What did you do in the garden today?

[Sally PB]

I also dug all but one row of onions. Three years ago, we got a GREAT onion harvest. Since then, not nearly as good. I'm not sure what the difference is.

 

[jxp]

There are two places mites attack. One is on the honeybee itself (called "phoretic") and the other is in a cell on developing brood.

There are two main kinds of chemical treatments: Formic acid, and oxalic acid.

Formic acid kills mites in the brood cells even after the cells are capped, as well as the phoretic mites. It can be used when there are honey supers on (the vapors will fill the hive, so it's important to know if your treatment is safe to use when there is honey in it). It's easy to put on, doesn't require any special safety gear (any more than you'd wear when you're dealing with the bees), and is reasonably priced.

But. You knew there was a "but," right? There is an upper temperature limit of 85° F for at least the first week, and ideally the entire 14-21 days. Well, that ain't a'happenin' thing right about now in most of the country. If it's above that temp, you risk killing bees with the vapors and if you kill the queen, you have a new problem.

The other treatment, oxalic acid, does not kill mites inside of capped brood cells, so it only gets the phoretic mites. No temperature restrictions. But (this one has a "but" as well), you shouldn't use it with honey supers on. Or, it's ok with honey supers on. Depends on who you ask. Clear on that? Depending on how the OA is applied, it is either fairly simple and inexpensive, or expensive and you need a respirator.

I wonder if anyone's done an experiment where they whizzed fresh spinach in a vitamix or bullit with a bit of filtered or spring water, let it sit a bit, filtered it into a sprayer and tried that? I should check my Jerry Baker books. Sounds like something he'd try. Either him or some State Ag Uni like Cornell.

 

[Sally PB]

I wonder if anyone's done an experiment where they whizzed fresh spinach in a vitamix or bullit with a bit of filtered or spring water, let it sit a bit, filtered it into a sprayer and tried that? I should check my Jerry Baker books. Sounds like something he'd try. Either him or some State Ag Uni like Cornell.

I read online about people using rhubarb leaves as an oxalic acid treatment for varroa mites. I have plenty of rhubarb....

 

[jxp]

I read online about people using rhubarb leaves as an oxalic acid treatment for varroa mites. I have plenty of rhubarb....

Here's a link to one of a number of charts I found when I did a quick internet search. oxilate content of food 100g Clinical Nutrition Research Wow, look at parsley Who'd've thunk!?!

 

[jxp]

I ripped out the last of my black turtle beans. I mixed in some new soil and now have another a 5 gallon grow bag that I need something to do with. Maybe more peas? Or beets? Or a cucumber? Or… you get the point I am indecisive
I also watered the peppers and got some more dry beans

Did y'all check the tater bin for sprouters yet? I got one that's raring to grow (sprouts galore) but the ones in my grow bags from last spring are refusing to die back. I've got 5 bags of different kinds which are a mix of those from the pantry and them from the plant nursery.

 

[Rick589]

I wonder if anyone's done an experiment where they whizzed fresh spinach in a vitamix or bullit with a bit of filtered or spring water, let it sit a bit, filtered it into a sprayer and tried that? I should check my Jerry Baker books. Sounds like something he'd try. Either him or some State Ag Uni like Cornell.

Yes

 

[Smokerbill]

I wonder if anyone's done an experiment where they whizzed fresh spinach in a vitamix or bullit with a bit of filtered or spring water, let it sit a bit, filtered it into a sprayer and tried that? I should check my Jerry Baker books. Sounds like something he'd try. Either him or some State Ag Uni like Cornell.

I remember watching his tv show and him recommending to use diluted, aged baby urine to repel moles. Seriously. Baby pee. How do you collect that?

 

[Smokerbill]

I'm thinking that the eggs on my cucumber leaf are spotted cucumber beetles. Here's a close up pic of the about ready to hatch eggs on the leaf.

I put the part of the leaf with the eggs on it under a glass on the countertop to let them finish hatching out. If they do I'll post another pic.

Guess I need to figure out what type of insecticide I'll need to control them since they've already found the vines.

 

[Molpet]

I remember watching his tv show and him recommending to use diluted, aged baby urine to repel moles. Seriously. Baby pee. How do you collect that?

Soak the diaper???

 

[Rick589]

I have plenty of rhubarb...

Ever have any trouble with your rhubarb. Planted Crimson Red last year and it died. Planted same this year and a Victoria both took off. Then something unseen began eating the leaves and eventually stopped, maybe because I used Neem on the plants. Anyway, weeks afterward the leaves just began dying with new sprouts continuing to emerge but the plants just seem to have taken a major step backwards, the Crimson seems to have harder time, it was planted from root stock whereas the Victoria was potted from a nursery. Very frustrating