Newsletters & Company News
Greenhouse Newsletter - Greenhouse Pest Control
May 1st, 2005:
| GREENHOUSE GAB MAY/JUNE 2005 VOLUME 3 Gardening appeals to men, women and children and has quickly become the number one hobby throughout North America. With over 78 million American households involved in gardening activities, we thought we would share some of our greenhouse fun facts with you.
Start a home based greenhouse business specializing in annuals and perennials
Over-winter tender plants, ie. Hibiscus, Coleus, Tropicals
Over-winter pond plants
Over-winter bonsai trees
Over-winter hanging baskets and containers
Start plants from seeds and cuttings, especially bedding plants, annuals and perennials
Specialize in growing orchids
Enjoy a plant filled environment
Grow greenhouse vegetables, the most common being tomatoes, cukes and peppers
Raise tropical plants
Experiment with a variety of plants and seeds
Specialize in growing fruit and nut plants/trees, ie. Fig, Citrus
Teach others greenhouse growing by seeds and cuttings, ie. Horticultural therapy
Sooner or later, you'll need to battle greenhouse pests, whether it is in the greenhouse, garden or your home. Try out the following tips to rid your plants of their unwanted guests.
Screening in the Greenhouse - Screening significantly reduces the number of flying insects entering the greenhouse, including thrips. There are several screening products available, but keep in mind that the finer the screen, the more air flow is restricted.
Clothing - If you are working in your own greenhouse, or heading out to the local nursery, avoid wearing white, blue, yellow or green clothing. Aphids, thrips and whiteflies are attracted to blue, yellow and green, and thrips are also attracted to white.
Quarantine -Keep any infested plants in a separate area if at all possible. Inspect new plants before bringing them home. Thrips, aphids and whiteflies are readily transported throughout the greenhouse industry on plants and cuttings.
Monitoring - Unfortunately, the only way to achieve effective pest management, is by constant vigilance. Scout for insects and pests on a regular basis. Keep written records on which pests are found where. Record your solutions for ridding them. Use yellow sticky cards and pan traps to monitor pests. Potato slices can be used to monitor fungus gnats.
Pest Recognition - You have to know what you are treating in order to treat it correctly. Educate yourself on pests and their stages of development. Nothing beats a good reference book to keep at your fingertips!
Chemical/Organic Control - Only you can decide on the best pesticide method to use. There are several pesticides on the market today, including organic choices. Hosing infected plants down with as much force as the plant can tolerate helps to knock off pests.
Plant Insect Repelling Plants - Why not try a completely natural method by using insect repellent plants. The most effective insecticide that instantly kills flying and crawling insects on contact, but does not harm mammals or birds, is the dried and crushed flowers of the daisy, Pyrethrum Plant. Other plants include Mountain Tobacco, Kentucky Coffee Tree, Pennyroyal, Gopher Spurge and lots more!
The Safe Instant Kill Insecticide - The brown powder made from the Pyrethrum Plant will kill or stun insects the moment it touches them. It does not harm pets when sprinkled on their coats. This beautiful member of the daisy family will complement any garden or flower bed. The dried powder, unfortunately, only lasts for a few days. You can prolong its use throughout the year by freezing fresh flower heads in zip-lock bags and drying and crushing them as needed.
The Great Mosquito Repellent - Chamomile and Citriodora are especially repelling to mosquitoes. Both are easy to grow and can be used in dried flower arrangements. To make the repellent, take 1 ounce of leaves from both plants and boil in one gallon of water. Strain and place in refrigerator. Before going outside, splash on the mixture liberally. You'll enjoy the fresh lemony scent, but the mosquitoes won't! Chamomile and Citriodora can also be placed in pots on decks and patios.
I'm looking forward to planting my containers and gardens for summer enjoyment, and I know you are too! Whether you are ordering seed, or scouring your local nurseries, try growing something new this year. I've just received a shipment of new seeds, and I'll be growing Blue Hibiscus and Monstera Delicosa (Swiss Cheese Plant).
Backyard Greenhouses
A div. of Ecolad Corporation
1-800-665-2124
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Written By: Shelley Awad
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