July 2010

Good Afternoon Bonsai Enthusiasts.

Happy July!!!!! Hope your bonsai are thriving even with the protracted heat wave we just had AND REMEMBER, this weekend is predicted to be very hot at 95+ on Sunday and Monday so be sure to water thoroughly, morning and evening if possible but at least once for sure.

Our monthly meeting will be a workshop at Clover Garden Center on Saturday, July 10th from 9AM to 1PM. This is an excellent time to work on any tropicals you might have or to wire up any conifer or deciduous trees.

This article was forwarded to me by Carl Rosner of Margate, NJ. Just for increasing your knowledge of bonsai and gardening in general.

Dear Gardening Friends, 

Not all insects are pests. Some actually make perfect pets for the gardener! They will not damage plants, only the insects that damage plants. This bio-control is known as Integrated Pest Management, and beneficial insects are an important component.

We can make our gardens friendly to their habitats such as planting perennials that provide a place to lay eggs and give shelter - yarrow, fennel, daisy, baby's breath, parsley and many others. Allowing for a grass path will provide a home for ground beetles, and a birdbath or water feature with a perch of rock or stick will help keep them around during dry weather.

What you want to create is the proper balance by increasing the numbers of
predators to prey and use only organic and nontoxic garden products like insecticidal soaps and sticky traps. Don't wait for a pest problem to be out of control. Plan for your good bugs to the rescue before the potential problem occurs!

Typically, Ladybugs eat over 5,000 Aphids and other soft-bodied pests during their one year life. Ladybugs are one of the few beneficial insects that can be stored, dormant, in the refrigerator for a few weeks, as long as they don't freeze or dry out. This allows you to use a few at a time, as needed.

Tiny Whitefly Parasites lay their eggs inside Whitefly pupae, so a Whitefly Parasite hatches instead of a Whitefly. You'll need a magnifier to see them, but they spell death for greenhouse Whiteflies.

Predatory Mites feed on Spider Mites and their eggs, they also breed twice as fast! Each Spider Mite Predator sucks the juice out of about 5 Spider Mites a day, or 20 of their eggs. Predators disappear when the Spider Mites are gone.

Aphid Predators have worked so well in many greenhouses, that, by summer, Aphids may be hard to even find. Breeding populations of predators are usually established from a single release, but regular weekly releases during the growing season speeds up control.

Green Lacewing larvae look like tiny "alligators", and voraciously attack almost any prey they can grab, using pincer-like jaws. After injecting a paralyzing venom, they suck the body fluids from their helpless victim.

Praying Mantis are not only fun garden pets, but they eat anything and everything they can catch! Praying Mantis constantly entertain while they eat insects all summer long.

Create a favorable home for your Beneficials ahead of time…
Reminder-- Beneficial Insects don't tolerate most pesticides very well, so it's very important not to apply residual pesticides (such as Malathion and Sevin) for at least a month before releasing your beneficials. While you're waiting out this month period, use soapy water sprays (such as Safers) or Sticky Traps right up to the day you let out the beneficials. Also botanical sprays (derived from Pyrethrum and Rotenone, for example) can be used with a one week wait afterwards. The small amount of time you spend creating more favorable conditions for Beneficial Insects will be well worth your while!

Let the Good Bugs clean up your pests and have fun watching them! 
Until next time,

Alias Mrs. Charley