added some morning glory seeds and some marigold, because I read those would attract beneficial insects. Well the morning glory wrapped around all my veggies and nearly killed them, so I pulled most of it out and the marigolds were eaten by something. I also had hot peppers growing in between my veggies, habaneros and other very powerful things, but those got eaten too, which I think is insane, I can't even eat a whole one of those. At the end I did add sevin dust as much as I hate using chemicals, I actually put it right on the bugs, they were dusted with it and had a white film on them, but it didn't phase them. Are these genetically engineered mutants or some alien species? Any suggestions for other flowers that will discourage the beetles, not harm my pets and still leave the veggies edible?

We have done well doing marigold and painted daisy in between the rows, the painted daisy is like bug off lol they dont like them but they are very pretty. Marigold works well for deer so im told until a fawn decided to bed down in the middle of the garden last year i actually believed it, not fun when you go to pick corn and a deer jumps out and scares you.

I will try the daisies this year. Not sure who eats the marigolds, rabbits maybe? Every one I planted was mowed down to a nub the next morning, not even a stem was left, someone really really likes those things for breakfast.

I had to look into this one further as ive never heard of something eating those down to the bare minimum. This article on garden and plant pests I found one of the most helpful http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/pet_control.html . I think I have a group of birds sitting around my garden waiting for me to plant the seeds every year lol. This year will be attemping to raise those atlantic giant pumpkins too.

i'am in bledsoe county,tenn. i'am new to state and not for sure who is close by. also new to raising chickens.

Welcome

Never even heard of bledsoe county, but I'm not a TN native either