Garden Pests and Diseases: INSECTS AND BUG reducing from year to year How? - C , 0 by chrisatvac

chrisatvac wrote:
Hi all, I'm a relatively new home gardener (since 2008) and not very good at at. ;-(

This year I'd like to reduce my insect pests and would greatly appreciate any and all ideas! ;-)

I have squash boring grubs that eat the main stalk of my zuke, crookneck, butternut, and acorn squashes as well as a large squash beatle.
1. Start early -- I'm starting squashes 2 weeks earlier and planting on May 1st with frost covers (old planters pots turned upside down).

I'm trying to beat the insects to harvest. We'll see?

2. I've turned over all the soil I can -- maybe it'll reduce the the grubs and insects in the ground?

3. Remove debris and old plants -- I'm hoping this will remove most of the insect eggs?

4. I'm planting lots of flowering plants to attact beneficial insects - Zinnia, sunflower, cone/echinacea, cilantro, dill/fennel,calendula,cosmos,yarrow,
borage, fiddleneck, alyssum,arugala, mustard, alfalpha, bell bean, sweetclower, vetch, sage , buckwheat (reference SEEDSofCHNAGE 2011 catalog page 72 "Insectary plants")

These give my lots of wasps (at least 5 spiecies) and bees (honey, bumble and minnie bees) ladybugs, dragon flies, and birds of all types including humming birds, goldfinch and
18-24 turkeys (you try to count a movinmg crowd of turkeys - it sounded like a town meeting) - usually only 4 turkeys in the front by the bird feeder until the sheep dog puts them to flight.

5. Insecticide - I'm using a mild one (I have a dog) and will spread it around May 1ST for minor help.

6. There are companies (Territorial Seed ) that ship preying mantises, spider mite predators, green lacewings,ladybugs and predatory nematodes -- I know insecticide won't mix with insects.

7. I compost which could be saving insects larvae?


please help,

Cheers
-- Chris