South Texas
Well-Known Member
Once the Plow & Mules are put up and planting & Prep work has been done, there is some additional little things that can greatly help out the Season's Crop. Just for fun. Hummingbirds. Despite popular belief, the Nector & sugar water is not soley for the HB's diet. It is fast energy to chase, catch & eat small flying insects. (Suprised the hell out of me.) This very well could cut down on gnats, white flies, Bud Worm Adults,... ETC. Because the Male Throated HB is SO territorial, 2 cheap feeders from the dollar store is best, or more, & placed 40 or more ft. apart. A shade for the feeders is important. Experts can't agree whether 4 to 1 ratio or 5 to 1 ratio is best. (Sugar/Water). I do the side of caution, 5 to 1. No red dye needed. The Sun evaporates the water in the feeder, causing more sugar concentration, causing liver failure for the HB's. Thus, 5 to 1 in the shade. 1/2 full to start, until enough is feeding. Don't want it just sitting there, getting too strong. One HB feeding represents 4 in the field. If you only see 3, that's actually 12 that is feeding.
The 1,000.s of Baby praying Mantis will be coming out soon. You may be able to walk upon a butt-load of them. I use 2 twigs to move them into a small box, then to the desired area. Take caution when foliar feeding afterwards. I use 2 TBS of seaweed, 1 molasses per gal. to foliar feed & to keep spider mites away. If you see June Bugs, Grub Worms will be a problem. Use Beneficial Nematodes for this & Fleas. DE is very good for Caterpilla control, & a table or tea spoon in pets feed will also kill intestinal worms in your pets. A bird feeder for the wild birds will help a lot on insect control, also.
From now to harvest, the Sun will move a LOT, North, then South. Just outside of the Sun's path, the immediate North & South side of the Ladies, full shade does not effect the Ladies. However, if 12 to 20 ft. Vines where growing, that would give you a couple additional benefits. Blooming vines mask odors, blocks "plain Site" on 2 sides, plus blocks a hell of a lot of overhead view. For fragrance and/or a fast growing "Wall", Sweet Pea, Jasmine(Confederant), Bird House Gourds, Cucumber, Moon Vine, just to name a few that does real well. Just for fun...
The 1,000.s of Baby praying Mantis will be coming out soon. You may be able to walk upon a butt-load of them. I use 2 twigs to move them into a small box, then to the desired area. Take caution when foliar feeding afterwards. I use 2 TBS of seaweed, 1 molasses per gal. to foliar feed & to keep spider mites away. If you see June Bugs, Grub Worms will be a problem. Use Beneficial Nematodes for this & Fleas. DE is very good for Caterpilla control, & a table or tea spoon in pets feed will also kill intestinal worms in your pets. A bird feeder for the wild birds will help a lot on insect control, also.
From now to harvest, the Sun will move a LOT, North, then South. Just outside of the Sun's path, the immediate North & South side of the Ladies, full shade does not effect the Ladies. However, if 12 to 20 ft. Vines where growing, that would give you a couple additional benefits. Blooming vines mask odors, blocks "plain Site" on 2 sides, plus blocks a hell of a lot of overhead view. For fragrance and/or a fast growing "Wall", Sweet Pea, Jasmine(Confederant), Bird House Gourds, Cucumber, Moon Vine, just to name a few that does real well. Just for fun...