Powdery Mildew

[Booklover]

We have tried every remedy known to man for earwigs. There have been entire cities taken over by earwigs here. Lots of articles in the state's papers. Just out of the blue about 5 years ago they all came.. If you step outside late at night, there are literally thousands of them in our backyard. It looks like a bad B movie, but unfortunately it's reality.

The worst is May, June and most of July. It's tolerable now, but nothing's growing , of course.

I could get a PH.D in earwig population and control!

[Booklover]

I have always been a big fan of Ruth Stout's mulch method. It worked for me for many years, and there are alot of benefits for the soil. But this year I have taken everything off to let the sun sterilize the soil and let the birds eat the earwigs.

Wish I could have some chickens or ducks in the town. That would keep the earwigs down, but unfortunately the city keeps refusing to let anyone keep a couple of chickens.

Oh well, there's always next year!!! When the seed catalogs come in January and I'm sitting by our wood fire looking out at all the snow, I will forget about everything and plan the perfect garden once again. lol

[Durgan]

I have always been a big fan of Ruth Stout's mulch method. It worked for me for many years, and there are alot of benefits for the soil. But this year I have taken everything off to let the sun sterilize the soil and let the birds eat the earwigs.

Wish I could have some chickens or ducks in the town. That would keep the earwigs down, but unfortunately the city keeps refusing to let anyone keep a couple of chickens.

Oh well, there's always next year!!! When the seed catalogs come in January and I'm sitting by our wood fire looking out at all the snow, I will forget about everything and plan the perfect garden once again. lol

Bugs appear in cycles.
One year I had an infestation of Japanese Beetles, one year the white grubs on my cubits, one year the flea beetles, one year the white cabbage butterfly, one year the European Crane Fly, one year snails, one year blight on the potatoes and tomatoes, one year powdery mildew, and always have the Colorado Potato Beetle. I use various nostrums, but generally accept the infestations as the fortunes of gardening. I do not use the 'cides, but my garden is small. This year I had no major infestations, except for the powdery mildew on my cucumbers.

First one worries about germination, then water, sun, heat, then is there sufficient nutrients, then bugs, then weeds, then harvest. This is probably what makes gardening so interesting. Meaning trying to overcome the obstacles. Seldom do I have everything perfect, but work at trying to achieve perfection. Gardening is not for the lazy or unambitious.

Actually, in some cases it takes time to ascertain you indigenous bugs. I think that I know them all, then suddenly another nasty appears.

All said and one, the weather is the major variable, over which one has little control. Such is life.