May 12, 2016

Good morning, it has been several years ago now, I am thinking it was around 2009 that we had a huge grasshopper outbreak .My eyes were not calibrated to notice the tiny hoppers so by this fault I did not notice the hoppers until they had grown in size. Like so many things the earlier you rectify the problem, the smaller the impact. They were eating through two layers of agribon 19 fabric to get to the veggies. The veggies were not visible through the fabric. I was getting frantic!

 

We did a 10 foot bare earth zone around the garden, handpicked hoppers by flashlight, put fabric over the chicken wire varmint fence (about a 3 foot high obstruction), and set nolo bait cans around the perimeter of the garden. It was about a couple months into this assault that Deb read about guinea fowl being “grasshopper eating machines”. This was in June and we found that Johnson feed had 8 keets (guinea chicks) for sale. Sadly it would not be until the end of August before we could release them to attack the vermin.

 

We were banking on all the other grasshopper abatements to slow the onslaught until the guineas could be released. It was a long couple of months. I would catch quart jar quantities of hoppers to feed to the guineas daily. Devouring them is too moderate of a word to describe their feeding frenzy.

Once they were released they would flank out in lines and set to devastating the population. Not only on our 7 acres but also on the properties that abutted up to ours. By the middle of September the hoppers were no longer a threat!!! We are forever grateful to these birds.

 

Fast forwarding to 2016 we still have 2 of the white guineas left, along with a dark colored one that adopted us over the years. Sadly it has been a couple of years now that a neighbor’s dog slaughtered our 2 remaining hens. So all we have left are a couple of geriatric frustrated male guineas. They seem to be angry old men and chase the chickens relentlessly. They no longer really patrol much either. Although they do seem to annoy me and get into the garden and devour greens that either get uncovered or they peck holes through the fabric. I would like to remove the covers so that beneficial insects or the house sparrows could help control the aphids but not until we do not have guineas.

 

Some would say why not get rid of them, like with the Mormons on the shores of the Great Salt Lake who are forever indebted to sea gulls I too am with my guineas. They still do the spring mating races even though there are no females. Someday I expect they will keel over from a heart attack doing “the race”. Until then they have a place to stay but this is not to say I don’t have a few choice words for them too.

 

The garden continues to mature. Chilies are blooming and there are a few green chilies, the eggplants are starting to bloom, first blooms are showing on the okra, the cukes are starting to bloom. The cucumbers were being particularly difficult this year until I realized a ground squirell was grazing the cukes. Most were eaten as they were emerging. The clue was noticed when a larger plant started to grow in reverse and revealed the severed leaves. I am in negotiations with the cat. She seems to think controlling pocket goffers is enough to satisfy her contract. Last year ground squirrels spoiled over 40 pounds of sweet potatoes. I am willing to share to a point.

 

This year I am seeing how using azaguard on a regular schedule will control my root knot nematodes (RKN). If I do not see plants slowly withering or production numbers drop, this will give me a clue as to how well it is working. Real proof will be when I examine roots after a crop is finished. Favorable signs were revealed when I pulled some bolting lettuce and did not see any root galls. The lettuce is growing in a known RKN bed. Another side benefit is that I am not seeing flea beetles eating on the potatoes. After killing a couple adult squash bugs and crushing 3 or 4 egg clusters, I have not seen either eggs or squash bugs. Almost immediately after uncovering the squash I was seeing striped cucumber beetles and then some spotted ones too. Both of these critters have not increased in numbers but might be declining. I have not seen the azaguard affecting the aphids though. It has been somewhat difficult timing cold pressed neem oil sprayings with the wind. Aphids may become a pest in the past once I can uncover and not worry that the guineas come through and make Swiss cheese out of the Swiss chard.

 

This week I anticipate harvesting: chard, kale, lettuce, green onions, carrots, summer squash, green beans and snow peas. Please email for quantities.