David Wall/Contributing Writer
Zeolite comes from ancient volcanic eruptions. Later, materials (zeolite) leached out that can grab soil contaminants and odors, especially ammonia from synthetic fertilizers, which it grabs and slowly releases. If a Zeolite packet has been used for a while, put it out in direct sunlight for a short time. It’ll release absorbed material and become ready to be reused. Packets also work very well in your house!
Fire ants seem to love okra flowers and pods. Put down a citrus spray, dried molasses or cinnamon to drive them away. Sevin is a severe pesticide that plays havoc with wasps, hornets, or bee pollinators.
Got grasshopper problems? Determine their direction of movement. On the garden entrance side, put down nolo bait (also called grasshopper bait, nosema and semi-spore). Results on adults are questionable, but it will kill young grasshoppers to at least two generations.
After preaching organics since 2012, it’s amazing to see how organic soil improvements result in healthy plants which can better defend themselves against pests and diseases.
All mole eradications are temporary, as another- family will soon move into the freed area! Some of the best treatments are hot pepper treatments with castor oil. Try garlic pepper plus 2 oz. of castor oil per gallon of water. Talpirid in a primary run (house foundation, sidewalk, fence, etc.) works extremely well.
When mosquitos are around your house, simply opening the front door is an open invitation for them to enter. Two lemon grass plants, one on each side of the sidewalk near the front door, can be very effective.
Wasps and yellowjackets often crowd around a hummingbird feeder, preventing hummingbird access. This normally on feeders with downward facing feeding tubes, which have liquid at the tube entrance, thus allowing easy access. Feeders with vertical feeding tubes deny wasp access.