RE: insects in the greenhouse

Hi Marge,
	No, can't say that I have ever tried the predatory insects in the GH...one
reason being that everytime the exhaust fan comes on (set to run when temp
reaches 80-85) it sucks everything out of the GH except the spiders!  The
aphids are sticky, so they manage to hang on :).
 If you are not totally organic, I do use an excellent product for sucking
insects in the GH...outside no chemicals except Deadline tiny slug pellets
in the nursery and "Worryfree" in the garden around Ligularia, Hosta, etc.
It is a systemic called Marathon, a fine granular that you sprinkle on top
of the soil of established plants and water in gently.  My primary problem
in the GH and the light garden in the house has been MEALYBUGS!!!!  Gosh I
hate those critters :(.
 Marathon is good for about 6 months and is used in very small amounts,
about 1/8 tsp for a 4" pot as I recall.  A jug costs $100 (the last time I
bought it), but 2 of us split it and I'm still using it.  Perhaps the price
has come down since there are a lot of new chemicals on the market and the
newest ones are usually the most expensive.
Checking around the garden yesterday, I found a fresh aphid colony on the
Lily buds, now that's a surprise!  Especially since the Lilies are in the
same bed as the roses.  Some water and "finger wiping" took care of the
problem.
Biggest disappointment this year has been the persistent rust that nothing
will stop on Hypericum Albury Purple - one of my favorite small shrubs.  I
finally threw in the sponge and dug mine up and threw it away.  All the
potted ones were donated to the great burn pile in the sky too.
We have gone from cool and wet to HOT and dry this week.  The plants are
fine but the gardeners are flushed and limp.  I have re-discovered the
wisdom of midday siesta time - one of the many advantages of working at
home.


Marilyn Dube'
Natural Designs Nursery
Portland, Oregon


-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-perennials@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of Marge Talt
Sent:	Monday, June 02, 2003 9:58 PM
To:	perennials@hort.net
Subject:	Re: insects in the greenhouse

Have you ever tried the predatory insects in your g.h., Marilyn? Has
anybody on the list?  I'd like to know whether they are really very
effective before I go and get some.

Interesting you get spider mites on your brugs...mine are the aphid
magnets.   This year, found ants herding the bleedin' aphids and
moving them around to other plants...I was not pleased.

What I have decided is that no matter what I will NOT take more than
2 cuttings from each of my 3 brugs this fall.  They just take up too
much space and here I sit with half a dozen I don't really know what
to do with...all 3' tall and needing to be planted or potted on.

I just can't give up overwintering them, so need to deal with the
aphids.  Don't seem to have anything else in there in the bug dept.,
except pillbugs who are a pain in the neck.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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----------
> From: Marilyn Dube <mygarden@easystreet.com>
>
> Marge,
> 	My experience in the GH is pretty much the same - especially for
certain
> "insect attracting" plants.  I have given up on overwintering
Fuchsias
> (white flies), Geraniums (aphids) and Brugmansia (spider mites) -
it is just
> too much of an uphill battle.  Outside of the GH, no insects on
these plants
> and I gave up spraying years ago.  Since the GH is crammed with
cuttings and
> seedlings during the winter, having those insect attractors in
there too
> puts them at risk.   It's just not worth it.  What I really need is
another
> GH, then I could have a "clean" house and a "dirty" house.  Alas, I
would
> have to give up my rose garden (my only sunny spot) for another GH
and I'm
> not willing to do that.  I do love my roses, especially right now
when they
> are coming into peak bloom.  It's heavenly!

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