Bringing Toads to Your Abode

This year, to combat an onslaught of creepy, crawling critters, many homeowners will spend a small fortune on toxic chemicals, pheromone lures, and even propane-powered mosquito traps. Interestingly, there’s a simple solution that’s just a short hop (and croak) away.

In the world of natural pest control, one of the brightest players is the humble toad. Toads have a phenomenal appetite for insects and other invertebrates that go squish in the night, especially undesirable and rapacious creatures such as slugs, gypsy moths, and tent caterpillars.

In fact, up to 90 percent of a toad’s diet includes the most common garden pests, such as earwigs, sowbugs (a.k.a. woodlice), millipedes, crickets and a wide assortment of beetles, and otherwise helpful predators like spiders and centipedes. A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report actually estimated that one adult toad may consume 10,000 pest insects in a 90-day period.

Admittedly, with the possible exception of Mr. Toad of Toad Hall in Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 classic, The Wind in the Willows, toads fail to gain the respect and appreciation afforded to Kermit the Frog and his amphibious kin – including those strangely popular beer spokes-frogs (mascots).

Fables bring us fair maidens kissing frogs and freeing princes from evil spells; the Japanese consider frogs good luck; the French consider them good eating. But toads are simply shunned for fear of transmitting warts. Something needs to be done about this irrational Bufonophobia (toads belong to the genus Bufo).

There are two species of toads in our area, the most common being the American Toad (Bufo americanus), and Fowler’s Toad (Bufo fowleri). Should you find yourself strolling through a natural area from spring to mid-summer and hear a good deal of melodious trilling, you’re probably listening to the call of the American toad. They actually have a lot to sing about. During the peak reproductive season, from March through July, female toads are briskly busy in shallow pools laying ropy strings and coils containing up to 6,000 individual eggs. Soon after, those eggs will hatch producing ravenous hoards of tadpoles or pollywogs, which will devour mosquito larvae until they emerge onto land as adults.

While not all of the thousands of offspring from thousands of ponds will survive, the numbers of toads moving about our region is truly astonishing. With such a boffo population of bufo available, it is relatively easy to encourage one or more toads to take up residence in your backyard, where they will immediately add your most troublesome pests to their cuisine.

To create your own toad habitat, often called toad abodes, you need only locate a damp location on your property. Sometimes a shady area in the yard, perhaps a natural depression which remains somewhat soggy most of the time, will provide the perfect setting for your toad hall. Alternatively, areas near a downspout or next to the dripping drain from an air conditioning unit will provide a suitably moist environment.

Your toad abode itself allows for plenty of creativity, especially if undertaking this project with children. Personally, I like to recycle old or damaged terracotta pots into habitats. Often, larger clay pots (nine inches or more in diameter) left outdoors during the winter will crack in half. By simply turning each half on its side and slightly burying it in the soil to provide stability, you can create two separate abodes.

Other cracked or chipped pots can be transformed by creating a two-inch high “entrance” at the top edge of the pot. Simply score a semicircular section in the top of the pot and gently tap it out with a hammer. Invert the pot, and toad hall is ready! Children can help with amphibian aesthetics by decorating the finished pot or potshard with colorful non-toxic paints: perhaps depicting windows, flowers, helpful ladybugs, dancing toads, or other fanciful critters.

Be sure to line the inside of the toad abode with a few handfuls of leaf litter or leaf mold from your compost pile. Toads can hunker down under this cool organic blanket during the hottest days of summer, coming out to feast at night.

For bufophiles willing to invest in upscale – or kitschy -- toad housing, there are numerous on-line sources for wooden, terracotta, and plastic resin toad abodes. Some represent toadstools with columned entryways, ruled over by a toad king and queen, while others represent colorful cottages or barns. One of the most expensive actually looks like an inverted clay flowerpot, of all things!

These toad abode options are primarily fair weather affairs, suitable for spring through fall. To encourage larger resident toad populations, you might want to consider developing a winter palace. Because toads hibernate during the winter, they will need a safe environment in which to snooze away until the world warms up and food becomes available.

A toad hibernaculum can be created using clay drainage tile or even standard plastic drain pipe (four-inch diameter). Starting with one 12 to 14 inch section of pipe or tile, dig a shallow hole in your sheltered, damp garden site and bury the pipe on a 30 degree angle, so that only five inches at the top side of the pipe are exposed. The entryway should be about two to three inches high. Fill the bottom half of the winter residence with sand, and fill the rest with leaf mold. The toad will use this habitat like any other abode during three seasons, and will climb down deeper under leaves and sand to sleep through the winter.

You can also cover the surface of the hibernaculum with compost during the winter to provide additional insulation against extremely cold temperatures. Clear the surface by March to allow both toad and abode to warm up in the early spring sun.

One final note: toads, like many of the most beneficial inhabitants of our yards and gardens, are sensitive to pesticides and other synthetic chemicals. Your chances of attracting toads to a property featuring only lawn area, or which is treated with lawn and garden chemicals, are extremely low. If you want to encourage natural pest controls, you will need to abandon the toxic alternatives. The GreenMan thanks you - and Mr. Toad thanks you.

Copyright 2014, Joseph M. Keyser

Showering With Your Schefflera

Indoor gardening can introduce a wide array of benefits into your home and office, from decoration and fragrance, to fresh-cut culinary herbs. Unfortunately, indoor plants can also introduce annoying pests and other unforeseen problems, especially if some of those plants were brought indoors to overwinter.

There is nothing more disheartening for the indoor gardener than to see a swarm of whiteflies hovering around a prized plant, or to see the tell-tale webbing of minuscule spider mites on curled, yellow foliage.

The first step to ensuring plant health, especially with plants you have brought in from the cold, is sanitation. Take each pot and check it thoroughly for hiding varmints. If the entire rootmass can be slipped out of the pot intact -- soil, roots, and all -- remove it and look for stowaway insects, like grubs, slugs, or ants. Use a soft brush and hot water and clean the outside and bottom of the pot. This helps remove any eggs or egg cases, as well as mold.

Using sharp scissors or pruning shears, remove any dead or dying vegetation, cut off fading flowers. Make sure that nothing is laying atop the soil surface, like old leaves, twigs, or other organic matter. These materials can harbor insect pests and eggs.

Next, in your sink or shower, depending on the size of the plant, spray down all the foliage, especially the underside of leaves, to rinse off any potential insects. You may want to repeat this step every month. Remember that rain not only waters plants, but also cleans off dust and other pollutants. To compensate, you can provide a nice, warm shower.

In fact, mimicking Mother Nature is the real key to maintaining healthy indoor plants. While nature provides outdoor plants with rain and breezes, humidity, light, and beneficial insects to help keep pests in check, that job is all yours indoors.

Another safe practice is to quarantine any new plant arrivals from your regular indoor plant population for a couple of weeks. Think of it as a horticultural Ellis Island.

Matching indoor plants with an appropriate location requires some research. Each plant has specific exposure needs. For example, diffused-light plants can become scorched in a sunny window, while sun-lovers will languish, and may perish, in a dark corner. Do not try to force a plant into the wrong space. You will find that as the plant’s health declines, the likelihood of a pest problem will increase dramatically.

With very few exceptions, most plant problems emerge from overfeeding and overwatering. During the winter months, plants should almost never be fertilized, and watering should be kept to a minimum. In addition, overwintering plants also typically prefer cooler temperatures. Check with a plant guide for specific instructions. Lanky plants sitting around with soggy potting soil are prime candidates for pest infestations, especially pesky fungus gnats and varied strains of mildew, all of which prefer damp soil conditions.

Dry, unmoving air is also a problem, especially for some larger foliage plants. If many of your plants are grouped together in a single room, you may find that a slowly revolving ceiling fan can help create enough of a “breeze” to keep pests at bay. Also, consider using a tray filled with damp gravel or pebbles under plants to raise the humidity to a healthy semi-tropical level. It is important, though, to rinse and clean those pebble-filled trays periodically, and generally never let any plant sit in a saucer filled with water. That situation is bad for the plant, good for pests, and can even lead to some unpleasant odors and airborne molds.

Despite your best efforts at sanitation, care and feeding, you may still encounter some pests. This does not make you a bad indoor gardener. However, you will have to take Mother Nature’s place and become a predator yourself, unless you really want to release several hundred ladybugs in your living room.

Fortunately, most pest problems can be managed safely and easily – and without toxic pesticides. The shower or rinsing method should certainly be a first line of attack, where feasible. The majority of insect pests hate water. Other approaches involve dipping or “soap baths,” which is akin to a whirlpool bath for smaller plants. For larger plants, spraying is the most effective approach, especially using some simple household products.

Dipping can take place in a bucket or a sink. Mix several teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid with a gallon of warm water. Hold the rootball of the plant in the pot and dip all of the foliage and stems into the solution. Feel free to swirl the plant around, and dunk up and down. The agitation will help dislodge pests. Any remaining pests will find the soap covering their bodies hard to live with – and breathe through.

This same formula can be used in a spray bottle for larger plants. In both cases, you may want to repeat the process every week or so until there is no sign of infestation.

A more potent version of this soap spray calls for one teaspoon of soap mixed with a quart of warm water and several tablespoons of rubbing alcohol. The alcohol joins with the fatty acids of the soap to help penetrate the insect’s cuticle, ultimately dehydrating the bug. Never use alcohol by itself, as it can harm foliage, and on more tender plants, use a very dilute mix and test it on several leaves before spraying the entire plant. You can also use this mixture on a paper towel to wipe off leaves.

Powdery mildew, which frequently attaches itself to miniature roses and rosemary, can similarly be treated using a spray of warm water, several tablespoons of baking soda, and several tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, which serves as a wetting agent. Again, this treatment will need to be repeated periodically.

Other sprays and dips for special pests and applications can be created using garlic and onion, if you want to raid your pantry, mineral oil, and even safe, commercially-manufactured insecticidal soaps. You will find recipes for these formulations in most indoor plant guides and publications dedicated to organic gardening and integrated pest management.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Showering With Your Schefflera

Indoor gardening can introduce a wide array of benefits into your home and office, from decoration and fragrance, to fresh-cut culinary herbs. Unfortunately, indoor plants can also introduce annoying pests and other unforeseen problems, especially if some of those plants were brought indoors to overwinter.

There is nothing more disheartening for the indoor gardener than to see a swarm of whiteflies hovering around a prized plant, or to see the tell-tale webbing of minuscule spider mites on curled, yellow foliage.

The first step to ensuring plant health, especially with plants you have brought in from the cold, is sanitation. Take each pot and check it thoroughly for hiding varmints. If the entire rootmass can be slipped out of the pot intact -- soil, roots, and all -- remove it and look for stowaway insects, like grubs, slugs, or ants. Use a soft brush and hot water and clean the outside and bottom of the pot. This helps remove any eggs or egg cases, as well as mold.

Using sharp scissors or pruning shears, remove any dead or dying vegetation, cut off fading flowers. Make sure that nothing is laying atop the soil surface, like old leaves, twigs, or other organic matter. These materials can harbor insect pests and eggs.

Next, in your sink or shower, depending on the size of the plant, spray down all the foliage, especially the underside of leaves, to rinse off any potential insects. You may want to repeat this step every month. Remember that rain not only waters plants, but also cleans off dust and other pollutants. To compensate, you can provide a nice, warm shower.

In fact, mimicking Mother Nature is the real key to maintaining healthy indoor plants. While nature provides outdoor plants with rain and breezes, humidity, light, and beneficial insects to help keep pests in check, that job is all yours indoors.

Another safe practice is to quarantine any new plant arrivals from your regular indoor plant population for a couple of weeks. Think of it as a horticultural Ellis Island.

Matching indoor plants with an appropriate location requires some research. Each plant has specific exposure needs. For example, diffused-light plants can become scorched in a sunny window, while sun-lovers will languish, and may perish, in a dark corner. Do not try to force a plant into the wrong space. You will find that as the plant’s health declines, the likelihood of a pest problem will increase dramatically.

With very few exceptions, most plant problems emerge from overfeeding and overwatering. During the winter months, plants should almost never be fertilized, and watering should be kept to a minimum. In addition, overwintering plants also typically prefer cooler temperatures. Check with a plant guide for specific instructions. Lanky plants sitting around with soggy potting soil are prime candidates for pest infestations, especially pesky fungus gnats and varied strains of mildew, all of which prefer damp soil conditions.

Dry, unmoving air is also a problem, especially for some larger foliage plants. If many of your plants are grouped together in a single room, you may find that a slowly revolving ceiling fan can help create enough of a “breeze” to keep pests at bay. Also, consider using a tray filled with damp gravel or pebbles under plants to raise the humidity to a healthy semi-tropical level. It is important, though, to rinse and clean those pebble-filled trays periodically, and generally never let any plant sit in a saucer filled with water. That situation is bad for the plant, good for pests, and can even lead to some unpleasant odors and airborne molds.

Despite your best efforts at sanitation, care and feeding, you may still encounter some pests. This does not make you a bad indoor gardener. However, you will have to take Mother Nature’s place and become a predator yourself, unless you really want to release several hundred ladybugs in your living room.

Fortunately, most pest problems can be managed safely and easily – and without toxic pesticides. The shower or rinsing method should certainly be a first line of attack, where feasible. The majority of insect pests hate water. Other approaches involve dipping or “soap baths,” which is akin to a whirlpool bath for smaller plants. For larger plants, spraying is the most effective approach, especially using some simple household products.

Dipping can take place in a bucket or a sink. Mix several teaspoons of mild dishwashing liquid with a gallon of warm water. Hold the rootball of the plant in the pot and dip all of the foliage and stems into the solution. Feel free to swirl the plant around, and dunk up and down. The agitation will help dislodge pests. Any remaining pests will find the soap covering their bodies hard to live with – and breathe through.

This same formula can be used in a spray bottle for larger plants. In both cases, you may want to repeat the process every week or so until there is no sign of infestation.

A more potent version of this soap spray calls for one teaspoon of soap mixed with a quart of warm water and several tablespoons of rubbing alcohol. The alcohol joins with the fatty acids of the soap to help penetrate the insect’s cuticle, ultimately dehydrating the bug. Never use alcohol by itself, as it can harm foliage, and on more tender plants, use a very dilute mix and test it on several leaves before spraying the entire plant. You can also use this mixture on a paper towel to wipe off leaves.

Powdery mildew, which frequently attaches itself to miniature roses and rosemary, can similarly be treated using a spray of warm water, several tablespoons of baking soda, and several tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, which serves as a wetting agent. Again, this treatment will need to be repeated periodically.

Other sprays and dips for special pests and applications can be created using garlic and onion, if you want to raid your pantry, mineral oil, and even safe, commercially-manufactured insecticidal soaps. You will find recipes for these formulations in most indoor plant guides and publications dedicated to organic gardening and integrated pest management.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Inviting Toads to Your Abode

This year, to combat an onslaught of creepy, crawling critters, many homeowners will spend a small fortune on toxic chemicals, pheromone lures, and even propane-powered mosquito traps. Interestingly, there’s a simple solution that’s just a short hop (and croak) away.

In the world of natural pest control, one of the brightest players is the humble toad. Toads have a phenomenal appetite for insects and other invertebrates that go squish in the night, especially undesirable and rapacious creatures such as slugs, gypsy moths, and tent caterpillars.

In fact, up to 90 percent of a toad’s diet includes the most common garden pests, such as earwigs, sowbugs (a.k.a. woodlice), millipedes, crickets and a wide assortment of beetles, and otherwise helpful predators like spiders and centipedes. A recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report actually estimated that one adult toad may consume 10,000 pest insects in a 90-day period.

Admittedly, with the possible exception of Mr. Toad of Toad Hall in Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 classic, The Wind in the Willows, toads fail to gain the respect and appreciation afforded to Kermit the Frog and his amphibious kin – including those strangely popular beer spokes-frogs (mascots).

Fables bring us fair maidens kissing frogs and freeing princes from evil spells; the Japanese consider frogs good luck; the French consider them good eating. But toads are simply shunned for fear of transmitting warts. Something needs to be done about this irrational Bufonophobia (toads belong to the genus Bufo).

There are two species of toads in our area, the most common being the American Toad (Bufo americanus), and Fowler’s Toad (Bufo fowleri). Should you find yourself strolling through a natural area from spring to mid-summer and hear a good deal of melodious trilling, you’re probably listening to the call of the American toad. They actually have a lot to sing about. During the peak reproductive season, from March through July, female toads are briskly busy in shallow pools laying ropy strings and coils containing up to 6,000 individual eggs. Soon after, those eggs will hatch producing ravenous hoards of tadpoles or pollywogs, which will devour mosquito larvae until they emerge onto land as adults.

While not all of the thousands of offspring from thousands of ponds will survive, the numbers of toads moving about our region is truly astonishing. With such a boffo population of bufo available, it is relatively easy to encourage one or more toads to take up residence in your backyard, where they will immediately add your most troublesome pests to their cuisine.

To create your own toad habitat, often called toad abodes, you need only locate a damp location on your property. Sometimes a shady area in the yard, perhaps a natural depression which remains somewhat soggy most of the time, will provide the perfect setting for your toad hall. Alternatively, areas near a downspout or next to the dripping drain from an air conditioning unit will provide a suitably moist environment.

Your toad abode itself allows for plenty of creativity, especially if undertaking this project with children. Personally, I like to recycle old or damaged terracotta pots into habitats. Often, larger clay pots (nine inches or more in diameter) left outdoors during the winter will crack in half. By simply turning each half on its side and slightly burying it in the soil to provide stability, you can create two separate abodes.

Other cracked or chipped pots can be transformed by creating a two-inch high “entrance” at the top edge of the pot. Simply score a semicircular section in the top of the pot and gently tap it out with a hammer. Invert the pot, and toad hall is ready! Children can help with amphibian aesthetics by decorating the finished pot or potshard with colorful non-toxic paints: perhaps depicting windows, flowers, helpful ladybugs, dancing toads, or other fanciful critters.

Be sure to line the inside of the toad abode with a few handfuls of leaf litter or leaf mold from your compost pile. Toads can hunker down under this cool organic blanket during the hottest days of summer, coming out to feast at night.

For bufophiles willing to invest in upscale – or kitschy -- toad housing, there are numerous on-line sources for wooden, terracotta, and plastic resin toad abodes. Some represent toadstools with columned entryways, ruled over by a toad king and queen, while others represent colorful cottages or barns. One of the most expensive actually looks like an inverted clay flowerpot, of all things!

These toad abode options are primarily fair weather affairs, suitable for spring through fall. To encourage larger resident toad populations, you might want to consider developing a winter palace. Because toads hibernate during the winter, they will need a safe environment in which to snooze away until the world warms up and food becomes available.

A toad hibernaculum can be created using clay drainage tile or even standard plastic drain pipe (four-inch diameter). Starting with one 12 to 14 inch section of pipe or tile, dig a shallow hole in your sheltered, damp garden site and bury the pipe on a 30 degree angle, so that only five inches at the top side of the pipe are exposed. The entryway should be about two to three inches high. Fill the bottom half of the winter residence with sand, and fill the rest with leaf mold. The toad will use this habitat like any other abode during three seasons, and will climb down deeper under leaves and sand to sleep through the winter.

You can also cover the surface of the hibernaculum with compost during the winter to provide additional insulation against extremely cold temperatures. Clear the surface by March to allow both toad and abode to warm up in the early spring sun.

One final note: toads, like many of the most beneficial inhabitants of our yards and gardens, are sensitive to pesticides and other synthetic chemicals. Your chances of attracting toads to a property featuring only lawn area, or which is treated with lawn and garden chemicals, are extremely low. If you want to encourage natural pest controls, you will need to abandon the toxic alternatives. The GreenMan thanks you - and Mr. Toad thanks you.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Controlling Mosquitoes Around Home & Garden

Mosquitoes have buzzed around our planet for countless millions of years, long before the emergence of man and insect repellant. They have spread malaria across the globe, helped decimate isolated villages and have spoiled innumerable picnics and walks on the beach. At great cost — and to no avail — we have fought them with DDT, incense coils and backyard foggers.

Nowadays, mosquitoes are very much in the news. The reported incidence of malaria has quadrupled worldwide, while here in the U.S., the spread of West Nile Virus has mobilized public health officials and terrified residents. There even have been several futile efforts to use pesticide sprays to control adult mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are bad news, but it is time for some perspective. The risk of contracting West Nile Virus is inconsequential compared to the life-threatening risks associated with driving a car, smoking, food-borne illness and obesity. Annually in the U.S., there are many more cases of bubonic plague than West Nile Virus.

The simple fact is that mosquitoes are a part of our natural world, like it or not. Fortunately, in our area, most do not carry infectious diseases. The only species of mosquito in the wild that has been found to carry West Nile Virus, Culex pipiens, is not active during the day. Also, this species has a very limited flight range, measured in hundreds of yards rather than miles.

If this common house mosquito is around your home, chances are that either you or your neighbors are providing the necessary habitat for the insects to breed. Eliminating habitat is the key to controlling mosquitoes. If you do not provide an area for adults to deposit eggs, or do clean out potential breeding area periodically, the life cycle of the insect will be disrupted and no new mosquitoes will emerge.

Mosquitoes need water, primarily still or stagnant water rich in organic matter upon which mosquito larvae can feed. Among the most common locations for this habitat are the saucers gardeners frequently place under potted plants, especially on decks and patios. One option is to remove the saucers altogether, or at least dump them every couple of days.

For balcony and rooftop gardeners, self-watering containers have become increasingly popular. However, the reservoir beneath the container can breed thousands of larvae. As most of these containers cannot be emptied, an alternative is to tape over the access slot or hole used for filling the pot. This will keep out adult mosquitoes and trap existing larvae inside. Any other containers around the garden, such as watering cans, vases, buckets and wheelbarrows, also should be emptied and either stored indoors when not in use or turned upside down.

For gardeners who like to root cuttings in jars and bottles outdoors, emptying the container and refilling it with fresh water every couple of days is advisable. Fresh water will encourage rooting and help eliminate mosquito larvae.

Dripping outdoor faucets should be fixed immediately, both to conserve water and prevent puddles from developing and providing habitat. Also check on rain gutters and downspout areas, especially if you use corrugated plastic pipe to divert water across your lawn. Cover rain barrels with a fine mesh, such as window screening, to keep out mosquitoes. And make sure air conditioning units are not creating puddles as they drain condensed moisture.

Some yards have natural depressions that can form impromptu ponds or bogs during rainy weather. Correct such areas either through grading, which can be expensive, or by creating natural garden areas with moisture-loving plants that can take up excess water and convert it to flowers and foliage.

Ornamental ponds have grown in popularity, thanks to easily available and inexpensive pond liners and supplies. If the pond is stocked with fish, any eggs or larvae will be consumed readily. Aerate, filter or add fish to ponds merely hosting water lilies or other plants, or nothing at all. Even a simple dollar's worth of goldfish will control mosquito populations. Maintain ponds without electrical access with any one of several models of solar-powered pumps and filters.

One unfortunate side-effect of public concern with West Nile Virus is that people are dumping or removing birdbaths. Empty and replace the water in birdbaths every two to four days, both to prevent the spread of avian diseases and to eliminate breeding areas. But removing birdbaths altogether can actually prove a hardship for smaller songbirds, like goldfinches, who easily overheat in summer conditions and require safe havens to cool off, especially as natural water bodies are becoming more scarce.

In addition to typical garden areas, address a number of other mosquito breeding locations. A basic rule of thumb is that if it can hold water, it can breed mosquitoes. Tarps draped over woodpiles or lawnmowers can provide depressions that quickly become mosquito pools. Empty them immediately and rearrange the tarp so that it sheds rainwater. Tarps or covers over pools may keep out leaves and debris, but rainwater settling atop the tarp becomes prime mosquito habitat. A pump may be necessary to drain pool covers.

Wading pools, however small, can invite mosquito activity. Empty them after use and store them on their side, or deflate them. Simply turning the pool upside down will only provide a smaller catch basin for rainwater.

Watch out for water captured in uncovered trash cans or upturned trash can lids. Consider drilling holes to facilitate drainage. Recycling containers left outdoors also can trap water, as can bottles or cans left in the blue bin for more than four days. Again, consider drilling holes in the corners and handles of bins to ensure proper drainage at all times.

Finally, after eliminating or addressing the standing water on your property, think about becoming proactive. After all, getting rid of mosquitoes in your yard does not stop them from breeding in your neighbor's yard. Spread the word to the folks next door and speak up at community association meetings. Working together, your neighborhood should set about identifying potential habitat sites, one backyard at a time. Eventually, you will accomplish what no amount of pesticide ever achieved as you rid your immediate community of mosquitoes naturally and safely.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser; illustrations by Tony Fitch.

An Ancient Solution to Modern Pest Problems

Millions of years ago, single-celled aquatic organisms called diatoms roamed the earth’s seas, quietly died and dropped to the sea floor where they formed fossilized deposits. Today, these ancient diatoms are being mined, processed and sold to homeowners to help control a host of home and garden pests.

Called diatomaceous earth or “DE,” this simple, white powdery substance is one of the most perfect pest control products available. It kills pests physically, in this case by puncturing the bug’s protective exoskeleton until it dries up and dies.

Unlike most synthetic chemical or even botanically derived pesticides, there is no issue with toxicity or safe use around children and pets. In fact, DE is U.S.D.A.-approved as an animal food additive for parasite control. Farmers add it to grains to prevent weevil and other pest infestations.

Chances are you’ve been exposed to DE already, whether added to your favorite toothpaste, mixed into silver and brass polish as a gentle abrasive or used as a filter medium for everything from beer production to swimming pools.

The story began about 30 million years ago, as mammals started filling in the ecological niche formerly occupied by the dinosaurs. Within the earth’s waters, microscopic algae or phytoplankton floated with the currents, extracting silica to create protective cell walls, sometimes studded with impressive spines. As these diatoms passed on, their fossilized remains or “skeletons” formed extensive chalky deposits in what are now dried lakes and sea beds. The process continues today, with some 16,000 species of phytoplankton carrying on this tradition from bubbling volcanic lakes to beneath frigid ice caps.

Back on land, man has turned geological mineral deposits into profit through hundreds of industrial and agricultural applications. The “hydrated amorphous silica” is mined, milled and either heat-treated for use in pool filters, which makes it unsuitable for use around the home, or otherwise prepared and packaged for use as amorphous or natural diatomaceous earth, the product that finds its way into consumer goods ranging from paprika to cigars.

Fortunately, an ongoing interest in organic pest control has resurrected these dead diatoms and brought them to life in our yards and gardens.

While the ground-up diatoms feel like a silky talcum powder, under a microscope you would see a universe of lethal crystalline daggers. These micron-small fragments present razor-sharp edges and spikes that lacerate the waxy exoskeleton of most pests, often penetrating the elastic tissue between the hard plates of an insect’s exoskeleton. The silica shards inflict extensive invisible wounds causing the insect to lose bodily fluids. And the diatom daggers are themselves an effective desiccant, further pulling moisture from the insect. Within about 48 hours, the pest is mummified.

DE can attach itself to the tiny hairs that cover many insects, actually allowing an ant, for example, to pick up its own means of destruction as well as inflict damage on other ants in its colony. Should DE be ingested, the silica spikes will lacerate the insect’s digestive system, also resulting in death by dehydration.

In the garden, slimy slugs and snails are soon turned to sushi, as are earwigs, aphids, thrips, mites and red spider mites, leafhoppers, fungus gnats, Japanese beetle grubs and sowbugs. Just use DE as a dust around the base of plants or apply directly onto foliage. Directions vary, but DE can be mixed with water, usually four tablespoons per gallon, and sprayed over large turf areas and garden beds. The DE becomes effective as soon as it dries. You can also make a DE slurry and paint it onto the trunks of trees to control numerous caterpillars and deter bark-gnawing borers.

Indoors, DE is deadly for silverfish, centipedes, cockroaches, fruit flies, houseflies, ants of every stripe, and even termites. Commonly available in an easily handled box or can, you can carefully sprinkle a light amount around window and door frames, pipes, cracks and crevices, along baseboards and countertops, under cabinets, behind refrigerators and outdoors along foundations.

Even pet owners have started to appreciate DE’s effectiveness for safely and naturally controlling fleas and ticks, both indoors and out. Just sprinkle judiciously around animal bedding and in favorite resting areas, and consider spraying a wetted mixture on lawns and pet runs.

And though DE is non-toxic, excessive handling of the material will dry out skin. A dust mask or respirator should be used when applying large amounts as a dust. The product will remain viable whenever it is dry, although foliar applications will wash off after rainstorms. Do not worry about residual impacts on soil; DE contains an abundance of beneficial micronutrients, including magnesium, iron, boron, copper and manganese.

While pest-prone homeowners have long used boric acid as an effective tool against roaches and their ilk, products containing the substance pose significant toxicity issues in households with small children, especially crawling infants, as well as pets. Outdoors, boric acid is nonselective and toxic to numerous beneficial organisms, such as earthworms.

For safety’s sake, rely on nature’s friendly fossils, but remember to only use amorphous DE (ADE) or natural DE and follow all directions.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Eeeeeeek! A Bug!

Pity the poor insects. Misunderstood, loathed, and generally under appreciated. They provide us with honey and silk, wax and dyes, and tirelessly pollinate our crops and flowers. In return, we swat at them, squash them, stomp on them, and even try to electrocute them.

Insects make up 95 percent of all species on Earth. There are more than one million different insect species, although a growing number of entomologists suspect that the true number might be as high as ten million. And among that vast number, less than one percent are pests, with just a few hundred species posing a consistent problem to agriculture, gardens, homes and structures, or human health.

That reality has not really hit home with most people. Insects are pests – period. And so we light lemon-scented candles and set up ultrasonic devices to scare them away, with limited success. Unfortunately, those rather benign measures, like fly swatters, are the exception. For the most part, the twentieth century has taken a more toxic approach to this war on bugs. Chemical weapons for the first two world wars were adapted and modified for commercial and home use. We discovered and applauded DDT – and unleashed ecological Armageddon and Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Globally, approximately 25 billion dollars are spent annually on pesticides, with a 1988 World Health Organization report reflecting that there were one million occupational poisonings from these chemicals. A more recent State of the World report from the Worldwatch Institute found indications that these poisoning estimates might range from three to 25 million annually. And closer to home, a study by the American Association of Poison Control Centers estimated that 79,000 children were involved in household pesticide related poisonings or exposures that year.

We are paying -- and overpaying -- a high price for this insecticidal conflict. Oh, and the insects are winning, by the way. They have been quickly adapting to our chemical arsenals and for decades have enjoyed our new agriculture systems which no longer take advantage of traditional crop rotations, plant adaptations, and beneficial predators. Meanwhile, we are contaminating groundwater supplies, poisoning surface water, exposing our children, pets, and selves to carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, and generally making a real mess of our environment. How’s the war going?

Perhaps before we do any more bug-bombing, spraying, dusting, trapping, or electro-zapping, we ought to take another look at the dominant lifeform on “our” planet. Perhaps we need to realize that there are good bugs and bad bugs, learn the difference, learn a little tolerance, and address pest problems sensibly. After all, our insect friends play an essential role in the global food chain, they help keep real pests under control, provide vital services as scavengers and decomposer organisms, and add fluttering beauty to our world with colorful, gossamer wings or the gentle chirping that lulls us to sleep in the summer.

What’s bugging you?

During my earlier life with the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Environmental Protection, I had - each fall - the duty to respond to a combination of letters and phone calls which dramatically illustrated the far-too-common and irrational reaction people have to harmless insects. The dread menace was the same in each case: boxelder bugs. These black and orange insects, are nothing more than nuisances. They do not bite people and are harmless to property. They feed almost exclusively on the leaves and flowers of the female boxelder tree. They do not transmit disease, do not cause structural damage indoors, nor damage indoor furnishings. Further, they do not reproduce inside, and will only live several days if not otherwise captured and removed. Okay, they are not pretty butterflies and can be annoying for several weeks when they swarm -- but they are harmless.

Each individual wanted an immediate response from their local government. One person demanded that the host boxelder trees in the community be chopped down – or at least insisted that the government spray pesticides in their densely populated area to kill the bugs. Similarly, a mother who saw a bug or two on her children’s clothing insisted that the Department of Public Works spray her entire neighborhood. And the last caller, a mother concerned because she noticed a bug on her baby’s blanket, wanted to know about getting exterminators to come in and spray the inside of the house (nursery included), as well as the trees outside.

Clearly these people have issues with bugs, including harmless species, and yet they are willing to subject their children and environment to toxic chemicals (or deforestation) to eradicate them – while killing off all the other beneficial insects in the area. It might be a good idea for bug-phobes to stop watching Hollywood b-movies with giant insects and schedule a family outing to the "Insect Zoo" at their local natural history museum or zoological park. After all, fear is mostly ignorance run amok.

The real question in dealing with pest control is “Is it worth it?” Is it worth exposing your family to toxic sprays every time you see a pesky fly? Is poisoning pets and toddlers an appropriate response to a innocent line of sugar ants on a kitchen counter? Using sprays to kill perceived pests may seem like a good idea – but at what cost? And what are you killing anyway? More than 99 percent of all insects are either beneficial or benign. Chances are you are killing off pollinators and not pests; poisoning the food chain and yourself, either directly or indirectly.

Time to think before you reach for -- or consider purchasing -- that spray can or lethal bug dust. Learn who the good bugs are before you try to kill off the bad ones -- and learn how to prevent pest problems first, and how to deal with them without toxic chemicals. Knowing the difference could save lives and an important part of your local environment.

Cleaner is greener

Of course, not every bug is wanted or desirable in our homes and gardens. Some are pests. Real pests. But there are a great many preventative measures which can make our homes, schools and workplaces naturally pest-free.

• Good housekeeping - Keep tables, counters, cupboards, and floors clean, and immediately clean-up crumbs and spills, and put away leftover foods. In schools and offices, do not eat at your desk, if possible.

• Storage - Store breads, pastas, sugar, starches and grains in tight-fitting containers. It is believed that a bay leaf placed in rice, flour, or grain containers will discourage varmints. Periodically check containers and discard any infested materials. Do not store food items in desks or lockers.

• Disposal and recycling - Do not store garbage indoors. Wrap up or bag unwanted food materials and place in a tight-fitting trash receptacle. Keep the interior of garbage cans clean. Rinse recyclables before putting them in the bin (unrinsed bottles and cans are among the top five rodent attractants). Keep meat, fat, shortening, and dairy products out of compost bins. Recycle or dispose of papers and other clutter in basements, attics, and garages.

• Pets - Clean up and properly dispose of dog and cat feces immediately (another top five rodent attractant). Store animal feed and birdseed in tightly-sealed containers. Regularly clean up under bird feeders (another top five item), and clean up spills of animal feed at once. Clean animal cages on a regular basis. Wash all pet bedding thoroughly with hot water. Vacuum all areas where pets sleep or “lounge.” Groom pets regularly outdoors – and keep them on a leash to avoid contact with flee-infected animals.

• Moisture - Keep outdoor areas and basements free of standing or stagnant water. Remove and properly dispose of water-damaged materials, such as wood, wallboard, carpeting or carpet pads. Place a vapor barrier between basement floors and carpets to eliminate moisture in fibers and backing, and also cover the dirt "flooring" of crawl spaces under the house with a vapor barrier. These inexpensive barriers keep out moisture and control pest infiltration. Check for damp spots caused by leaking roofs or backed-up gutters. Ensure good ventilation in attics and crawl spaces.

• Outdoors - Clean up and compost leaf litter and other garden trimmings laying around foundations, or in window and tree wells. Do not use wooden mulch directly against foundations. Prune trees and shrubs to provide aeration and ensure dryness around the sides and foundation of the house. Store firewood above ground and never next to the house or other wooden structures, like fences; do not store firewood indoors or in garages; check periodically and dispose of any pest-infested logs.

• Barriers - Caulk around windows and install or replace the seals on doors and windows. Use removable caulking around window-mounted air conditioners.

• Monitoring - If you live or work in a location that you suspects harbors pests, set up sticky traps or other monitoring devices to check on infestation. Check for insect infestations in containers when bringing potted plants indoors. Regularly inspect and repair any openings into your home, especially damaged screens, around pipes and utility lines, and around windows and door frames.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Defending Your Turf from Pests & Problems

Part three in a three-part series on environmental lawn care

A well-established, properly maintained lawn is naturally weed and pest resistant -- for the most part. For the other part, we need to consider a few more issues than just mowing, watering, and fertilizing correctly.

One of the great axioms of gardening is to “use the right plant in the right place.” For lawns, this means selecting a turfgrass variety suitable for your growing conditions and the amount of traffic the area will receive. Trying to establish a healthy lawn using the wrong kind of grass is as frustrating (and pointless) as baking a nonfat cheesecake.

For sunny lawns, tall fescue is the most recommended type of cool season grass, combining heat and drought tolerance with resistance to the most common diseases and pests while also holding its own in areas used for recreation.

In shadier areas, fine fescues perform best, although the thinner, more delicate blades are more sensitive to traffic, and also require well-drained soils. Red fescue is a variety gaining in popularity as it becomes established quickly and requires surprisingly little maintenance. In fact, depending on its use and location, it can provide a lush appearance even without mowing.

The most popular warm season grass is zoysia, renowned for its drought and disease tolerance and low maintenance needs. It is also somewhat infamous for invading neighboring fescue lawns and browning out from October until May. Zoysia needs full sun, loathes shade of any kind, and can take years to become fully established.

Naturally, there are other popular varieties, like Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, as well as numerous cultivars and varietal blends. For the best and latest advice on the newest cultivars and guidance on selecting good seed sources, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service office, usually county-based, although you may need to contact the state office. Check the blue government pages of your phone directory, or search online (search cooperative extension service [and add your state or county name]).

One of the goals of cutting grass at the highest possible setting is to shade out many of the noisome broadleaf weeds which need plenty of light to grow, and whose seeds need light to germinate. In addition, providing just the right amount of nutrients and watering properly to ensure deep, dense root development will also help develop a thick mass of turf which can easily shoulder-out most weeds.

Of course, if you are just embarking on this new approach to lawn care, you might still have some weeds needing attention. For some people, simply providing the proper care for a lawn will lead to the decline of most weeds, although it may take a number of years, which is just fine with them. They tolerate a few wild violets, dandelions, and patch or two of clover. It is only a lawn after all.

For the more fastidious, whose lawns are valued gardens of grass, there are several non-toxic approaches worth consideration. One of the most exciting is corn power. Agronomists in Iowa, always looking for new ways to use corn, have discovered that corn gluten is an extremely effective pre-emergent weed control for crabgrass, dandelions, clover, purslane, among others, when applied in early spring. It will not kill existing perennial weeds, but it will prevent seeds from germinating, and also provides a low-dose of organic nitrogen to feed your lawn at the same time.

Some perennial weeds, such as wild strawberry and ground ivy, will thrive only when soils are particularly acidic. Liming will balance the pH of your soil, improving nutrient uptake by grass plants and spelling doom for the weeds. Be sure to conduct a soil test before liming. Soil test kits are usually available for a nominal fee ($5-10) from your local county cooperative extension service; many garden centers and nurseries also provide soil testing, though usually at a substantially higher price ($25-50). (Learn more about soil testing by viewing Putting Your Soil to the Test, April 10, 2009.)

One of the most common problems experienced in our region is compacted soil. Our naturally clay-heavy soils compact readily, which inhibits grass growth, water penetration and drainage, and leads to bald patches and weed growth. Moss is a good indicator of compacted soils in shady areas and plantain of compaction in sunny locations.

You can prevent some compaction by limiting foot traffic across your lawn, never walking on wet grass, and by changing your mowing pattern. Instead of always mowing from north to south every week, alternate with an east-west pattern, or mix in a diagonal or circular pattern.
Aeration is one of the least appreciated measures to ensure a lush, healthy lawn. In many respects, aerating is far more important than fertilizing and liming, and easily worth the investment every several years.

Core aeration is the most effective approach, and you can rent a motorized machine to extract plugs from the soil, although aeration is often best left to professional lawn care services, which can be more cost-effective in the short run. Professionals typically charge 40 to 80 dollars for the average 5,000-10,000 square foot lawn.

Smaller lawn areas can be manually aerated using a spading fork inserted into the soil at a 45 degree angle. Insert tines to approximately four inches and push down, rocking back and forth a bit, and loosening the soil. Repeat this process every 12-16 inches until the entire lawn area is covered.

Aeration also helps to break up thatch, which become problematic when it exceeds a half-inch in depth. Power raking will also eliminate thatch, but requires significant raking and clean-up, while core aeration does it all with a minimum of fuss.

Like many of the weeds we have seen, insect pests are frequently indicators of poor turf conditions, such as a lawn under stress from overwatering, improper watering, and overfeeding.

However, some pests, including sod webworm, chinch bugs, and grubs, may require some additional action. Fortunately, non-toxic organic controls are available, often derived from flowers, fruits, and nuts, in addition to bacterial controls, including Bacillus thuringiensis, (B.t.) a native bacteria commonly found in soil and on plants, and Milky Spore, probably the first and most famous bacterial control agent.

Lastly, some lawns will fall prey to a variety of diseases, from summer patch and fairy rings to rust, powdery mildew, sooty mold, and red thread. These fungal outbreaks and diseases are best controlled by careful attention to nutrient application, soil aeration, and proper watering. In the worst cases, reseeding may be necessary, particularly using a more resistant variety of grass.

Copyright 2009, Joseph M. Keyser

Winter Watchfulness for a Healthier Landscape

Winter no longer seems like the season we once knew. Instead of skating and sledding, we frequently find ourselves outdoors hiking in tee-shirts or just soaking up the sun. These weird and wacky days of winter offer us a welcome opportunity to get a jump on gardening chores, with the added bonus of preventing problems before they begin.

Perhaps the first chore worth exploring is watering. As many parts of the country experience some degree of drought this year, often combined with unseasonably warm temperatures, we find our landscapes suffering from stress (as though the holiday season isn't stressful enough!), especially evident among evergreen trees and shrubs such as hollies, boxwood, and azaleas, and evergreen herbs and perennials, as well as trees and shrubs planted last fall.

While water should be conserved whenever possible, it is important to realize that evergreens do not enter a dormant phase, but continue to use and lose water through their needles and leaves. In the absence of rain, keep root systems moist and healthy by carefully and judiciously watering about once a week. Failure to supply water can result in the death of sensitive transplants and perennials, and the continued stress on other evergreens can easily lead to insect infestations.

Another solution, especially for broadleaf evergreens, is to apply one of the antidessicant sprays available at garden centers. The antidessicant, sometimes called an antitranspirant, provides a waxy film on the leaf surface to minimize moisture loss, allowing plants to cope more easily with drier soils and cold winds. Sprays should only be applied when the air temperature is above freezing. Antidessicants can also protect foliage from the damaging effects of “winter burn” and, as a bonus, from various forms of fungal disease.

Deciduous trees and shrubs also deserve your attention in late winter, especially when it comes to pruning, one of the most important of all gardening skills. Prime candidates include fruiting and flowering trees, including apples, crabapples, cherries, and ornamental species such as crepe myrtles, as well as wisteria, grape vines and roses. Winter provides an excellent opportunity to assess the condition of these trees, shrubs, and vines, allowing you to prune branches, while the plants are dormant.

With older trees, the primary goals are to increase the amount of light reaching into the tree’s interior and improving air circulation, which will help to minimize disease and pest problems in the future. Look for limbs which may be growing too close together, crossing or rubbing against one another, and carefully remove them with sharp, clean pruning sheers or a saw.

It might even be advisable to keep a small bucket near at hand filled with a dilute solution of bleach and water. Dip your pruning sheers or saw into the solution in-between pruning each new branch or tree to prevent any possibility of transmitting disease pathogens.

Younger trees or trees which grow quickly, such as the infamous and over-planted Bradford pear, often require diligent pruning to help establish an attractive shape or form, and to provide a healthy structure or “scaffolding.” Thin out potentially weak branches, again with an eye to facilitating the penetration of light and air. And, with both older and newer trees, eliminate any suckers, damaged or diseased limbs, and branches which hang dangerously low over sidewalks.

One of the most important winter chores is bug hunting. By locating and eliminating pests during the winter, you will be preventing a measurable amount of caterpillar damage during the traditional spring feeding frenzy.

Among the easiest pests to locate are the egg masses of tent caterpillars. Although people are most familiar with the tell-tale tents these odious creatures spin between the branch forks of cherry trees in early spring, their egg masses are actually quite distinctive – and disgusting. Look for shiny brownish-black, bubbly masses which are often wrapped completely around the small twigs and thin branches of wild and ornamental cherries, as well as apple and crabapple trees, and, to a lesser degree, on some other species like beech and willow. Sometimes these masses are mistaken for galls or some other disease. Make no mistake: each egg mass contains between 150 and 400 eggs. When feasible, try to prune off small twigs to capture the entire egg mass and destroy them through burning or crushing.

Gypsy moths await hatching in early April in fuzzy, felt-like light tan egg masses, generally found on the trunks of oak trees and other hardwood species, although they are also found in sheltered locations, including secluded corners of sheds, carports, stacks of firewood, picnic tables and other outdoor furniture.

These egg masses contain from several hundred to one thousand individual eggs. It is important when removing egg masses to thoroughly scrape them into a container for disposal. Some bug hunters favor using a coffee can filled with soapy water, which will be flushed later on. Do not simply scrape egg masses onto the ground where they may still hatch.

Fall cankerworms are sometimes best known as "loopers," "inchworms" or "measuring worms." The brownish-grey egg masses are deposited in neat, single-layered masses of 100 or so eggs in uniform rows on the branches and twigs of hardwood species including oaks, ash, maples, and hickories. Eggs can be crushed in place or scraped off for disposal.

Bagworms are most often found on junipers, cedar and arborvitae, as well as spruce, pine, and Leyland cypress. The distinctive, albeit camouflaged egg cases are roughly carrot-shaped, tannish-brown, and can reach up to two inches in length, hanging down from stems like a bag or sack. The case itself is actually quite natural-looking, as the crafty bagworm weaves its silk together with the dried needles and small twigs of the host plant to help blend in. However, careful inspection will easily locate these brownish dry casings against the lush green of the surrounding vegetation. Incidentally, each bagworm egg case may contain as many as one thousand eggs. On smaller shrubs it is quite possible to handpick all of the egg cases and eliminate any possible infestation in spring.

Of course, you may not be able to locate or reach all of the egg masses or cocoons, but removing as many as you can will go a long way to controlling pest populations without pesticides. In the cases cited above, destroying just one egg mass might be the equivalent of destroying up to one thousand voracious caterpillars.

Also, during the course of the year, you can continue your good work of controlling pests naturally by encouraging other pest predators to set up housekeeping in your yard, often by simply setting up a bluebird house or providing some other sources of habitat.

The last word in preventing problems is sanitation. Begin by cleaning out any leaves, broken branches, and other debris which may have become lodged in your shrubs and other evergreens. Much like pruning, a quick cleaning will increase the air circulation and amount of light reaching the interior area of plants, ensuring their continued health and vigor.

Next, clean up underneath trees and shrubs, removing leaves and other accumulated material which might potentially provide a hiding place for small nibbling rodents, and a unwanted habitat for various insect pests which may be overwintering in leaf litter. Collect these materials, and add them to your compost bin.

Copyright 2008, Joseph M. Keyser