Re: Conundrum

**A* v* g* <g*@lists.ibiblio.org>**

Teri,

Have you tried covering the compost pile with clear plastic after they're  
all gone to nest for the night, weighing it down securely so they can't get 
out,  and letting the combined heat from the sun and the pile itself cook 
them? Think  I'd give that a try before I'd go for the poisons. 

If you use clear plastic instead of black plastic or a tarp it  may heat 
things up more - think of it as solarizing your compost pile and their  nests 
instead of the soil.

Lina Burton

In a message dated 9/6/2015 12:16:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org writes:

Thanks,  Lee!

Oh, no. They're all moving to my house?! The compost pile  especially 
attracts them.

I have spent my professional garden-writing  career urging people not to 
spray willy-nilly, to read labels and follow  precautions and directions, etc. 
etc. 

The chemical sprays labeled  for these critters are really nasty (contain 
allethrin, a pyrethroid), causing  eye and lung irritation at the very least 
(also, I think, harmful to aquatic  creatures, not a concern on or near my 
property). I had one of those moments,  you know, "give me something lethal 
and let me soak the place down!!!" Then I  collected myself and tried the 
Rainbow vac.

Torching? I'd burn my house  down! :(

Hoping some of our colleagues on this list can add to this  discussion...

Teri Dunn Chace
Writer *  Editor * Consultant * Speaker
537 Garden St.
Little Falls, NY 13365
315-866-6480 
978-317-2357 cell
http://terichacewriter.com/
terichace@aol.com
LinkedIn     profile 
JUST PUBLISHED!  Seeing Seeds: A Journey into the World of Seedheads, Pods, 
and  Fruit

-----Original Message-----
From: Lee  Reich <leeareich@gmail.com>
To: Teri Chace <terichace@aol.com>;  Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden 
Writers Forum  <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sun, Sep 6, 2015 12:03  pm
Subject: Re: [GWL] Conundrum

Teri, 

An  hour south of you, weâve seen fewer wasps and yellow jackets this year 
than  any other year. Most years I periodically walk around with a 
blowtorch,  blasting nests I find in their favorite nesting places. This year, not  
necessary. 

Lee  

Lee Reich, PhD     

Come visit my farmden at             http://www.leereich.com/blog           

http://leereich.com/         

Books by Lee  Reich:            

A Northeast Gardener's  Year             

The Pruning Book              

Weedless Gardening         

Uncommon Fruits for Every  Garden             

Landscaping with Fruit              

Grow Fruit  Naturally            

On Sep 5, 2015, at 9:08 PM,  Teri Chace via gardenwriters <      
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:    

Duane,     
Fear and trembling!! I'm  not sure where you live, but here in Upstate NY, 
we're are seeing wasps and  yellowjackets this summer that ever before, and 
I wonder why. A squadron  attacked us on our back deck one evening, leaving 
four wounded. Quick action  with ice packs helped a bit. Immediate action 
with baking-soda paste has also  proven effective in reducing piercing pain 
and swelling at the site of the  bites/stings.     

I saw Peter's  comment about water, but, heavens, we are dry for weeks of 
late!   

I have discovered a weapon, however:  the Rainbow vacuum cleaner, the model 
that sucks stuff (dirt and debris, and  little vicious flying insects, 
alive or dead) into a swirling reservoir base  of water. Had to outfit myself in 
heavy clothing to wield it. You can imagine  the language on my foes I used 
during this operation.      

But seriously, folks, Peter or others: tell us  more about their habits, 
any predators, any Achilles heel, any other effective  battle tactics?     

---Terrified  Teri     

PS I am flat-out afraid to  approach my compost pile, even if armed with 
aforementioned Rainbow vac.   

Teri Dunn Chace     
Writer * Editor * Consultant * Speaker     
537 Garden St.     
Little Falls, NY 13365     
315-866-6480      
978-317-2357  cell     
http://terichacewriter.com/     
terichace@aol.com     
LinkedIn          profile     
JUST PUBLISHED! Seeing Seeds: A Journey  into the World of Seedheads, Pods, 
and Fruit     

-----Original Message-----     
From: Duane  Campbell <     dcamp911@gmail.com>      
To: GWL <     gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>   
Sent: Sat, Sep 5, 2015 6:54 pm      
Subject: [GWL] Conundrum     

Itâs hard to imagine getting tired of Miss Kim  lilac, but this one had 
taken     
over a rather large  garden area. This spring I ripped most of it out, 
potting up   
ten one and two gallon containers to give to friends and for  my annual two 
hour     
plant sale. (Two bucks and I  couldnât sell them all; I live among 
Philistines.)     
The  intent was to create a new planting quickly, not wait until weeds  
covered     
the entire plot four feet tall, but it was a  cold, miserable spring. So I 
have     
finally gotten to  it.  Since this area had been planted with shrubs and    

perennials for a couple of decades or more, little had been done to  
improve the     
soil. Fortunately I had two 3X3X3 foot  (originally) compost piles ready to 

harvest. Simple.  Deconstruct the compost piles, spread several inches on 
the      
plot, dig it in, and put in plants that had been waiting patiently for a  
few     
months.     

Not simple. (The motto on my personal crest is  Nil umquam facile  est.)    

The compost has become the happy home of wasps,  German yellowjackets 
perhaps,     
but though I speak German  they donât answer), who are claiming birthright  

citizenship in my compost. These are not common stinging insects that  
create a     
quick burning sensation, you run in and grab  the anti-sting stick (I did 
that),     
and after a couple  of hours it goes away. No, these are super stingers. My 
first   
meeting provided several stings that left me in agony for two  days. I have 

literally never felt such pain. Iâd rather  have my gall bladder out again. 

Seriously. It took a  week for the effects to completely fade.     

Much to the     
distress of my daughter  who is quasi-organic, I powdered the whole compost 
pile      
with Sevin dust, like an April snowfall, threw a tarp over it, and waited  
for     
three days. Then I dressed in the August heat as if  it were January, 
removed the     
tarp, and swung a pick  into the middle of the pile. I have done a lot of 
stupid      
things in my life, but this is certainly in the top ten list. Fortunately  
there     
was little skin exposed and I had been educated  by prior experience to run 
as if     
I were not  superannuated.     

So here,  finally, is my question. How do I get these     
bastards  out of my compost? The barren plot out front awaits your wisdom.  

Duane  Campbell     
Syndicated garden columnist      
Author: Best of Green Space; 30     
Years of  Composted     
Columns     

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