Diane:

I harvested one plum off a rather large--probably 15-foot--plum tree. True, I didn't do anything to encourage the plums. I didn't water (we had enough, I figured), I didn't spray chemicals, we didn't have a horrible freeze, there were plenty of plums on the tree only several weeks ago. I guess the birds got them.

But, only one plum from the tree? The birds just aren't sharing, I'd say. Nor are the bugs. One would think that out of 500 plums starting off on the the tree, maybe I'd get 50? Maybe 20? Maybe 10? But 1? Really?

Uncle.

Robert

Squash bugs are the only thing that really give me a problem.

I've spent the last few days on the net looking for a good way to get kill them. I think I found it. I've been out yesterday and this evening spraying them with soapy water. Just mix in a little liquid dis soap with water in a spray bottle. They're dead within minutes.

I wish I would have known this earlier in the year. They've pretty much gotten my first crop. I pulled plants (with them on the plants) today and killed literally hundreds. I must say it was a lot of fun. The only thing that would have made it more fun would have been if they exploded or something when the soap hit them.

I've got my next planting of squash coming up and i'm ready for those little bastards!

Like I've stated before last year and this year I've used Garlic Barrier and have yet to see one squash bug on my plants. Maybe I've been lucky. But doubt it. Have never had such luck before. Jay

Jay, more info please, what is Garlic Barrier? Commercial product or homemade? (For those of us too lazy to do a search.:)

I'm there with ya, Robert. Knowing how this whole nature thing works, I'm always willing to share the bounty but can't the *%%^*# leave me a little something to work with?

Jay, I can't afford to buy any sprays but I'm going to tinker with making up my own. Same for the soap water, QH, thanks. I need a break from the drama but I'll catch my breath in time for the fall garden, I think.

I'm feeling even more hopeless tonight because, right after posting the above, we went out to do nighttime critter chores and found chaos. The gate to the goats & chickens had been left open again. They munched down the garden yet again. To make matters even worse, our outside dog who has always protected us and our animals, made it into the chicken house and killed ten chickens. I don't know what got into him because he's never hurt a single animal of ours. He's always been like a second mother to all of the little critters and is gentle as can be to the adults as well.

Bah.

Yea, I would like to know about the garlic barrier also. Seriously guys....It was fun zapping those bugs

Holy S#!^! Diane - what the ???? Bless you all - I can only imagine how frustrated you are....and such are the joys (?) of raising children! And Man's Best Friend? I think he needs reform school...or something worse and I can't think of what that would be.

I think there has GOT to be a home recipe for the garlic barrier. I've got a friend with all those Jerry Baker books. Also, I've got some garlic harvested that really won't be worth the work of preserving for eating, so I'll be happy to share my nubby little fruits. Send me your mailing address...and I'll come up with the recipe one way or another. Same for you, Dorothy! In fact, as soon as I find out more about it - I'll either come back here or start another thread.

Sheesh...I'm sick about this and it isn't even my crops...but it is...ya know?

Just a quick search turned up a few good leads.

Grind garlic cloves in a food processor to a mush. Also recommended was a few drop of lemon scented Dawn DW soap and another recommended peppermint candies grounded and added. (why not peppermint oil?) Anyway, they say that then they strained it and only added enuf water to dilute but not get rid of the smell. I'm thinking that adding just a bit of water...then bringing to a boil with the garlic would bring out more of the oils...then strain.

I'll research more tomorrow becuz it's late and I'm s-l-e-e-p-y....but I think I NEED to know. They haven't found me...YET...but I think they might be zero-ing in...(plus I'm lucky...my kids are grown and on their own...and I don't have animals....except the wild ones that stroll thru in the dark of nite.)

Paula

Oh, Diane, I am so sorry about the chickens. As if this year's gardening woes isn't enough! When our dog killed one chicken that had got out into the yard (my favorite) I almost returned the favor to him........

My garlic isn't going to be nearly as nice this year...I didn't water early enough?

The beetles have attacked blackberries, peach trees and apples and almost all other living plants....trapped 6 gallons so far.

Drought over my farm; rain all around us.

Yard is brown and dry in lots of places.

Elm tree has been denuded of leaves due to Japanese Beetles.

Just listing this so you all won't be so downhearted (like I do).

The good: The new plot is looking great!!!

We have to look for the silver lining somewhere.

Diane, I'm not sure about the quality of pickle you'd get from Armenian Cucumbers since they're actually from the melon family and not the cucumber family, but I know people who use them for pickles.

Robert, I'm sorry you didn't get more plums. I have had years like that where a seemingly potential bumper crop just disappeared before it ripened.

This year we have had an amazing crop and I still have a lot of harvesting left to do, but so far I have harvested almost 300 lbs. of plums and peaches from a total of three trees. I did thin appropriately, removing approximately 92% of the young fruit, and even after that thinning, the crop has been heavy enough to break many limbs on the peach tree and a few on the plum trees. The birds and insects have had their share of the fruit, but with such a plentiful harvest, we haven't missed the ones they've gotten. That's why I am awake....a marathon canning session during the coolest part of the day, which of course, means canning at night. I have the last batch in the canner now and then will go to sleep and get whatever sleep I can.

Paula and everyone else, You can make your own garlic spray by combining 1 to 2 cloves of garlic in a blender or food processor with 1 quart of water. Strain out the solids. Add a few drops (not too much) of a true soap, like Murphy's Oil Soap or any of the vegetable-based Dr. Bronner's soaps or an insecticidal soap, but NOT a dish detergent, which is detergent not soap and can burn foliage. To make it more potent add a hot pepper or two when you mix the garlic and water together.

The use of dish detergents, like Dawn, is recommended all over the web but is not a good idea. Detergents are not the same as soap and can burn foliage quite easily. I believe the recommendation to use dish detergents is an unfortunate carryover from the days when it was recommended to use dish soap because back then it really was SOAP, but nowadays it is detergent.

I use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap in my concoctions, although once the weather is hot, I avoid soap sprays as much as possible because they can burn foliage when used here at temps over 85 degrees.

I've seen the commercial Garlic Barrier spray at some local farm stores (TSCs) in southern OK and north central Texas and at organic supply nurseries in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. I've linked an image of one of those products.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: This Is The One Sold In Our Stores

Dawn the picture you posted is the same brand I use. I use the concentrated formula the cotton farmers use. It is 99.3% pure instead of the 10%. The only difference I would see is you might need to increase the application rate a some. I apply from 1 oz to 1 1/2 oz per gallon depending on what I'm spraying. So a gallon lasts me more than a season even when I spray all the plants in the garden like last year. It is expensive. And if I had more time with all the garlic I have I would try making some. Might in the future. I know some cotton farmers swear by it and that is why I tried it too start with. I like the fact it is organic and has no ill effects on anything. I don't use dish detergents in the garden. I use it or the oil sticker when spraying weeds. In the garden I usually spray without adding anything. May have to try Dawns Peppermint soap. I've had good results without adding anything. I have burned things with soaps ect in the past so a little leery. Jay

Jay,

I assumed you had that brand, so that's one reason I linked it---and it is the only one in stores here although I know there's other brands out there. I've only seen the OTC one for home gardeners not the commercial one here, although I think it is likely some of the feed stores have the stronger one for the agricultural producers.

I don't use dish detergents in the garden either as I've had trouble with them burning foliage too (one of those things you learn the hard way). It is too easy to burn foliage and some of them have ingredients like Triclosan that I don't want in my garden because it functions like an endocrine disrupter.

I'm leaving for Central Market in a few minutes and am going to buy a bottle of Dr. Bronner's there. I might pick up an extra one in case you want me to ship it to you. (If you don't want it, it is not a big deal. I'll use it.) It is really hard to find in local stores, although for a while, Cracker Barrel had it in their country stores. I still see in occasionally in smaller health food stores or in organic nurseries, but I think it has become harder to find the last 3 or 4 years.

I love Peppermint soap. When normal ants make a trail near the water faucet or something or when they start visiting the dog dishes, I spray a water/peppermint soap solution on the ground in that area. It confuses them and disrupts their ability to smell/follow ant trails, so if only functions as a repellent if sprayed on the ground but I like that it moves them away from my footpaths and work areas.

I prefer Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap to peppermint oil because too much peppermint oil added to homemade concoctions can burn foliage too.

Dawn

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Bronner's Castile Peppermint Soap

Paula, thanks! I did manage to harvest plenty of garlic this year so I can make my own. I've found the same recipes -- blend garlic (and, optionally, chiles) with some water and strain.

I love Dr. B's and use it a lot but it doesn't do crap for our ants. I've tried it in two different states and all it did was (very) temporarily confuse their trails, same as spraying with plain water or just brushing the area with my hand. I know lots of folks have had success with it, it just didn't work for me. But, boy, do I love Dr. B's. The little health food store in Poteau carries it (or at least they did the last time I needed another bottle.) I love making my homemade cleaner with Dr. B's and essential oils. Makes my house smell cleaner than it actually is. LOL

Diane

after reading about the squash bugs, I thought I should go check my plants. I knew I had swarms of cucumber beetles, but had seen few squash bugs. I found I had a load of squash bugs also. I started searching the house for somthing to spray on them. I found some murphys oil soap and pet flea shampoo. I put 1/2 cap of each in a 2 liter sprayer and sprayed the plants.

I went back to check the plants about two hours later and found one grown squash bug on a plant and no small bugs.

I have no idea where the bugs went.

The cucumber beetles were still fat and happy. The spray did not seem to effect them at all. I think flying bugs are much harder to control.

I will attact tomorrow with a different weapon.

I have had a larger bug problem this year than ever.

Larry

One suggestion from a horticulturist I know...She doesn't put in any cucurbits until late summer.....she says by then, the squash bugs have moved on to somewhere else, and while she does miss those early crops, she gets an abundance of healthy squash later in the season-with NO problem from the bugs.