Last week, HHH came back from the hardware store more than a little upset. Unbeknownst to me, he had planned to buy 500 lady bugs as a surprise. Destructive insect pests had disturbed the tranquility and peace at Winterpast. Aphids are prolific and destructive little creatures, so we were brainstorming bee-friendly ways to get rid of them.
Back in the day, I would’ve suggestive 1/4 cup of systemic rose insecticide under each bush. Unfortunately, we now have 50,000 friends that will visit every plant we grow. In killing the aphids, we might be killing our bees, as well. Insecticides can’t be this years’ answer to aphids.
When HHH was telling me about the empty shelf that only hours earlier had held Praying Mantids AND Lady Bugs, he mentioned another biologic on the shelf. He didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t Lady Bugs, so it really didn’t matter.
As it turns out, they were selling nematodes, or microscopic worms that live in the soil and attack Coddling Moth Larvae, which will attack our apple trees. Well, every garden needs some of those. I hope they get along with the worms we dispersed about a month ago.
Yesterday, we needed a few items. It’s dangerous for us to visit the nursery together. Along with 25 sacks of brown bark, we found six gorgeous roses. If they hadn’t been so healthy and beautiful, we could have refused. As our garden grows, we are running out of room in a quarter-acre back yard.
After making some phone calls, we found a nursery 30 minutes to the east still had some Lady Bugs AND Praying Mantids. Off we went. Of course, they had Portulacas, too. One of the must-have’s of any desert garden, HHH says they remind him of a bubblegum machine. That they do. Eighteen little plants were added to our purchase.
Private nurseries are such a fun place to visit. With knowledgeable owners and beautiful plants, we’ll be returning to this one. We could buy 500 Lady Bugs, but, by spending only $1 more, we could get 500 Lady Bugs AND Lace Wings. Both extreme predators, our aphids wouldn’t have a chance. Along with them, we purchased a Praying Mantid Egg case, which will first hatch on my desk and then be moved into the yard.
Yesterday was a busy day. We moved 14 bags of bark onto our Memorial Garden. We increased our rose bush count by six. We continue to see more and more Swallowtail butterflies floating about the yard. The hummingbirds continue to dive and fight for their place at the feeders. And, Oliver continues to heal from his dental ordeal while waiting for his beloved Wookie to return.
We did discover that dispersing Lady Bugs is a bit like nailing Jello to a tree. The minute the lid was opened, hungry little bugs came charging forth. As the Zephyr winds raced through the gardens of Winterpast, I hope some of the bugs fell into the rose bushes to feast on our fat selection of aphids. If you aren’t much into bugs crawling over your hands and arms, you might want to forego this experience. I prefer our quiet little bees any day of the week.
After all that, HHH had the energy to cook BBQ baby-back ribs, rice, and a 2024 zucchini. How lucky that he loves cooking and that I love cleaning up the kitchen after a good meal. Another way we’re a great match.
Whatever you do today, think about pests in the garden and natural ways to control them. There are so many new and natural methods on the market. It doesn’t always take a dose of chemicals to control pests. Sometimes, the natural methods are more colorful and certainly more dramatic.