They should call them "lazybugs"
Garden Variety readers will recall that I spent a ridiculous amount of money on ladybugs last summer in an organic attempt to kill the aphids that were chewing my garden to ribbons.
Twice I released thousands of ladybugs -- ok, some of them were dead -- into the garden in the evening, onto roses and other plants that had been gently misted.
The ladybugs, who are supposed to eat something like 5,000 aphids each in their lifetime, were gone by morning and the aphids were throwing a party.
Photo courtesy of
This year, I am going to try the suggestions of fellow blogger Colleen Vanderlinden, who writes about organic gardening for About.com.
She provides recipes for two sprays: one made with the leaves of tomato plants and another with garlic.
This warning from Colleen: the garlic spray will also kill beneficial insects, like those useless ladybugs, while the tomato spray will not.
Comments
for severe problems, apply horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, or neem.
Thanks, M -- Susan
Posted by: NotableM | April 26, 2010 3:45 PM
Another solution to try is planting catnip (or another member of the mint familu), sweet basil, or nasturium.
Posted by: NotableM | April 26, 2010 3:53 PM