Re: Conundrum

**&* C* <d*@gmail.com>**

Lina -- I appreciate your suggestion, and I hope you won't be offended if I

point out a couple of problems. First, compost is an organic pile full of

air pockets, just what you want, but that also makes it an excellent

insulator. Even with clear plastic, I doubt if significant heat would

penetrate more than a few inches. But beyond that, here is my complaint

about soil solarization. Yes, it kills weed seeds and disease organisms and

fungi, but it also kills everything else. Jeff, what happens to all those

beneficial micro-organisms you are so fond of when you cook the soil? And

aren't those tiny critters the primary benefit of compost?

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

-----Original Message-----

From: AldieOaks--- via gardenwriters

Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2015 3:13 PM

To: terichace@aol.com ; leeareich@gmail.com ;

gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Re: [GWL] Conundrum

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.

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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