Booo!

 

Happy Halloween!!!

Guess Who...Else

Yep, it's not just the nice guys in the garden. Lots of aphids, thrips, mites, and other pesky things all over. So I had to go for the spray - but not just any spray.

My trigger choice is FlowerPharm, which works great as a general pesticide/fungicide. It's completely organic and you can find the stuff locally at Southwest Gardener in downtown Phoenix.

At the end of March I sprayed my tomatoes a couple of days, waited a week, then hit 'em again. Now I don't see anymore of those little black aphids, and no damage was done to the tomato plants.
I also sprayed my bok choi, kale, and tulips, which were all pretty thick with bugs. The ladybugs were doing their thing too, but I was a bit anxious to see some results so I can harvest and eat my veggies. The ladybugs managed unscathed as well (as I'm noticing quite a few larvae babies at work).

But all those critters on my edibles were the least of my worries:
(DUHN-DUHN-DUUUUUN!)

(scorpius soon-to-be-deadius)

Yes, the worst of all garden pests have begun to make their presence known now that it's warming up. So I called my friendly neigborhood pest control service - Ladybug for my seasonal treatment. They use an all organic product that is very safe for pets and lizards alike, but does a number on the scorpions.


However, I still like to do my part in the garage and other inconspicuous cracks and crevis using DE (diatomaceous earth - be sure to use garden grade not pool grade). It's a powder-like product that is all organic, which damages scorpions from the underside causing death within about 24hours. Just a little added security when I'm not out with my blacklight and big stick.

Dead and Green

Don't worry, it's dead.

This urban monster was killed 'naturally'. By that I mean, with a natural product and not some retched toxic chemical. I'm talking about Diatomaceous Earth. DE, as it is generally referred to, is available at most local nurseries, home centers, and even some hardware stores. Make sure you select 'Food Grade' (NOT pool grade) which is harmless to humans and pets if ingested. The packaging may vary so be sure to read the labels carefully.

DE will not 'repel' scorpions; it actually will kill them, just not instantly. It's a fossil shell flour, and these microscopic shards gets caught in the exoskeleton as scorpions crawl through the powder eventually damaging their innards. In about 12-24 hours they're dead. It can also be used on other critters such as ticks and spiders.

You may be thinking that with the cooler weather upon us, the scorpions will go away. Eventually. However, for the next few weeks, they may still be active seeking the last bit of warmth before they disappear underground for the season.

A black light, a long stick, and flat tread shoes are the best tools for investigate in the night time to identify concentrated areas of scorpions. You can apply DE in these area, as well as around the perimeter of your home.

You may also want to contact a pest control service to help deal with the issue. Although I spend many late nights in the garden 'manually' managing my scorpion population, I also use a great organic pest control service (Ladybug) for major treatments.

I don't yet know of any effective method for repelling scorpions. Most pest control services primarily manage the scorpion food source, thus, causing them to migrate elsewhere or 'lay low' and not breed as much. So, for fun, I'll keep to my therapeutic ritual of black light hunting with my long stick and squash'em boots. Mwaaa-Haa-Haa.