Texas Veggie Gardeners!! Stories, Tips and ADVICE!

[bnjrob]

yes I'm having a terrible time with them. They are crawling out from the eggplant stems in the ground. They are in the compost, along the sidewalks. I generally get at least a couple bites every time I go into the garden. They don't seem to be bothering the chickens thankfully. I do keep their feed hanging up in the run and no food in the coop to help manage these awful ants. I use diatomacous earth in the chicken run and vegetable areas. It helps a little. I use amdro where the chickens can't go and none vegetable areas. Hitting them with water and stomping their mounds (with a shovel or something, can do this once before they attack), annoys them some and sometimes they move.

Same here. DE in the runs/coops and amdro where the chickens aren't at. The ants are everywhere. They keep going in the coops, but they don't seem to want food or water - both of which hang so they could go up the wall, onto the rope, and then down to food/water. They seem to just want shelter. Driving me nuts. Got some Natria bug killer, I think it's soybean oil mixed with eugenol, using it to kill ant trails when I see them.

Our chickens don't seem interested in eating ants, they go for the stupid hoppers but not the ants. We're also having a lot of wasps/nests.

 

[cmcanallen]

I have a DIY hornet/wasp trap that I use. They're bad here too. Or at least they were. If you want, I'll post the directions for it

 

[Little Wing]

I have a DIY hornet/wasp trap that I use. They're bad here too. Or at least they were. If you want, I'll post the directions for it

Please do, I love home made contraptions.

 

[jockeyeba]

Just found this thread too With all the rain we had lately & my husband just got back from being gone 2 weeks helping his 87 yr. old mother + taking care of 25 sheep, 3 horses, 50+ chickens, 2 dogs & several cats- I've been soooo busy Our garden is around 32' X 48' & looks like a jungle right now, I'm trying to take it back but the mosquitos are awful right now Our local farmers market is starting up this Saturday, I'll have bell peppers, poblanos, a few cucumbers, zucchini, maybe a few tomatoes if I don't eat them all 1st & freerange eggs.

 

[Little Wing]

I'm thinking a big bowl of salsa and a pot of spaghetti sauce I've eaten all of my bell peppers, I had some real nice ones.

 

[joan1708]

I'm thinking a big bowl of salsa and a pot of spaghetti sauce I've eaten all of my bell peppers, I had some real nice ones.

Wow! nice looking tomatoes. I'm getting a few cherry tomatoes, they taste OK. I've never done very well with tomatoes.

 

[bnjrob]

That's just the thing...I don't have my chickens yet They were supposed to ship today, but I had to postpone for 2 weeks due to a death in my family. Believe me, every time I see all those hoppers I can just imagine what my chickens will do to them!!!!

Maybe someone should start a rent-a-chicken program.

 

[joan1708]

Maybe someone should start a rent-a-chicken program.

 

[cmcanallen]

Please do, I love home made contraptions.

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. It's been a madhouse here with the hubby being called out of town constantly, which means it's just me and the little one to keep everything running.

Anyway, DIY hornet/wasp trap:
1. Take a gallon milk jug and cut an X into the side opposite the handle (but near the top). Make sure you still have the lid though.
2. Put 4 cups water, 4 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp dish soap in the jug. Shake to mix well
3. Hang in garden/yard.
4. You'll need to empty it out and refill the liquid every week.

Homemade mesquito/ant trap:
1. Take an old coke bottle and cut off the top.
2. Invert the top into the coke bottle (no cap) and tape the edges together.
3. Mix 2 cups water, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp dish soap, then pour into bottle.
4. Bury the coke bottle 2/3rds in the ground.
5. Dig out and replace the trap every couple of weeks. You'll have to make new ones and toss the old

Hope this helps

 

[cmcanallen]

I just found the mesquito/ant trap online last week but so far it seems to be helping. Ants and mesquitos aren't gone but I'm getting bitten a lot less.