I have earwigs, ants, spiders everywhere...I was trying to live with
them, I have holes in all my flowers, shrubs, they have ruined my
clematis, never seen it bloom in 3 years since I planted it because they
eat it. Now they are eating my August Apples, I have to do something.

I have a 2 year old and would like organic recipes or product
suggestions. I was thinking I should put something on the lawn in the
spring?

And something around the parameter of the house throughout the summer?

I Googled and came up with dish soap which may or may not kill some
plants?

Another said to spread powdered soap on your lawn mixed with
diatomaceous earth, I have looked and cant find large quantities just
the squirt bottles.

Any recipes that you have tried ?


--
CathyLee
They neigh I pay
Nova Scotia, Canada
Zone 5a

dirtdoctor.com has lots of articles and recipes. That's Howard Garrett's
website. I have one of his books and I like his approaches and recipes.

John

"CathyLee" wrote in message
...
I have earwigs, ants, spiders everywhere...I was trying to live with
them, I have holes in all my flowers, shrubs, they have ruined my
clematis, never seen it bloom in 3 years since I planted it because they
eat it. Now they are eating my August Apples, I have to do something.

I have a 2 year old and would like organic recipes or product
suggestions. I was thinking I should put something on the lawn in the
spring?

And something around the parameter of the house throughout the summer?

I Googled and came up with dish soap which may or may not kill some
plants?

Another said to spread powdered soap on your lawn mixed with
diatomaceous earth, I have looked and cant find large quantities just
the squirt bottles.

Any recipes that you have tried ?


--
CathyLee
They neigh I pay
Nova Scotia, Canada
Zone 5a

First, ants and spiders don't "eat" plants - actually, spiders are some of
the most beneficial creatures in the garden
and I wouldn't encourage their wholesale removal (although it can be very
tiresome to walk through their webs
constantly, specially at this time of year). Ants can be baited with sugar
laced with boric acid if they become a problem,
although other than farming aphids, they too are harmless to plants.

Earwigs can feed on flower buds, but they are more likely to chomp on
decaying organic matter. You can trap them
using a rolled up, moistened newspaper. Just place it in the garden in the
evening where you think they congregate and
collect in the morning and toss in the trash. They will have taken up
residence overnight.

What is actually feeding on your plants is none of the above. It is
difficult (and even irresponsible) to suggest controls
when one doesn't even know the source of the problem. Most insect pests are
nocturnal. Take a tour of your garden
at dusk and inspect the plants most affected. Be sure to look under the
leaves. Once you have located the real culprits,
report back here and we can provide some targeted advice.

btw, lawn insect pests are not the same as those that bother other plants.
Just treating your lawn will not deter other
nasties.

pam - gardengal


"CathyLee" wrote in message
...
I have earwigs, ants, spiders everywhere...I was trying to live with
them, I have holes in all my flowers, shrubs, they have ruined my
clematis, never seen it bloom in 3 years since I planted it because they
eat it. Now they are eating my August Apples, I have to do something.

I have a 2 year old and would like organic recipes or product
suggestions. I was thinking I should put something on the lawn in the
spring?

And something around the parameter of the house throughout the summer?

I Googled and came up with dish soap which may or may not kill some
plants?

Another said to spread powdered soap on your lawn mixed with
diatomaceous earth, I have looked and cant find large quantities just
the squirt bottles.

Any recipes that you have tried ?


--
CathyLee
They neigh I pay
Nova Scotia, Canada
Zone 5a

Two people have given you good answers so far. Another step would be to
contact your state cooperative extension service. Google with your state
name and the words "cooperative extension". Or, if you know of a REAL garden
center, call them and ask who to contact. Some CE services are staffed with
retired "master gardeners" who've seen everything over the years. You may be
amazed at the kind of help they can provide, even with just descriptions of
problems over the phone.

Chemicals are absolutely a LAST resort, and a lousy option no matter what.

"pam" expounded:

Earwigs can feed on flower buds, but they are more likely to chomp on
decaying organic matter. You can trap them
using a rolled up, moistened newspaper. Just place it in the garden in the
evening where you think they congregate and
collect in the morning and toss in the trash. They will have taken up
residence overnight.

What is actually feeding on your plants is none of the above.

I respectfully disagree about the earwigs, Pam. They do quite a
number on my flowers, plants and all, whern there are lots of them -
they especially love torenia and mimulus ( I've seen them in
action! Thankfully they aren't numerous this year, it's been too dry.
Then again, maybe I'd prefer some earwigs and rain!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

"Ann" wrote in message
...
"pam" expounded:

Earwigs can feed on flower buds, but they are more likely to chomp on
decaying organic matter. You can trap them
using a rolled up, moistened newspaper. Just place it in the garden in the
evening where you think they congregate and
collect in the morning and toss in the trash. They will have taken up
residence overnight.

What is actually feeding on your plants is none of the above.

I respectfully disagree about the earwigs, Pam. They do quite a
number on my flowers, plants and all, whern there are lots of them -
they especially love torenia and mimulus ( I've seen them in
action! Thankfully they aren't numerous this year, it's been too dry.
Then again, maybe I'd prefer some earwigs and rain!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Do earwigs tend to arrive in waves? If yes, will they be dissuaded to any
significant degree by being dislodged with spray from a watering wand or
whatever?

Ann, I didn't mean to imply that earwigs are harmless - Lord knows thay have
done some serious damage on dahlias and roses in my garden from time to
time - but they are unlikely to have wreaked the devastation the OP
describes unless present in remarkable numbers. I believe the damage is
being caused by some as yet unidentified nasties. The earwigs are pretty
darn easy to trap using the method described, tho.

pam


"Ann" wrote in message
...
"pam" expounded:

Earwigs can feed on flower buds, but they are more likely to chomp on
decaying organic matter. You can trap them
using a rolled up, moistened newspaper. Just place it in the garden in the
evening where you think they congregate and
collect in the morning and toss in the trash. They will have taken up
residence overnight.

What is actually feeding on your plants is none of the above.

I respectfully disagree about the earwigs, Pam. They do quite a
number on my flowers, plants and all, whern there are lots of them -
they especially love torenia and mimulus ( I've seen them in
action! Thankfully they aren't numerous this year, it's been too dry.
Then again, maybe I'd prefer some earwigs and rain!
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Pam.
Love your suggestions!

"Doug Kanter" expounded:

Do earwigs tend to arrive in waves? If yes, will they be dissuaded to any
significant degree by being dislodged with spray from a watering wand or
whatever?

Dampness. I think the water would only encourage them. The best
thing for me to do is to make sure the mulch is fine, and there's no
debris laying around for them to hide under (in the moisture).
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

"pam" expounded:

Ann, I didn't mean to imply that earwigs are harmless - Lord knows thay have
done some serious damage on dahlias and roses in my garden from time to
time - but they are unlikely to have wreaked the devastation the OP
describes unless present in remarkable numbers. I believe the damage is
being caused by some as yet unidentified nasties. The earwigs are pretty
darn easy to trap using the method described, tho.

I understand, but in the past we've had people insisting that earwigs
don't cause much harm in a garden, and they certainly can (as you
know) if you've got a huge number of them. I agree with what you
suspect about 'unidentified nasties' WRT this particular thread.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************