The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[flyladyrocks]

I also found this article that has some ideas further down about different companion crops that are supposed to repel among other things. Planting time seems like it can make a difference also.

http://www.life123.com/home-garden/...ts/top-five-ways-to-control-squash-bugs.shtml

Had to laugh at this arcticle cause last time I planted only butternut and acorn and nothing else, and the squash bugs attacked still. I think I will try some companion crops this year and see how that goes.

 

[LindaB220]

Had to laugh at this arcticle cause last time I planted only butternut and acorn and nothing else, and the squash bugs attacked still. I think I will try some companion crops this year and see how that goes.

No, the article said to not plant yellow squashes, hubbard or winter squash. Plant watermelon.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Well, that will fix those squash bugs! Don't give 'em anything to eat!

 

[Leahs Mom]

Seriously, though, these are the things that caught my eye:

Quote:
Quote:

 

[LindaB220]

Seriously, though, these are the things that caught my eye:

Those are great tips. I'm so late planting here in the south, I hope I can get anything going at all. I do have a few bush beans growing and they are about 3" long. Yea! First anything gardening. I didn't even grow flowers.

 

[flyladyrocks]

No, the article said to not plant yellow squashes, hubbard or winter squash. Plant watermelon.

it says "try planting varieties that have shown resistance to squash bugs. These include Butternut and Royal Acorn." They also attacked the watermelon I planted other years.

Now I haven't planted anything in that vine family the past 2 years and have no trouble at all with squash bugs at all! I may just end up saying forget it and concentrate on the chicks and the veggies that don't give me problems.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Okay I have a natural gardening question.  Anyone have problems with squash bugs and how do you overcome it?

My first year gardening I had a bumper crop of squash, cucumbers, pumpkin, watermelon.  My second year my neighbors planted and they squash bugs were all over there crop and started to head our way. I still got some but I did not have a bumper crop. It has been years since I have been able to grow anything the squash bugs attack.  I just stopped trying but I really want to plant all those things. I read that DE helps, but it did nothing for me - but i was not exactly sure how to use it to help. If I am going to try again I really need to get it in the ground this week before we go out of town.  But if the squash bugs attack right away the neighbor girl who tends the garden while we are gone will be devastated (as she has been in the past b/c she is fastidious but there is nothing to be done about those horrible buggers. They just suck the life out of the plants!) 

I will have to tackle how to keep the chickens from devouring my garden at another time.  My are still little so I won't worry about it yet!

If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it!

Won't your chickens eat the squash bugs?

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Aside from that I would mist the stems with lavender coconut tobacco water.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

Seriously, though, these are the things that caught my eye:

Plant your squash later in the season? Hello I'm in Canada and we have a twenty day season! Lol

 

[flyladyrocks]

Won't your chickens eat the squash bugs?

Possibly but I don't know for sure, they are only 4 weeks old!

I think there is a possibility we have in the past, had both the vine borer as well as the ones we see all summer so that deepens the issue.

Since I am pretty sure I can't get playhouse coop upcycle done this week and get squash, pumpkin and watermelon as well as some of the repelling plants (and we are supposed to get rain all week) as well as get ready to go out of town and do the several other things we are supposed to do this week I think I will just bag it and try next year. By then the chickens should be big enough to really help all summer!