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PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 10:11 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:29 pm
Posts: 125
Location: Rowlett TX
Parrots...

ya handfeed tham as babies, ya cuddle them, give them toys, teach them to speak, make them a member of the family, give them the freedom to roam the house instead of caging them and whaddatheydo? c*** all over ya. Oh well... :roll: Kinda like kids - if not for them being adorable you might have to kill them.


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 Post subject: And the beat goes on...
PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:22 am 
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Joined: Wed May 21, 2003 5:33 pm
Posts: 829
Location: Dallas,TX
Yeah, Amen to the pet thing. :roll: My two cats and small dog keep me at their service cleaning up after them in one way or another! My compostable cat litter (S'Wheat Scoop) is great. It doesn't stink up the compost pile! The yard is rich enough that I never have to do anything at all to my dog's contributions...they just become part of the soil. He doesn't even bother to go in the same place because there's no odor to take him there after a couple of days. I just make sure the compost is finished before I use it so that there is no chance of passing on any pathogens to my herbs or vegetables. That bird poop is awfully hot...remember too much nitrogen burns plant roots too. That's why you want to compost the material. You'll eliminate some of the problems you are seeing.

Yes, you can just spread the cornmeal around the base of the roses but if you have that bad a problem, straining the cornmeal and spraying it on as an addition to your compost foliar feed would be effective. The cornmeal seems to work by increasing the levels of beneficial organisms in the soil; trichoderma & other beneficial fungus according to one of our fellows. I just know that it works every time I use it. That's good enough for me.

Attack thrips? That's a new one! :lol: Sorry for your fiancee but I never heard of that before! Flying and landing on you, but not biting. Blast them with water and knock them down/off and I'd spray with garlic/pepper tea in the compost tea too. That puts them off as with other sucking insects. If you get desperate you can resort to a pyrethrin spray but I'm surprised the soap hasn't killed them off. Mainly, like all the other pest situations, you need to increase the health of the plants they are on and they will leave. The cornmeal will go a long way toward that.

Fire ants hate healthy soil. I knock them out with a drench of 1 cup compost tea (manure based), 1 cup molasses, 1 cup cornmeal and an ounce of d-limonene concentrate. Mix these ingredients to a gallon of water and drown the mound. They will die out within a week. If you have a good population of nematodes they should finish off the job. Spraying regularly with molasses makes a big difference too. My animals have no idea what a fire ant is. They've never had to deal with them. Use your hose end sprayer and give your whole yard a nice big dose of compost tea and molasses and watch them go away. The grits work too but hey, why duplicate efforts and spend money you don't have to? Get a little bottle of tea tree oil and if/when you or your daughter get bitter, rub it in immediately. That goes for those irritating little spider bites too. I swear by that stuff!

Happy experimenting! :wink: 8) :D


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2003 9:55 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:29 pm
Posts: 125
Location: Rowlett TX
OK, like a good obedient composter I listened to KK and just now turned the pile after letting it cook 10 days and yes, she was correct - a lot had happened! Think some areas were a little damp and others had 6" of dry compressed grass but I tossed all the dry stuff in a bine and mixed it with molasses before layering it back in. Broke up all clumps and the pile is twice as large again due to all the air....

I covered it up with a sissal (Spelling) rug I was tossing out to keep the surface from drying out (air still gets through, going for dark/damp) and will see how we look in another 10 days.... Meanwhile I'll just spray the top with molasses/water to keep it damp.

Now KK - go check my "Critters" post and tell me if ya know what they are :-)

PS> Cornmealed the roses but good - soil and foliar spray and they are kickin butt... with the warm weather this week I should be able to post a picture of a few hundred blooms by this time next week. THANKS!


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 Post subject: Composting success!!!
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:30 am 
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Joined: Wed May 21, 2003 5:33 pm
Posts: 829
Location: Dallas,TX
:D I'm so proud of you! You are an excellent student! I'd give you a gold star if there was an icon for it! Leaving yor pile alone to work really is good, isn't it? Just one thing, though... I don't really think putting the rug on top is such a great idea. You'll probably keep oxygen from getting in too much and end up with unbalanced aerobic/anaerobic activity. See how it goes, though. If you pull it off and it's all slimy underneath, leave it off and let the compost have an uncovered top.

I answered your other post. They're soldier fly larvae - check my answer. That's a good thing!

Yeah, that cornmeal is some awesome stuff, isn't it? Glad to hear your roses bounced back. It has worked every single time I've used it on every single plant I've treated. Incredible! :lol:

Keep it coming...I've still got some tricks up my sleeve! :wink:


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Oct 20, 2003 10:39 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:29 pm
Posts: 125
Location: Rowlett TX
Thanks Teach,

I'd give ya an apple but the soldier fly larvae ate all mine and are now knocking at the back door asking for more.... tossed them about a pound of cornmeal and birdcage refuse last night and it was gone this morning - those suckers don't play games. Will keep an eye on the pile, if it appears to be going anaerobic I'll let the daylight back in but it tends to dry out very quickly.

Definately saw a lot more of the white fungus in areas this time and a lot of clumps were dry and brittle having been cooked to well done. Expecting better results this time since it is all mixed better now.

Considering putting 20 pounds of cornmeal on top, soaking it with Molasses water and letting those danged soldier flies eat thier way to the clay.... man oh man do those things eat. Gives 'food processor' a whole new meaning.

If you have suggestions for 4000 names let me know, getting attached to them.... sick, we are very sick.

...but our roses are nice and ya gotta have priorities!


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