This thread is made to help newcomers and the experienced put together a pest/disease management system that will help deter and stop attacks before they happen. It will also provide recipes, summary information and links for you to further study if you wish.
So many gardeners deal with pest/disease issues when its too late. The invaders has locked on to your garden, started multiplying and even if you do gain back the upper hand, you are left with plant that has lost vigor, nutrients and vitality that will show itself in your harvest.
So what do we do? We get proactive!!!!
How do we get proactive? From the moment you start building your soil!!
Soil Amendments
Crab Meal
Crab meal is kiln dried shell of crabs (obviously!!) that is pulverized to a fine dust. It provides a good source of Ca and N but it also contains a protein called chitin and this is what we are after. (The fertilizer capabilities are awesome but we are talking IPM points here.)
Chitin has been shown to signal the plant to ramp up its internal defense mechanism. The chitin induced defense response is important because ironically chitin is one of the sources in most fungal and insect pathogens. Basically your plant is gearing up for the fight against the bad guys. And that's what I call proactive!!
Links
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2634388/
http://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ajb.2011.29.37
Wiki Quote
Most recent studies point out that chitin is a good inducer for defense mechanisms in plants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin
Usage
1/2 cup to 1 cup per cubic foot
Side note
Did you know that barley seeds contains chitinases which aids as a defense protien?
http://www.researchgate.net/publica...ed_Isoforms_during_Early_Stages_of_Imbibition
Neem Meal
Neem meal is the byproduct of extracting neem oil from the neem seed kernels. In the neem meal lies a component named azadirachtin. Azadirachtin disturbs hormones that control the insects ability to reproduce, molt, mate, and feed.
For other insects its smell can act as a deterrent. Enough said..
Links
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html
http://www.jbiopest.com/users/LW8/efiles/Vol_5_0_72_76F.pdf
Wiki Quote
Neem cake is effective in the management of insects and pests. The bitter principles of the soil and cake have been reported to have seven types of activities (a) antifeedant (b) attractant (c) repellent (d) insecticide (e) nematicide (f) growth disruptor and (g) antimicrobial.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_cake
Usage
1/4 cup to 1 cup per cubic foot
Side Note
Karanja meal is very similar to Neem meal and can be used as a replacement.
These two fine soil amendments are great and do work proactively to protect your garden (particularly soil dwellers) but you must remember you need a system in place to further deter and control any unwanted insects. This is where we come to our next post... Foilars sprays!!
So many gardeners deal with pest/disease issues when its too late. The invaders has locked on to your garden, started multiplying and even if you do gain back the upper hand, you are left with plant that has lost vigor, nutrients and vitality that will show itself in your harvest.
So what do we do? We get proactive!!!!
How do we get proactive? From the moment you start building your soil!!
Soil Amendments
Crab Meal
Crab meal is kiln dried shell of crabs (obviously!!) that is pulverized to a fine dust. It provides a good source of Ca and N but it also contains a protein called chitin and this is what we are after. (The fertilizer capabilities are awesome but we are talking IPM points here.)
Chitin has been shown to signal the plant to ramp up its internal defense mechanism. The chitin induced defense response is important because ironically chitin is one of the sources in most fungal and insect pathogens. Basically your plant is gearing up for the fight against the bad guys. And that's what I call proactive!!
Links
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2634388/
http://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ajb.2011.29.37
Wiki Quote
Most recent studies point out that chitin is a good inducer for defense mechanisms in plants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin
Usage
1/2 cup to 1 cup per cubic foot
Side note
Did you know that barley seeds contains chitinases which aids as a defense protien?
http://www.researchgate.net/publica...ed_Isoforms_during_Early_Stages_of_Imbibition
Neem Meal
Neem meal is the byproduct of extracting neem oil from the neem seed kernels. In the neem meal lies a component named azadirachtin. Azadirachtin disturbs hormones that control the insects ability to reproduce, molt, mate, and feed.
For other insects its smell can act as a deterrent. Enough said..
Links
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/neemgen.html
http://www.jbiopest.com/users/LW8/efiles/Vol_5_0_72_76F.pdf
Wiki Quote
Neem cake is effective in the management of insects and pests. The bitter principles of the soil and cake have been reported to have seven types of activities (a) antifeedant (b) attractant (c) repellent (d) insecticide (e) nematicide (f) growth disruptor and (g) antimicrobial.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_cake
Usage
1/4 cup to 1 cup per cubic foot
Side Note
Karanja meal is very similar to Neem meal and can be used as a replacement.
These two fine soil amendments are great and do work proactively to protect your garden (particularly soil dwellers) but you must remember you need a system in place to further deter and control any unwanted insects. This is where we come to our next post... Foilars sprays!!