Hello from this Miami Newbie!

ariam4 12/1/2012, 9:30 pm

Hi Everyone! This is going to be my first attempt at SFG, the correct way Hahaha! I've tried it without Mel's Mix and was somewhat successful but am now expecting wonderful results! My largest problem though, has been all the pests in my garden. I can't seem to get rid of the hoards of white flies Sad

, boring insects,(and no I don't mean that they can't tell jokes or make lively dinner conversation Laughing

). I have found that Monarch butterfly caterpillars love fennel (at least someone got some), Snails, did I mention snails? Ah yes we have snails that could devour a small dog in one sitting? And Corn? What is that? NO sooner is it planted than the core is bored out ACK. So I'm hoping to get lots of great info from this forum and to share what has been successful for me. Happy Gardening Everyone!

**Kelejan** 12/1/2012, 9:36 pm

$glad you\'re here$ ariam. Sorry you have so many pests. I still consider myself a novice, so cannot help you much with pests as I have been very lucky in that way.
I am sure others will come along in a bit and give you some good advice proablably after asking you lots of questions. happy hi

I am beginning to think I am getting a little bit knowledgeable about composting and worms, though, and that is through chatting to the lovely people on this forum and reading all I can in past topics.
Explore this forum, and use the search and put in words like pests and up will come lots of places to search.

ariam4 12/1/2012, 9:55 pm

Thank you Kelejan! I'm sure I will find some good advice here in the forums. I'm looking through to see what might be helpful. If not, I may have to plant twice as much so half can go to the pests and plagues! Gotta look on the bright side of things. good luck with the wormies I have a few in the garden that might help! Very Happy

CapeCoddess 12/1/2012, 10:11 pm

ariam4 wrote:I may have to plant twice as much so half can go to the pests and plagues!

Welcome, ariam! Planting twice as much is what I'll be doing next year. Plus covering everything with tulle, netting, burlap, etc, so the pests can't get in. But the slugs....oiy! Not sure what I'll do about those yet. Pine needles seemed to help a bit.

What part of Miami are you in? I grew up in Miami Shores, which is just south of North Miami.

CC

ariam4 12/1/2012, 10:43 pm

Hi there Ms Coddess! I am in the Westchester/ Sweetwater area but I went to school in North Miami so I am familiar with the area. And yes I was thinking of that whole hooping and tulleing the beds but wasnt sure how that would workout with the plants that need to be pollinated?? :scratch: I love my bees Very Happy

Their legs get so loaded up with pollen that its a wonder they can still fly Hahaha! As for the slugs/snails not to worry there are alot of stray cats and dogs that I feed them to keep them out of the garden affraid

CapeCoddess 12/2/2012, 7:26 pm

HA! I went to North Miami High in... hmm....lessee...around '74 I guess, after leaving Edison High. Then the fam moved to Lauderdale so I was transferred to Piper.

CC

Nymiko 12/2/2012, 9:43 pm

Hello Miami!

I'm in west palm and also doing the SFG for the first time!
I m also having issues with pests! I have the hoop with tulle but still have leaf miners and I'm sure cabbage loopers. Something has been enjoying my spinach and broccoli raab. I sprayed soapy water and BT on the reg so I'm hoping it will get under control. I also have a bacon avocado tree, Asian mango and a Meyers lemon tree. We have pest but what weather to have fruit trees!!

**camprn** 12/2/2012, 10:01 pm

Hi Nymiko, the leafminer and cabbage worms are probably from the eggs laid before you covered the garden in tulle. The problem should be resolved soon with the control methods you are using.

Nymiko 12/2/2012, 10:47 pm

camprn wrote:Hi Nymiko, the leafminer and cabbage worms are probably from the eggs laid before you covered the garden in tulle. The problem should be resolved soon with the control methods you are using.

Thank you for that! I could kiss you! I was starting to feel hopeless in my battle with the pests

**camprn** 12/2/2012, 10:52 pm

I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

Nymiko 12/2/2012, 11:20 pm

camprn wrote:I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

The thing is... I haven't seen any, I even went out at night with a flashlight. I just keep seeing holes on my leaves.

mollyhespra 12/3/2012, 12:05 am

Welcome to the forum, Ariam!

CapeCoddess wrote:HA! I went to North Miami High in... hmm....lessee...around '74 I guess, after leaving Edison High. Then the fam moved to Lauderdale so I was transferred to Piper.

CC

LOL!!!

It's a regular ole reunion for us! For me, it was class of '83 at the home of the Pioneers (North Miami Sr. High), but I was born in Miami...and now I'm up here in the frozen North...

...amazing where life will take you if you let it...

yolos 12/3/2012, 11:04 am

I did my student teaching at Coral Gables in South Miami in 1972. After that, I said to heck with teaching and never taught again.

EggplantWizard 12/3/2012, 2:04 pm

Welcome! I was born in the Philippines but was raised in Miami. I lived in Homestead, then moved to Doral. I graduated at Miami Springs Senior in '98.

CapeCoddess 12/3/2012, 3:06 pm

This is amazing! There are so many of us! cheers

CC

**camprn** 12/3/2012, 4:46 pm

Nymiko wrote:
camprn wrote:I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

The thing is... I haven't seen any, I even went out at night with a flashlight. I just keep seeing holes on my leaves.

Maybe it's slugs then. or you need magnification to see them , if the worms are small. If you can post a photo.

Nymiko 12/5/2012, 7:15 pm

camprn wrote:
Nymiko wrote:
camprn wrote:I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

The thing is... I haven't seen any, I even went out at night with a flashlight. I just keep seeing holes on my leaves.
Maybe it's slugs then. or you need magnification to see them , if the worms are small. If you can post a photo.

Will do, whatever it is munched my romaine lettuce and onions! *sigh..

**camprn** 12/5/2012, 7:24 pm

Nymiko wrote:
camprn wrote:
Nymiko wrote:
camprn wrote:I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

The thing is... I haven't seen any, I even went out at night with a flashlight. I just keep seeing holes on my leaves.
Maybe it's slugs then. or you need magnification to see them , if the worms are small. If you can post a photo.

Will do, whatever it is munched my romaine lettuce and onions! *sigh..

One thing you learn about the fresh home grown produce is that it hardly ever looks like the stuff in the store, which is almost always the best of the crop and the farmers often use pesticides and fungicides.

I myself am ok with a few holes here and there because I know where it came from and that there are no poisonous chemicals going into my mouth.

Triciasgarden 12/8/2012, 12:17 am

Just wanted to say Welcome Ariam! I can't join in the reunion as I was born on the West Coast. Is there a way you can take a picture and post it of the holes in your plants. Sometimes someone looking at the picture will be able to tell you what is eating your garden.

Nymiko 12/10/2012, 4:53 pm

camprn wrote:
Nymiko wrote:I find the best method for getting rid of cabbage worms already hatched is pick them off or squish them. Good luck

The thing is... I haven't seen any, I even went out at night with a flashlight. I just keep seeing holes on my leaves.

OMG! I was harvesting some romaine lettuce for my bunny the other night and there was a BIG cabbage caterpillar (brown and looks like a braid pattern) I went crazy with BT today.

**camprn** 12/10/2012, 5:48 pm

Nymko, we love photos.
A little bit of Bt goes a long way, no need to go crazy with it and waste the product... Another thing to consider is not all worms are pests. They may eat just a little bit then turn into the most amazing butterfly you have ever seen.... Who knows.

The next time you see one of those creatures, would you post a photo?I would love to see what you have in your garden.

Nymiko 12/10/2012, 5:56 pm

camprn wrote:Nymko, we love photos.
A little bit of Bt goes a long way, no need to go crazy with it and waste the product... Another thing to consider is not all worms are pests. They may eat just a little bit then turn into the most amazing butterfly you have ever seen.... Who knows.

The next time you see one of those creatures, would you post a photo?I would love to see what you have in your garden.

LOL... it scared the crap out of me cuz i was holding the veggies and i stepped into the light and saw a giant caterpillar two inches away from my hand and I just freaked out.. I didn't kill it though..

oldgrayfox 12/13/2012, 3:01 am

what is BT and is it organic?

**walshevak** 12/13/2012, 8:30 am

http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Bacillus-thuringiensis-Bt.htm

interesting article and BT is considered organic

yolos 12/13/2012, 9:12 am

Wow, that article is long and detailed.

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