Snakes in Ontario

Regardless of where you live, you will encounter some type of wildlife.  Unless you garden on a roof top or balcony, there is a very good chance you may run into a snake.  Snakes are either venomous or non-venomous.  Some snakes are more aggressive than others but for the most part if they are left alone, they will not bother you.  In fact, some snakes like the black racer and garter snakes are quite beneficial in the garden and around the house because they prey on mice that would otherwise cause problems in your house. 

We live in beautiful Ontario, Canada which is home to 15 species of snakes.  They are the: Eastern fox, Eastern Massassauga, Northern ring neck, Northern red-bellied, Northern brown, Eastern garter, Eastern ribbon, smooth green, Eastern hognose, milk, Northern water, black rat, queen, Buttler's garter (threatened), and blue racer (found only on Peelee Island).   The only venomous snake is the Mississauga rattlesnake, a norther species we have encountered on several occasions when camping in the Bruce Peninsula area.   In our little corner of Ontario, the most common snakes a home garden would encounter is the garter and milk snake.  If near the water, Northern water snakes are fairly common.  Here is a short video of the snakes in Ontario.

I recently wrote about our encounter with a garter snake. A garter snake is rather harmless . While a garter snake is not usually aggressive, it can be temperamental. Garter snakes feed on mice, toads, insects, earth worms and other snakes. In our particular case, there is a small tract of farmland behind our property that has been a haven for mice so we have had that problem. Excessive rains causing flooding in May and June basically drove the mice closer to our house which is on higher ground. That meant their predator, the garter snake came with them.  The snake population has increased if the decreased sound of crickets is any indication.   A garter snake hanging out around the gardens is not a problem for us but I don't want it in the house.  Seeing where it fled to under the siding of course gave me immediate flashes of the snake getting into the attic or main part of the house.

Snakes can and do get into the house, generally through the very same gaps that let their prey (eg. mice) into the house.  Some snakes like the black rat snake are good climbers and have been known to get into attics via overhanging tree branches.  Snakes are legally protected in Ontario under the Species at Risk Act and Endangered Species Act so cannot be killed, harmed, harassed or captured (removed from the wild and that includes your yard).  They can be removed from your home or outbuildings and released back into the wild.  It is also illegal to destroy a snake's natural habitat but you can remove woodpiles and brush from your property to make it less favourable as a habitat for snakes.  Signs of snakes around or in the house are: actual sightings, scat (usually white), shedded skin and if indoors you may notice a reptile odour.  There are several things you can do to encourage a snake to stay out of your house.

• Seal all cracks and crevices in your home.  Pay particular attention to points of entry for utility services.  Snakes are nocturnal so if possible seal any hole you suspect a snake is getting into the house at after dark when it is more likely to be out hunting.
• Secure windows and doors.  Snakes, rodents and other pests can enter the house through opened screened doors and windows.  The snake in question was about 2 feet from our front screen door so had I opened it as it was scurrying away from my husband, it could easily have slipped right past me into the house!  Open patio doors are prime entry points for a variety of pests that can enter the house in a blink of an eye.  Keep screen doors and windows in good repair not only the screening material but also ensure there are no gaps where snakes or their prey could get in.   Replace the weatherstripping to be sure.
• Deterrents - Powdered sulfur and mothballs have both been shown effective at deterring snakes.  Remove woodpiles or place them as far as possible from the house.  Remove heavy brush.  Keep grass cut and trimmed.  Remove or cut back heavy vegetation growth around the foundation of your house.  Trim tree branches overhanging your house especially if you live in an area with snakes prone to climbing.  Remove any standing water.  Birdbaths should be up off the ground so as to not encourage snakes.  Snakes like wood mulch.  Replace with stone or remove entirely. 
• Barriers - Some barriers are effective against snakes.  In general, snakes can't climb stairs because of the 90 degree angle so it is less likely a snake will get onto your raised deck or in raised garden beds. Some fences (eg. solid, fine mesh) may keep snakes out. 
• Introduce a predator - Cats and hawks are both snake predators.  If your neighbours have cats and you have snakes or mice, chances are very good their cats will be frequenting your yard providing they are mousers.  Don't discourage the cats.  They will soon drive away both snakes and mice!  If there are no neighbourhood cats, you can always get a cat.  I recommend a farm cat as there is a higher chance it will be a mouser but no guarantee.  With a bit of effort you can attract birds of prey like a Sharp Shinned Hawk that will frequent your yard if you feed the smaller song birds.  While they are after birds they also prey on mice, voles, baby rabbits and snakes without harming your gardens or becoming pests.  So they can be quite beneficial at pest control.
• Eliminate it's prey.  Mice will attract snakes.  Discourage mice by removing their food source (eg. bird seed) and habitat (eg. wood piles, brush).  This will encourage mice to move onto greener pastures.  Get rid of mice by using a pest control service, trapping or scatter rodent bait around your property to kill them off. 

The Finer Art of Pest Control

I have been discussing spider control on my homemaking blog.  In this particular infestation I have had to resort to using chemical insecticidal control because four identified species are venomous and there has been a burst in the funnel spider population so reducing their numbers is important to lessen the risk of a problematic spider bite.

Anytime I have to resort to chemical pest control it signifies to me that something is out of balance with my gardens and property in general.  The problem is resorting to chemical pest control while it may be necessary can further cause an off balance.  The reality is predators do not catch dead prey.  If the prey is not there because they were killed off via chemical means the predators will move on to where the prey are.  Our spring and summer weather has been so far off this year it is no wonder we are dealing with a few pest issues.  I hope this is not indicative of things to come!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

The Grasshopper Incident

King of Denmark is a wonderful heirloom spinach that performs nicely.  One look at the mature plants and you will easily see why this variety is king just from the sheer size of it.  A few days ago I noted that the King of Denmark spinach was looking rather good.  Then I noticed that something had been helping itself to a taste test.  A couple of days later I found the critter responsible for the damage.

The damage on the King of Denmark spinach was indicative of a chewing insect.  There was evidence of insect frauss as well.   I kept an eye on the spinach to see what was eating it.  It took a couple of days but I finally caught the little critter, a grasshopper.

Grasshoppers have not been a huge problem in my gardens.  While I have had a small amount of damage due to grasshoppers for the most part it has been minimal.  They can do a fair amount of damage in a short period of time.  Grasshoppers tend to be more problematic during drier summers so I'm not surprised to see them leaving their mark in the garden this year.

Catching the grasshopper red handed was nice because I was easily able to identify the damaging causing insect.  I captured the offending critter and put him into time out in a grasshopper jail cell.  I thought it was a rather fitting punishment.  It was obvious he could not stay where he was!  Manual removal of any offending garden pest is always my first choice wherever possible. 

I've been checking the garden for more signs of grasshopper damage.  So far I haven't found any so this appears to be an isolated incident.  Since the problem is not widespread I will continue to use the manual removal method. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Funnel Spiders

Funnel Spider

August 30, 2010

One of the first things we noticed when we moved here were the large funnel spiders (grass spiders).  As spiders go these are about the size of a quarter.  Their webs are a thin whispy sheet with a characteristic funnel shape that the spider hides in.  They were everywhere to the point that we resorted to spraying to knock down their numbers a bit.  The risk to humans of being bit by a funnel spider is low since they are non-agressive according to the spider identification chart however they are venomous requiring emergency first aid treatment for the bite and medical attention for anti-venom.  Given the design of our house and the proximity of vegetation to the lower patio there is a strong possibility of one of these spiders getting indoors. 

That year we were able to knock down their numbers by removing a lot of the evergreen overgrowth.  My husband also sprayed the house with SpiderBan.  If you have been following this blog you will know that the only time I will resort to chemical pesticides is as a last resort.  This is usually when a particular pest presents a danger to humans or damages building structure.  Even then if the pest can be manually removed safely that is always the first choice.  The last two years we haven't sprayed the house for spider control.  This year the funnel spiders are again out of control.  They are everywhere!  There are several webs on the grass and the globe cedars and boxwoods look like they have some type of disease due to the number of the webs.  This presents a huge problem with the grandbabies visiting especially since they love running barefoot outside. 

I tried controling by sweeping away their webs that just reappeared the following morning.  I've stomped on them and zapped them.  Manual removal is impossible given how fast they move into their funnel.  Once again we have no choice but to resort to chemical control to knock down their numbers again. 

Happy Gardening

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Japanese Beetle (Popillia japonica)

Japanese Beetle
(Popillia japonica) 

Aaugust 26, 2010 

A couple of days ago I posted about velvetleaf that is considered a noxious weed in some locations.  I noticed that despite a bad reputation with reducing yields in cash crops that my peppers didn't seem to be adversely affected by the velvetleaf in the beds.  I have been pulling before the velvetleaf was able to flower.  Upon closer inspection it appeared that a couple of damaging insects were targetting the velvetleaf yet leaving the peppers alone.  Yesterday I spotted a Japanese beetle happily feeding away on the velvetleaf yet there was no damage to the peppers.

Japanese beetles are rather destructive garden pests.  I've dealt with them in the past where they mainly attacked my pole beans.  They eat the foliage of the leaf leaving the veins behind so the damage is quite noticeable.  If you see this type of damage on pole beans or other plants including ornaments this is one of the critters to look for.  

The female Japanes beetle burrows into the soil in garden beds and lawns where it lays its eggs.  The larval stage spends about 10 months underground.  Once the adult emerges from the pupate the damage begins in the garden.  Brown spots in the lawn during growing season can indicate the presence of the Japanese beetle larva so check the out edges of any brown spots in the grass and treat or destroy the larva.  In the larva stage Bacillius thuringiensis (Bt) is effective applied as an insecticide to the grass.  Japanese beetle traps may or may not be effective as there is some evidence that they actually attract these pests bringing more into the garden. 

My method of controlling Japanese beetles is to knock them off the leaves into a tub of soapy water in the early post dawn hours of the day when they are a bit sluggish.  Manual control is quick, easy, effective and low cost.   If the infestation is large plant chives, garlic, tansy or catnip as companion plants to those plants the Japenese beetle are damaging.  These plants naturally repel the Japanese beetle. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Raccoons and Corn

Raccoons and Corn

August 19, 2010

Our neighbours to the north put in the most amazing raised bed system I've seen.  It consists of 3 larger beds joined together forming a flattened Z shape.  They are not growing using the square foot method.  In one of the runs they planted corn and they even added a really neat support system that I will use if I decide to grow corn next year.  I haven't grown corn mainly because of space limitation.  It takes up a lot of room for what you get.  However, this neighbour has grown corn and the neighbours two and three houses down both grow corn so perhaps I will try it but I will definitely be making some modifications. 

I recently talked about our garden visitor.  He is being rather persistent but other than getting into our garbage once we don't have a real problem.  I make sure the master bedroom and kitchen windows as well as the kitchen patio doors are closed enough that he can't get in.  I also keep foods off the counter especially during the evening hours when this little guy is busy.  Well he got into our neighbour's with the raised beds corn!  I didn't realize that they were new gardeners because they had a smaller raised bed last year.  Anyway apparently they left it a bit too long so the corn it too tough then to add insult to injury as pictured the raccoon has been helping himeself.  What is rather interesting is he hauls the corn stalks from their garden ove into our yard to feast!

I've already decided that if I grow corn next year it is going to be protected by chicken wire to the point squirrels and raccoons can't get to it.  It's a shame to have a crop that is over ripe or pilfered by garden pests.  We are now exchanging a lot of gardening ideas :)

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Earwig Damage on Parsley

Earwigs (Forficula auricularia) are a common sight in many gardens.  They are attracted to damp locations so can be found under plants, in mulch and anywhere else damp like decaying vegetable matter.  Earwings are more of a nuisance indoors.  Despite their appearance earwigs aren't harmful to humans.  There is the old wives' tale that earwigs get into your ears when you are sleeping and while it could be possible, this is quite unlikely.  Earwigs can be found indoors under damp clothing on the floor, in basements and walking across the floor as they look for a damp area to hide.  Two areas were they can get into the house is patio doors and windows at ground level.

Earwigs are predators that prey on other insects so it could be that the damage often blamed on earwigs is due to another insect that the earwigs targeting.  Earwigs are also scavengers that feed off of decaying plant matter.  They are known to feed on clover, dahlias, zinnias, butterfly bush, hollyhock, lettuce, cauliflower, strawberry, sunflowers, celery, peaches, plums, grapes, potatoes, roses, beans and beets.  From experience they damage clematis, marigold, petunia and some herbs.  They tend to agregate under and in outdoor potted plants where it is cool and damp. 

Earwigs can be controled by removing decaying material and mulch from around the perimeter of the house and/or as sprinkling diatomatous earth around the perimeter of the house.   They can be controled indoors by keeping all damp clothing and towels off the floor.  Insecticidal sprays to control earwigs are available but simply picking them up with a kleenex and squishing or vacuuming them up is as effective without adding chemicals to your home. 

A couple of days ago I noticed damage on one of the potter herb combination planters.  I had brought both planter up to the lower patio to protect them from the storms going through.  Moving one of the planters revealed several earwigs with many more coming out of the plants when the planter was tapped.  Both planters were loaded with earwigs.  The damage to the parsley is quite obvious and that happened all within about a day and a half.  I tapped out all the earwigs from each planter then brought them indoors for a good watering.  I put them in the upper sunporch to recover.  The parsley is looking better.  We have had several earwigs getting through the patio door into the house but other than that I think the damage is under control.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

What's Eating My Sweet Basil?

Herbs generally are rather problem free plants in the garden yet this year I have encountered more problems with herbs than in previous years.  The oregano has been attacked by spider mites and fungus gnats.  Earwigs attacked the potted parsley and I just discovered an unidentified caterpillar attacking the potted sweet basil.  I'm hoping this isn't a sign of things to come for this growing season!

Like many gardeners I also have several plants growing in pots.  I bought this pre-planted basil combo at the nursery thinking it would look good sitting on one of the picnic tables.  The planter is planted with sweet basil, purple ruffles basil, Siam queen basil and boxwood basil.  The wind blew it over so I moved it onto the covered patio for protection.  A couple of days later I noticed signs of the sweet basil blooming so brought it in to trim up.  The planter was filled with earwings that I blamed signs of damage on.  After knocking all the earwigs out I watered the planter well and made the clippings.  I placed the cuttings in water hoping they would root.  I put both the planter and clippings into the sunporch out of harms way from earwigs.  The next morning I checked the planter and cuttings to discover the black frass under the cuttings, a tell tale sign of some type of caterpillar.  Sure enough upon closer inspection I found a caterpillar happily munching away on the sweet basil cuttings!

How I missed this caterpillar the day before remains a mystery.  While knocking out the earwigs I likely knocked the caterpillar deeper into the plant then during the night the little critter crawled from the planter back up to the cuttings where it resumed feeding.  I carefully removed the caterpillar for it's photoshoot then set about trying to identify it.  So far I have not had any luck with the identification.  The caterpillar obviously is a foe to sweet basil but had not damaged the other basil.  It is about 1¼- inch long.  It has a black and yellow stripped body with 4 distinctive yellow bumps.  The body is hairy.  The antennae are black and the head is an orangish red.  Any help in identifying this caterpillar would be greatly appreciated.  If you know what this caterpillar is could you please leave a comment. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Spider Mites

Spider Mite

June 17, 2010

It would appear that my oregano in the raised beds has been hit with the double whammy of fungus gnats and spider mites.  Both are known pests to oregano as are white flies and aphids.  At this point all I can say is I'm not amused.  At any rate the infestation isn't too bad so can be controlled.

Spider mites are 8 legged, spider-like creatures ranging in colour from black to brown to a rusty orange.  They thrive in hot, dry conditions like heated houses but can also be found in outdoor gardens.  They feed with piercing mouth parts that cause plants to appear yellow and stippled.  Heavy infestations can result in leaf drop and plant death.  Spider mites can multiply quickly.  Signs of spider mites other than the damage are webs that can cover infested leaves and flowers.

Controlling Spider Mites

• Remove infested plants.  This is quite often the best course of action for infested houseplants.  Remove them entirely or isolate them from other plants and treat with an insecticidal soap (homemade or commercial).
• Keep plants regularly watered especially those preferring high humidity (eg. tropicals, tomatoes).
• Isolate all new plants coming into the garden or house to be sure they are not infested.  If they are infested treat to get rid of spider mites before introducing to the rest of your houseplants or garden. 
• Introduce ladybugs to your outdoor garden.  Wait until a heavy dew or water your garden in the early morning hours. Release the ladybugs onto the wet plants where they will linger because of the moisture and coolness of the day giving them a chance to discover prey such as spider mites and aphids.
• Spider mites generally live on the undersides of leaves so be sure to spray that area well with an insecticidal soap.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Fungus Gnats

Fungus Gnat

June 17, 2010

The gardens and yards have been hit with fungus gnats.  Fungus gnats are comprised of a number of species in the insect order Diptera, family Sciaridae (dark winged fungus gnat species Bradysia coprophila, impatiens and paupera) that are about the same size as a mosquito.   These tiny little creatures cause minimal damage to herbs such as oregano where they were having a field day.  They can however, cause considerable damage to young seedlings as well as aiding the introduction and spread of disease in the garden and houseplants.  The biggest problem with gnats in general outdoors aside from the damage is their swarming tendency.  Walking through clouds of gnats is not the most pleasant thing.  Fungus gnats are more of a concern for houseplants and in greenhouse operations.  In these confined spaces every time you walk past infested plants a cloud of them will be set into flight creating an annoyance along with the damage they cause.  Fungus gnats are attracted to wet soil and since we've had a couple weeks of rather wet weather we have fungus gnats both indoors and outdoors.  Adult fungus gnats lay their eggs in the damp soil where the resulting larvae stay until developing into adult fungus gnats then the cycle repeats itself.  The key clue here is the fungus gnat larvae cannot survive in dry soil.  Fungus gnats control is dependent on where they are but most likely if you have them outdoors some will get indoors simply by coming in the door while you are going out.

Outdoor Fungus Gnat Control

• Allow soil to dry between waterings.  This will kill off fungus gnat larvae reducing the fungus gnat adult population in your gardens.
• Place small bowls of cider vinegar with a drop or two of dishsoap amongst infested plants.  They are attracted to the cider vinegar so will try to feed but the lack of surface tension caused by the dishsoap will serve as a trap.
•  Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacteria that feeds off of the larvae of certain insects.  It can be applied to the soil and sprayed on the leaves of plants to kill off certain carterpillars and larvae.  Two brands are Bonide Organic Thuricide (concentrated liquid) and Safer's 5161 Caterpillar with BT Garden Dust.  Before you resort to using Bt, there is some concerns that it is not as benign as first appeared.  There is a good report here for things to consider before using Bt.
• Standard white incandescent and CFL outdoor lighting will attract fungus gnats to your gardens.  Change these bulbs out for the yellow insect repelling bulbs or better yet go solar or low voltage on a timer.  Put any security lights on a motion activated sensor so they are not constantly on to attract insects.
• Do not resort to using a bug zapper.  Electronic bug zappers are popular but very much eco-unfriendly and your neighbours will hate the constant noise.

Indoor Fungus Gnat Control

• Let the soil dry in potted plants before watering.
• A fly swater works well but can make a mess.
• Use lights to your advantage.  The gnats are attracted to lights including television.  If you let your soil dry between waterings the larvae will be killed off.  The remaining adult flies will die off in light fixtures they can get into leave these on for an hour or so.  Turn off anything that lights up including televisions and computers for the same period of time.
• Insecticidal soap (homemade or purchased) can be effectively used to control fungus gnats on houseplants.
• Set out a few bowls of cider vinegar with a drop or two of dish soap near where the fungus gnat infestations are to trap them.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

A Few Tips for Identifying Insects in Your Garden

Quite often you will see the signs of insect damage in your garden well before you see the insect itself and there are times that more than one insect species may be responsible for the damage.  Proper identification is very important because you don't want to kill off any beneficial insects but at the same time you want to control or kill off harmful insects.  In reality my goal in the garden is to control rather than kill off harmful insects for the most parts.  Insects attract toads, lady bugs, birds and bats that all help to keep the insect population in balance.  Quite often harmful insects attract beneficial insects as well so there is always striving for a balance in the garden.  Here are a few tips to help you when identifying insects in your garden:

• dawn/dusk - These are two very important times to be checking your garden for insect problems.  In the early morning hours the air is cool so insects like the Japanese Beetle are sluggish making them easier to manually remove for identification.  Simply knock them into a container with a little soapy water that will kill them but leave features intact for picture taking.
• fly traps or insect traps - These are yellow coated sticky cards that can be attached to a stake or similar in the garden.  Their sole purpose is to trap insects to the bright yellow colour.  Once the insect hits the trap it becomes stuck and dies.  These traps are an ideal tool for identifying the insect population in your garden.  
• camera - A digital camera is a must for helping to identify insects.  Set the camera to the meta setting for clear close-ups and take several shots.  If possible take a short video clip.  You can then download your camera to your computer to use the pictures on gardening blogs, forums and Twitter to get help with the identification.  Quite often someone will be able to identify within a very short period of time.  Another option is to leave the pictures on your camera and show it to the staff at your local nursery who will more than likely be able to identify the insect immediately.
• immobilization - Once you have taken pictures of what plants the insects are on and how they move it is time to immobilize if possible.  The easiest way is to use a trap of some type (eg. soapy water in a pail, fly traps).  Immobilization allows you to get pictures of the insect with greater detail.  That detail becomes important when trying to identify insects.
• scale - It is common practice to include some familiar item like a penny in the photo to give whoever is helping you identify the insect a sense of the size of the insect.  Including a scale guide when the insect is alive may be difficult depending on the insect however once immobilized it is quite easy to include a scale guide when photographing.
• include any notes of interest - Like all animals insects display certain behaviours.  For example gnats may swarm so if you notice tiny insects swarming especially during periods of wet weather it gives you a clue that perhaps you are dealing with gnats.
• take pictures of the actual plant damage - It is very important to take pictures of the actual plant damage.  A leaf cutter or beetle will leave tell tale signs of damage that are very different from a sap sucking insect like aphids or spider mites.  Some damage could actually be the early signs of a plant disease such as blight but you think it is insect damage.  Soil nutritional deficiencies in the early stages can even mimic insect damage.  More experienced gardeners will recognize the type of damage immediately so showing the staff at your local nursery a picture of the damage will likely give you an instant answer.
• check spider webs - If you spot a spider web in your garden pay close attention and take pictures of what insects are in it.  That's a good indication as to what that particular spider is preying on and it wouldn't be in your garden if the prey wasn't there.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

An Early Evening Garden Visitor

We are very fortunate to live in a rural area with an abundance of wildlife.  Our house backs onto the water so there is an amazing variety of waterfowl throughout the year.  There are two pairs of Mallard ducks nesting on our property this year and Mute Swans visit daily.  Although some of the wildlife we encounter such as mice are not quite welcomed for the most part the wildlife tends to be mainly an enjoyment mixed with a little pest behaviour at times.

A couple of nights ago just after dinner as dusk was falling my husband spotted a garden visitor.  This friendly little fellow was on the stairwell landing looking straight into our patio doors.  Obviously the smells from dinner had attracted him as he was about 10 feet diagonally from the patio door.   The picture was taken through the patio door.

We knew that there were raccoons (Procyon lotor) in our area.  We've heard their chatter and had seen tracks in our yards.  What surprised me is until this little guy appeared we had not actually seen them.  Isn't he just adorable?  To the right there is Lily of the Valley is now in bloom.

We have a fair amount of experience with raccoons being seasoned campers.  Raccoons can be problematic because they love to raid garbage pails.  It is surprising how they can get into picnic coolers and garbage pails with little effort.  A few days before the raccoon visit I had set a bag of garbage on the patio with the intentions of asking my husband to put it in the garage when he got home.  I forgot so was greeted to the bag being ripped open and a mess to clean up.  I wasn't sure what had got into the bag but from experience even grackles and crows will peck open a bag of garbage.  Now I think it might have been the raccoon and since raccoons are smart little critters he likely came back to see if I forgot again.  Raccoons, skunks, ermines and possums are a bit more problematic for us given the design of our house.

Our house is tucked into a sloped bank with the water edge considerably lower than the street edge.  It is a two level house but in reality three level with upper level above ground, entrance level almost on the ground and lower level mainly below ground.  The kitchen is on the lower level.  Pictured is the kitchen looking in from the great room.  The window is about 4 - inches from the ground.  To the right is the start of the patio door entrance that leads to a covered patio with screen-in sunporch above it.  This presents a problem.

Garden visitors especially larger ones like raccoons can easily get through the window or patio door if determined enough.  There is no way we can get to either window or patio door to shut the glass panes if the visitor is a skunk as I found out last summer.  A skunk was sniffing around the patio screen door.  It was a beautiful night so I was enjoying the fresh air while watching tv when the skunk appeared.  I used an old camping trick of shining a flashlight into his eyes then held my breath as he mosied on without spraying.  We take the precautions of not leaving food out on the counters and cleaning up immediately after meals so as to not encourage the possibility of attracting critters to the window and door.  We also pull the glass panes to where they are open by about 4 inches to let air in but not critters.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Dealing with Garden Pilfering

Every gardener regardless of garden location experiences some type of loss due to pilfering.  In most cases the culprits are of the four legged or winged variety.  In some locations more so urban than rural the home gardener may also encounter pilfering by the two legged thief.    Yesterday's post discussed turning the front yard of a residential home in an urban setting into a edible garden.  The problem with pilfering from the two legged thief becomes more of an issue in this particular location.  Greater exposure through proximity to the street and foot traffic increase the chance of pilfering.  Security night lighting and street light also draws attention to the front yard garden. 

The first thing as a gardener that you have to accept that there is always going to be some loss due to pilfering.  You can take the necessary steps to minimize loss but you can't protect your garden twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  Front yard gardens grown in raised beds over 2 feet high will curb any problems from rabbits, possibly slugs and snails but not squirrels, raccoons and starlings.  Front yard gardens present a bit more of a challenge in that some of the methods you could use as control in backyard or rural settings such as a motion activated water repellent or low level electrical fencing.  A dog may not be a feasible choice as well.  Bird netting can still be an effective pest barrier as can a large plastic owl.   The owl is effective against some birds and small rodents but may also scare off beneficial birds and song birds.

A short little aside:  I have 2 motion activated sprayers that have proven somewhat effective but not always as in the case of the bunnies frequenting my last garden.  The garden before that was right in a subdivision.  I had an outdoor camera to watch the garden and ponds indoors to get pictures of the wildlife that visited the ponds.  A neighbourhood cat decided the ponds was it's own personal sushi bar so I bought my first motion activated sprayer (Scarecrow).  This device gives a quick, noisy spray of about a cup of water when it detects motion effectively scaring away the intruder.  One day I switch the camera on just in time to see the hydro meter reader head back towards my tomatoes but not in time for me to get outside to warn him of the spray.  Oh my now his reaction was priceless!  I love to hear his explanation for being wet and tomatoless. 

Fencing with a lockable gate is one solution to prevent pilfering in front yard edible gardens.  If the gate is kept locked when you aren't in the front yard then you will have to make alternative arrangements for mail delivery which can be as simple as a locking mailbox on the inside of the fence with mail slot on the outside.  Many of the homes in the down town Key West area use this method and even design the fence and gate to blend in with their garden design.  They add to the overall characteristic of the house.  Front yard fencing is common in many municipalities whether it is for edible gardening or just a regular grass patch.  It is usually in the form of low picket fencing (3 feet tall), wroth iron (4 - 5 feet tall) or chain link (4 feet tall) often softened by flowering vines or climbing roses.  Climbing roses on fences are particularly effective at discouraging anyone from climbing over the fence.  Before installing any fence be sure you know where the property lines are and your municipal bylaws as to what you can install. 

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Know Your Enemy

I've been watching our neighbour who is having quite the time with birds wanting to nest over his awnings that were installed last year.  Now nesting birds can be a problem anywhere but when you live near the water's edge it can be even more problematic.  We have a pair of nesting Mallards each year that always make their nest under our hedges so we know that area is off limits until the ducklings old enough to leave the nest.  Last year we had a nesting morning dove right over our main entrance that apparently liked my husband and I but no one else.  We have sat on the dock several times to have the swallow on attack because they were nesting.  So being neighbourly I asked my neighbour what birds were causing the problem.  He didn't know.  Yet he had hung red streamers followed by crinkly paper and he still didn't know what birds were causing the problem?  The first rule to battling any enemy inside or outside of the house is to know your enemy!

I was sure it wasn't swallows as they won't come that close to the house.  I doubt it would be robins so suspected the culprits to be morning doves or sparrows.  I suggested a trick the marinas use and that is fishing line.  At the marinas they string the line from tall pole to pole.  What I don't like about this method is without any background the line blends into the sky causing some birds to get entangled.  On the small scale, household use stringing fishing line about 1 - inch above where you don't want the birds to nest is quite effective.  They are going very slow trying to get into a nesting site so recognize the barrier the fishing line presents and will move elsewhere.  This is an inexpensive, almost unnoticeable way to solve a problem without causing a problem.  And that is rule number to for battling any enemy inside or outside, do no cause a greater problem!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Controlling Garden Insects Effectively

Yesterday I wrote about the reasons why electronic bug zappers should not be used in the yard or garden for insect control. One of the biggest problems with these devices is the do not distinguish between harmful and beneficial insects. In one evening they can easily kill 10,000 insects effectively destroying the balance in your yard. Less insects mean less insect predators giving other more destructive insects the chance to gain a good foot hold in your yard and garden so essentially creating more of a problem than originally existed. Any form of insect control that kills insects indiscriminately creates the same problems. The first step in insect control is proper identification. Once identified as a garden foe then use the least damaging method of control possible. How can damaging insects be controlled?

1. Encourage insect eating birds (eg. Purple Martins), bats, toads, spiders, ladybugs and frogs in and around your garden. Install both bird houses, bird feeders and one or more bat houses. Provide few toad houses or hiding spots as well. While harmful or poisonous spiders should be controlled, encourage any beneficial spider by providing little nooks and crannies where they can spin their webs. Provide one or more water sources for birds and bats. Control any mosquito larvae problem with water sources by changing daily or if larger use a couple of rosy red minnows that will feed on the mosquito larvae.
   
2. Manual removal continues to be one of the most effective methods of insect control for certain insects. Inspect your garden in the early dawn hours when damaging insects like the Japanese Beetle are sluggish. Knock them into a pail with a bit of soapy water.
3. Make a solution of 2-3 drops liquid dish soap, 2-3 drops vegetable oil in 1 quart of water. Put this in a spray bottle. Use it discriminately against insects that are harder to manually remove.
4. Keep a few weeds. Surprisingly the very weeds you don't want quite often are edible but more importantly they serve as natural weed control. Last year I left 2 pigweed plants in with the sweet and hot peppers. Apparently the insects preferred the pigweed to the pepper plants which was fine with me.
5. Use companion plantings such as certain herbs with certain vegetables to control pests that don't like the herb but would normally damage the vegetable. Plant petunias specifically pink petunias with beans, squashes and peas to repel the Mexican bean beetle, potato bug and squash bug. Marigolds also act as natural pest control.
6. Control slugs (mollusc not an insect), earwigs and pill bugs using finely crushed egg shells or diatomous earth as well as removing decaying vegetation from around the house and in the garden beds.
7. Observe your gardens at various times of the day to catch any insect infestations before they become a problem.
   

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2010

Tomato Hornworm

There have been several reports of late blight hitting tomato plants in the northeastern US states. Some home gardeners have reported late blight within 100 km of us as well so I have been on high alert watching for any signs. I am be especially careful to remove any damaged vegetation from both the plants and soil level. While I have had minor damage due to the storms that went through so far there have been no signs of late blight.

Tomato Hornworm

This morning as I did my regular tomato vine inspection I noticed what at first appeared to be leaf damage. On closer inspection it turned out to be a tomato hornworm Manduca quinquemaculata (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Another check through the vines found another one. This pest is common the the northern US states and southern portions of Canadian provinces. Despite it's rather menacing appearance, the hornworm will not bite you. It feeds only on solanaceous plants, usually the tomato. However the larvae will also feed on eggplant, pepper and potato plants so be sure to check these plants as well.

The adult moth is sometimes referred to as a "sphinx", "hawk", or "hummingbird" moth. This is a large, heavy-bodied moth with narrow front wings and a wing spread of 4 to 5 inches . The moth is a mottled gray-brown color with yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen . The eggs of the tomato hornworm are deposited singly on both the lower and upper surface of leaves in late spring. They oval, smooth, light green to yellow in color measuring 0.10 cm in diameter. They hatch in six to eight days.

Tomato hornworm larvae are pale green with white and black markings. They undergo 5-6 instars. The first instar is yellow to white in color with no markings while other instars develop eight white, lateral V-shaped marks. A black projection or "horn" on the last abdominal segment furthest from the mouth gives the caterpillar the name hornworm. The caterpillar reaches the final instar in 3-4 weeks. It is about 4 inches long when fully mature. The fully-grown larvae then drop off of the plants and burrow into the soil to pupate. During the summer months, moths will emerge from pupae in about 2 weeks. When the moths emerge from the soil they mate, and deposit the eggs of the next generation on tomato plants. By early fall, the pupae remain in the soil where the overwinter emerge as a moth the following spring.

Tomato Hornworm Damage

Tomato plants should be checked for hornworms from early July to late August. Unless you see the tomato hornworm you will likely blame missing leaves and stems on tomato plants on rabbits or possibly the wind. On closer inspection you will note that the damage is likely well out of reach of rabbits and lacks the sharp angled cut. The leaves will have been completely eaten away leaving only the secondary stem (red arrow). If you look even closer below the damage on other branches you will see dark green or black droppings and in fact you will likely see these before you see the actual hornworm. Carefully look above the area where you see the droppings. It may take a bit of looking as the hornworm blends in nicely with the tomato foliage. Once you find the hornworm the best way to remove it is to hold a bucket under it then clip the stem of the leaf it is on so damaged leaf, stem and hornworm falls into the bucket. If you find a hornworm that appears to have a lot of white elongated eggs on it, leave it alone. Do not remove it! These are the cocoons of a small braconid wasp, Cotesia congregatus. These parasitic wasps will kill off that hornworm then seek out other hornworms to parasitize. Another important natural enemy is the wasp, Polistes spp. (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) that kills and feeds upon a large proportion of the tomato hornworm larvae. It will also attack cabbage looper and other garden caterpillars. Attracting both wasps to your garden is is a good form of natural pest control that should be enouraged.

Check your plants daily for any further signs of infestation. Controlling the larvae by manual removal before they burrow into the ground will lessen or prevent re-infestation in the spring. In traditional row gardens roto-tilling after harvest will destroy any larvae attempting to pupate. If you are using the square foot gardening method in raised bed, once the tomato vines have been harvested remove your grid and work up the soil with a hand held cultivator. If you are concerned work the soil up again in about a week's time. If you buy tomato plants in the spring check them well for any signs of infestation prior to planting them in your garden.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009

City Chickens

We live in rural area on waterfront property on a small, dead-end road with about 20 other families which basically forms a very small, tight-knit community. We have neighbours on both sides but none to the front or back. Most here have vegetable gardens but there are a few that don't. This spring one of the families set up things to raise chickens. Now if you were to see the location and the houses, chickens are definitely not something you would expect. Yes it is rural and I can easily walk to a cattle farm, this road is not that kind of rural if you know what I mean. So I have been watching to see how their experiment would work. It has been such a success others are talking of getting chickens and I'm considering it myself.

The city of Toronto, Ontario also considering allowing residents to keep chickens in their backyards. This is growing trend in many urban areas with several larger centres in Ontario already allowing this. Why? Community leaders are viewing raising chickens in the backyard as a way for people to help themselves. The chickens are generally for egg laying purposes only depending on the gardener. The eggs are an inexpensive protein that stretches food resources in trying times. They also reason that those keeping chickens will also keep small gardens to further help themselves promoting self-sufficiency that reduces the reliance on city food banks. The chickens are viewed as pets. They are quite quiet and definitely a lot less obnoxious than a dog that incessantly barks. They don't smell either. Sue raises 9 chickens for egg laying purposes in the suburbs of a large mid-Western city.

When Sue's chickens are laying she can expect anywhere from 9 to 18 eggs per day. On the low end that works out to 5¼ dozen eggs per week. Our eggs are averaging $2.50 per dozen so that is a savings for her family of $13 less any chicken feed per week assuming she uses that many eggs. What this will enable her to do is generate a small income from her chickens if she so desires or share her eggs with family and friends. So essentially growing your own eggs makes good economic sense but it gets better. Chickens are ideal for insect control and their droppings are great for adding nutrients to your garden so they are a gardeners dream in that respect. However, they will literally destroy your garden digging and scratching in their quest for insects so it is best to keep the chickens in chicken runs or portable chicken tractors. Chicken runs will also protect your chickens from any predators that may be in the area such as neighbourhood cats or dogs. When the garden is fallow the chickens can be allowed to free range but should still be protected from predators.

I plan to do a bit of research on raising chickens over the winter then start with 4 possibly 5 chickens in the spring. This should be a fun adventure!



Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2009

White Nancy Lamiums

White Nancy Lamiums
(Lamium maculatum)
June 26, 2008

Moving into a home with mature landscaping has meant discovering a lot of new to me plants. We moved in late June so that meant we had no idea what spring plants there were. Part of the fun has been identifying the various plants as they emerged to decide if they were friend or foe. This means that I have had a wonderful opportunity to expand my gardening knowledge! I will be sharing some of my findings with you but first a valuable tip. If you have a plant you don't know whether it is a friend or foe, leave it be until you have identified. Take pictures and clipping to take to the nursery where they will more than likely be able to help. Quite often neighbours will say "oh that's such and such" more often using the common name.

I discovered a patch of lamiums in one bed although I didn't know that was what it was until I identified the plant. This bed has to be almost completely revamped so the question became whether this was a plant I wanted there and if not where if at all. The plant is quite pretty so I was hoping it was a friend.

Lamiums are a member of the nettle family (herbaceous) commonly called creeping lamiums. They are low growing, spreading ground cover about 6 - inches tall that blooms in late spring and early summer continuing through the fall. There are several cultivars with flowers ranging in colour from pink, dark pink, rose-red, purple, lavender along with variations in leaf colour from yellow and green to silver and green. Beacon Silver with bright lavender flowers and White Nancy (White Nancy dead nettle, spotted deadnettle) with white flowers. These two varieties with their silvery green leaves edged with a deeper green are the same except for flower colour. Lamiums do not like soggy soil conditions. They are are ideal ground cover for dry shady locations. It can be somewhat invasive but my experience so far is that it is not near as invasive as other ground covers. If planting for the first time, plant 16 - inches apart. Propagation is by division and they are self seeding.

I love the looks of this ground cover. As you know, I detest grass so am always looking for environmentally friendly ground covers. It is a little higher so could provide a habitat for rodents but I haven't seen any indication of this happening yet.

As you can see something has been after my lamiums. I suspect slugs but have not spotted them yet in the actual patch but I do know they are in that particular garden. I am treating with diatomaceous earth mainly because we do have an earwig and centipede problem. Diatomaceous earth is 100% organic made from finely ground diatom fossils. It kills off many crawling insects including earwigs and centipedes (thank-you!) and it can be used indoors or outdoors.

Warning: Use a dust mask whenever applying diatomaceous earth as it can cause respiratory problems during application. Wear gloves to prevent problems with skin absorption.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2006-2008

Irish Moss

Irish Moss
(Sangia subulata)

I planted Irish moss in a small border bed bordering the garage. The bed is about five feet long, about two feet wide and is tucked between the garage and sidewalk. Like the other border beds here there is a deep layer of gravel for drainage in this bed. Here the Irish moss will be able to spread freely to fill the bed yet be contained from spreading elsewhere. What I like about Irish moss is not only is it low maintenance, it is environmentally friendly. Unlike grass it does not need trimming and because it is so thick, the Irish moss bed should remain relatively weed free. Unlike English ivy, Irish moss does not provide a habitat for rodents nor will I have to worry about it climbing on the brickwork. Irish moss is the perfect solution!

Irish moss (Sangia subulata) is a terrestrial plant also known as Scotch moss (Sangia subulata Aurea) is not a true moss but rather an herb. It forms tight mounds like moss. Chondrus crispus, an edible sea weed that is used as a medicinal herb and thickener is also commonly called Irish moss. Sangia subulata is ideal as a ground cover with low growing bright green foliage and small, star shaped white flowers. Scotch moss has small, star shaped yellow flowers. Irish moss can be grown in any soil while Scotch moss prefers clay soil making both plants ideal for problem areas. Both spread rapidly forming a low growing carpet of green that is deer resistant and tolerant to foot traffic. They are hardy in zones 4 to 9. When planting, space 12 inches apart in full sun to partial shade. Don't over water or allow to dry out. Propagation is done by cutting out sections of an Irish moss clump then pressing the section into moderately moist soil.

If you have a problem area or want to fill the cracks between stepping stones, then do consider this pretty herb. It is sure to be a lovely addition to your gardens.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007

Birdfeeders

There isn't a lot of actual gardening going on this time of year but that doesn't mean thing are not happening in the garden. I attract birds to my gardens year round using plantings and feeders. Birds are natural predators to some insects that can be a nuisance in the garden. The essentials for attracting birds into the garden are food, water and shelter. These remain the same regardless of the season but in colder climates become more important as the temperatures drop. Natural food supplies and water become scarcer for our little feather friends.

Our new gardens are surrounded by mature landscaping consisting of a lot of cedars along the outer perimeters. The cedars provide a lot of shelter and nesting sites for the smaller birds like the house sparrows (Passer domesticus), house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis), black capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and nuthatches. Larger birds enjoy the shelter as well.

Feeders

I have four feeders each designed to attract different birds and I always put a little seed on the ground for the ground feeders. One problem with bird feeders is they can attract brown-headed cowbirds that are parasitic (takes over other nests removing the eggs) and grackles. Both are annoyance birds that come in larger flocks, stripping the feeders and chasing off the smaller song and beneficial birds. One way to control both is by the choice of seed offering (1) and design of feeder (2). Finches, sparrows and wrens like Niger seed in tube feeders (2) yet grackles and cowbirds don't care for this seed. Squirrels will leave Niger seed alone as well. Safflower seed is enjoyed by cardinals, sparrows and other small birds yet grackles and cowbirds leave it alone. So if grackles and cowbirds are a problem, use Niger or safflower. Definitely stay away from anything with corn in it if these birds or rodents are a problem. Squirrels will go after anything with corn, sunflower seeds or peanuts in it. But bluejays love peanuts so control can be through timing or the design of the feeder. I've yet to see a feeder that a determined squirrel can't get to so timing really is the best method.

Be sure to offer one or more suet blocks during the cold weather months. These provide higher fats the birds need during the winter. Quite often squirrels and larger birds will try to get to the suet and while they may get a little the wire suet hangers are rather effective at keeping the suet safe for the smaller birds. It is also important to offer a fresh water supply throughout the winter months. Some use a bird bath heater to keep the water from freezing. I put out a fresh bowl of water each morning and change through the day if need be.

Mourning Dove

I have to admit a love/hate feeling about mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Their soft cooing is rather pleasing and they provide the ground clean-up crew under the feeders. They eat almost exclusively seeds so aren't of huge benefit to the home gardener. They aren't aggressive so there shouldn't be much of a problem. Well, they are about the next best thing to a pigeon! They are dirty birds. They have several broods a year. Once established and it is almost impossible to discourage them from becoming established, the only thing you can really do is tolerate them. Apparently some hunt them as a game bird but that would take a lot of effort. So I just let them be. The mourning doves enjoy the coniferous trees surrounding our property. They started me a few times as I walked past only to have several of them fly out. Now I'm used to it.

Sharp Shinned Hawk

A well balanced bird population in your garden will include predators like the Sharp Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus). The Sharp Shinned Hawk is 10 - 14 inches long with dark gray back, a rusty-barred breast, a slender square-tipped tail. I was elated to see this hawk visiting our gardens (December 16, 2007) since we've only been here five months. My husband was not simply because he has dealt with the wrath of hawks in the past. Sharp Shinned hawks are rather fond of mourning doves. However, hawks will certainly be encourage in our gardens as a natural rodent control. Mice have been an indoor problem and while the voles have not been problematic indoors there is a rather large population of them. The English Ivy ground cover encourages both rodents. Hawks will keep both in check eliminating the need to resort to poisoning or traps.

This time of year, don't forget your feather friends. They will reward you by visiting your garden year round!

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007