Dried herbs have been used throughout the ages to add flavor and character to meals, as medicinal supplements, in burial rites, and dozens of other uses. Evidence shows that the Chinese have been making fermented beverages for over 9,000 years using dried herbs. The Bible makes references to dried herbs and ancient Greek cooks used many dried herbs that we still use today. Vikings dried herbs to use as food flavorings and probably brought these herbs with them to Iceland, Greenland, and continental North America. American Indians used dried herbs for cooking and in their religious ceremonies. Therefore, I submit to you that successfully drying herbs at your home will be easy, fun, and money-saving! Also, you’ll now have a reason to go out and get more herbs for the garden!
Why dry herbs anyway? Aren’t the fresh ones better?
We dry herbs to extend their usefulness and, in some cases, to enhance their flavors or smells. Once the growing season is over, we would not have any of the fine flavorings we want in our meals. And some herbs are actually better dried than fresh. Dried herbs can last up to 6 to 12 months when stored in an airtight container!
Almost all herbs should be collected in the morning when their oils are the most concentrated. Be sure to lightly wash and dry the herbs before drying. That way, any small critters or dirt can be removed.
There are four basic ways to dry herbs: air drying, screen drying, oven drying, and seed heads. The first three ways are fundamentally the same with only drying times being different. However, there are some differences in the methods and, potentially, the results.
I’ll start with my least favorite method: oven drying. This method involves placing the herbs on a cookie sheet and placing on a LOW temperature in the oven until they become brittle. I recommend leaving the oven door open a bit so the humidity can escape. You must watch carefully to prevent cooking the herbs! Too much heat or too long a drying time can result burnt and ruined herbs.
Air drying is really easy. Take the branches of the herbs and tie them together. Hang them in a dark dry location until done – anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks depending on the humidity, temperature, and type of herb. If there is some risk of dust collecting on the leaves, place the herbs in a paper bag. Be sure to poke plenty of holes in the bag to allow the moisture a place to escape.
Screen drying is also easy but you need more hardware. Start by getting a screen mesh, muslin, or even cheesecloth stretched over a frame. Spread the herbs out onto the screen and let the drying commence! In about 7 to 14 days, you’ll have dried herbs.
I once watched Alton Brown on “Good Eats” use household air filters and a fan to dry fruits and meat. I liked the idea so much that this method can be incorporated for herb drying by adding some mesh to prevent the small leaves from getting tangled in the air filters. This method requires an air filter and mesh on both the top and the bottom. Once the herbs are spread out, place the air filters together and secure them to a box fan. Turn the fan on and let the drying begin. This method really shortens the drying time and you can have dried herbs in as little as 2 days or less
Finally, the seed head method. Well, it actually isn’t a method. The first three ways of drying are geared towards leaves while the seed head really refers to drying the seeds of such herbs as caraway, coriander, and dill. For this, wait until the dew has dried from the herbs and remove the stalks that contain the seeds. Tie the stalks together and place in a paper bag. Tie off the top of the bag, cut some holes in the bag, and hang it in a dark dry place. Patiently wait for 5 to 8 weeks and you’ll have your dried herb seeds.
In summary, drying herbs can be lots of fun. And nothing can get much easier. Now you can have those flavors and smells all year long without having to pay exorbitant prices.
References
“Growing Herbs in Bexar County”, by Diane Pfeil, Horticulture Associate, Texas Cooperative Extension – Bexar County, http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu/HomeHort/F1Column/2003Articles/nJAN%2026.htm
“Growing Herbs in Texas”, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University, http://jefferson-tx.tamu.edu/publications/Herbs-in.tx.PDF
“Preserving Herbs”, by Denice Allen, Smith County Master Gardeners, http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/county/smith/tips/veggie/dryherb.html
“What is the Best Way to Dry Herbs?”, Laurie Winn, Galveston County Master Gardeners (1998), http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/h&v_4.htm
“Archaeological Finds of Ninth- and Tenth-Century Viking Foodstuffs”, by Carolyn Priest-Dorman, Vasser University, http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/vikfood.html
“9,000-year History of Chinese Fermented Beverages”, University of Pennsylvania Museum, http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/Exp_Rese_Disc/masca/jiahu/jiahu.shtml
Semahot 12:9. See Dov Zlotnick, The Tractate “Mourning” (Semahot): Regulations Relating to Death, Burial and Mourning (New Haven/London: Yale Univ. Press, 1966), p. 82.
Showing posts with label Gardening Stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gardening Stuff. Show all posts
Friday, March 12, 2010
Freezing Herbs for Home Use
By freezing herbs, you get the benefit of having the herbs almost as if they were taken directly from the plant. There are really two ways of freezing herbs – one by placing in a bag and the other by immersing in olive oil.
To freeze herbs in a bag, you can either leave the leaves whole or chop them up. It doesn’t seem to matter which one as they both work well.
Prepare the herbs by picking them early in the morning before the sun dries them too much. Wash them thoroughly and allow them to dry on paper towels or pat them dry. Do not bruise the whole leaves too much. If you are going to chop the herbs, now is the time. Remove the stems as much as possible.
Once the herbs are prepared, bag ‘em, tag ‘em, and freeze ‘em.
I actually prefer to use a vacuum-sealed bag for my herbs. Take a vacuum bag and cut it down to a small size. Place about two to three days worth of herbs in it and seal the bag. This way, I only have to open one bag for a few days of fresh herbs without compromising the entire batch.
You can also use any commercial ‘zip lock’ type of bag. Just place your herbs in the bag, zip it, and you are done.
Always remember to mark each bag with contents and date of freezing. Simple reminders like “basil, 6/15/2007” work well for me. Herbs frozen in vacuum-sealed bags should be fresh for about one year or so. Herbs in zipped bags should be fresh for six to 12 months.
The second method for freezing herbs is to place the leaves in olive oil. Simply take the herbs and mix with enough olive oil to cover them completely. Then, spoon the mixture into some plastic ice cube trays and allow them to freeze. Once completely frozen, you can take the cubes and place them into a freezer bag.
If you like pestos, you can also freeze them effectively using this method. Just add the herb mixture you like into a food processor or blender, start grinding away adding olive oil into the machine until you have the consistency you desire. Again, spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and let it freeze. Voila! You now have instant pesto available to you.
Since the herbs preserved for freezing tend to be fresher than herbs dried, you should use ‘fresh’ proportions for the frozen variety when using them in recipes.
References:
“Growing Herbs in Texas”, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University, http://jefferson-tx.tamu.edu/publications/Herbs-in.tx.PDF
“What is the Best Way to Dry Herbs?”, Laurie Winn, Galveston County Master Gardeners (1998), http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/h&v_4.htm
To freeze herbs in a bag, you can either leave the leaves whole or chop them up. It doesn’t seem to matter which one as they both work well.
Prepare the herbs by picking them early in the morning before the sun dries them too much. Wash them thoroughly and allow them to dry on paper towels or pat them dry. Do not bruise the whole leaves too much. If you are going to chop the herbs, now is the time. Remove the stems as much as possible.
Once the herbs are prepared, bag ‘em, tag ‘em, and freeze ‘em.
I actually prefer to use a vacuum-sealed bag for my herbs. Take a vacuum bag and cut it down to a small size. Place about two to three days worth of herbs in it and seal the bag. This way, I only have to open one bag for a few days of fresh herbs without compromising the entire batch.
You can also use any commercial ‘zip lock’ type of bag. Just place your herbs in the bag, zip it, and you are done.
Always remember to mark each bag with contents and date of freezing. Simple reminders like “basil, 6/15/2007” work well for me. Herbs frozen in vacuum-sealed bags should be fresh for about one year or so. Herbs in zipped bags should be fresh for six to 12 months.
The second method for freezing herbs is to place the leaves in olive oil. Simply take the herbs and mix with enough olive oil to cover them completely. Then, spoon the mixture into some plastic ice cube trays and allow them to freeze. Once completely frozen, you can take the cubes and place them into a freezer bag.
If you like pestos, you can also freeze them effectively using this method. Just add the herb mixture you like into a food processor or blender, start grinding away adding olive oil into the machine until you have the consistency you desire. Again, spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and let it freeze. Voila! You now have instant pesto available to you.
Since the herbs preserved for freezing tend to be fresher than herbs dried, you should use ‘fresh’ proportions for the frozen variety when using them in recipes.
References:
“Growing Herbs in Texas”, Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University, http://jefferson-tx.tamu.edu/publications/Herbs-in.tx.PDF
“What is the Best Way to Dry Herbs?”, Laurie Winn, Galveston County Master Gardeners (1998), http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/h&v_4.htm
Lavender Festival in Blanco, Texas
On Saturday, June 13th, my wife and I visited the small Hill Country town of Blanco to enjoy the brutal heat and the celebration of lavender. We began our discovery of Blanco by visiting the old courthouse square and all of the booths set up selling just about anything you could think of buying.
After a refreshing lavender lemonade and seeing several artisans at work, we decided to get back into our air conditioned car and visit some of the lavender farms in the area. The first farm we visited was the Heron’s Nest Herb Farm. There, Melanie and Fred Van Aken showed off their farm to us and others. Fred spoke about his rainwater collection system that provides water for both his large garden and the gardens around his home. He also uses a solar-powered pump to provide the energy to move water through his drip system. Then, he spoke about the organic solutions needed to successfully raise his lavenders.
We moved on to the next farm on our listing, the Hill County Lavender farm with Tasha Brieger. Tasha spoke extensively about everything you would ever need to know about farming lavender. She has at least two different French lavenders and three different English lavenders available on her farm. Lots of folks were there taking scissors and making their own bunches of lavender flowers to take home.
The next farm we visited was Karen and Don Roets’ Miller Creek Lavender farm. Don greeted everyone at the parking area reminding us to sample the lavender margaritas at the store! The great part about this farm was the Texas Master Gardener who was available to talk about how to plant and maintain your lavender. She spoke to folks from the Hill Country, North Texas, and the Gulf Coast about the specific needs of these plants. Here, we also learned the differences between culinary and presentation lavenders. It was really cool to see another Master Gardener who was helping to educate the public about these wonderful plants.
After this farm, we returned to the courthouse square to enjoy local wines, beers, jellies, jams, and other great food items. The live music was wonderful and the local population was working hard to make sure all the visitors were having a great time. We even ran into another Master Gardener who was taking a well-earned rest. What a great place to be a Master Gardener!
I’m looking forward to visiting Blanco again. For sure during the next Lavender Festival but probably even before. I had a great time and came back with six different lavender plants, two different jams, souvenir cups, a new hat, and great memories!
After a refreshing lavender lemonade and seeing several artisans at work, we decided to get back into our air conditioned car and visit some of the lavender farms in the area. The first farm we visited was the Heron’s Nest Herb Farm. There, Melanie and Fred Van Aken showed off their farm to us and others. Fred spoke about his rainwater collection system that provides water for both his large garden and the gardens around his home. He also uses a solar-powered pump to provide the energy to move water through his drip system. Then, he spoke about the organic solutions needed to successfully raise his lavenders.
We moved on to the next farm on our listing, the Hill County Lavender farm with Tasha Brieger. Tasha spoke extensively about everything you would ever need to know about farming lavender. She has at least two different French lavenders and three different English lavenders available on her farm. Lots of folks were there taking scissors and making their own bunches of lavender flowers to take home.
The next farm we visited was Karen and Don Roets’ Miller Creek Lavender farm. Don greeted everyone at the parking area reminding us to sample the lavender margaritas at the store! The great part about this farm was the Texas Master Gardener who was available to talk about how to plant and maintain your lavender. She spoke to folks from the Hill Country, North Texas, and the Gulf Coast about the specific needs of these plants. Here, we also learned the differences between culinary and presentation lavenders. It was really cool to see another Master Gardener who was helping to educate the public about these wonderful plants.
After this farm, we returned to the courthouse square to enjoy local wines, beers, jellies, jams, and other great food items. The live music was wonderful and the local population was working hard to make sure all the visitors were having a great time. We even ran into another Master Gardener who was taking a well-earned rest. What a great place to be a Master Gardener!
I’m looking forward to visiting Blanco again. For sure during the next Lavender Festival but probably even before. I had a great time and came back with six different lavender plants, two different jams, souvenir cups, a new hat, and great memories!
Benefits to having imported red fire ants?
I originally posted this on the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Blog on 9 July 2009.
Each day, I start out by looking over my yard to see if another mound of fire ants appeared overnight. Although I’m pretty much amiable to just about any sort of critter in my yard, these little beasts and I have a Hate-Hate relationship. I don’t like the way their mounds look in my yard and I have severe reactions to their stings. Therefore, I do my job to help completely eradicate these imported pests.
But I heard a chance comment on the radio one day that led me to believe that some good may come from imported red fire ants. Evidently, some grape growers allow the fire ants to stay around because they help control insect pests. So, I decided to do some research on this matter.
Appears that the imported red fire ants eat just about everything including ticks, mites, weevils, and other arthropods. Crops that benefit from this natural predation are generally cotton and sugarcane fields as the ants feed on boll weevils and the sugarcane borer. This generally leads to less insecticides needed for these crops. Other agricultural crops that benefit from fire ants would be soybean, corn, sorghum, watermelon, cucumber, sunflower, and peanuts.
However, fire ants also will eat young shoots of crops and, during dry periods, chew and damage irrigation tubing. The large mounds of these ants interfere with harvesting equipment and can cause a lot of pain for any field workers who happen to get in their way. Plus, these voracious feeders are indiscriminate in their prey and will also kill beneficial insects. Okra farmers find that fire ants love the okra and pecan nuts are also a delectable for them.
Overall, I still don’t like these critters and will continue my one-person fire ant eradication efforts. I will continue to use the 2-Step Method for control in my yard and try to convince my neighbors to do the same. But, if I ever start a major sugarcane or cotton farm, I may just let these ants do their thing.
References:
AgriLife Extension (Texas A&M) and Cooperative Extension Program (Prairie View A&M), http://www.extension.org
Auburn University College of Agriculture, http://www.ag.auburn.edu
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, http://www.uaex.edu
University of Tennessee Extension, http://www.fireants.utk.edu
Each day, I start out by looking over my yard to see if another mound of fire ants appeared overnight. Although I’m pretty much amiable to just about any sort of critter in my yard, these little beasts and I have a Hate-Hate relationship. I don’t like the way their mounds look in my yard and I have severe reactions to their stings. Therefore, I do my job to help completely eradicate these imported pests.
But I heard a chance comment on the radio one day that led me to believe that some good may come from imported red fire ants. Evidently, some grape growers allow the fire ants to stay around because they help control insect pests. So, I decided to do some research on this matter.
Appears that the imported red fire ants eat just about everything including ticks, mites, weevils, and other arthropods. Crops that benefit from this natural predation are generally cotton and sugarcane fields as the ants feed on boll weevils and the sugarcane borer. This generally leads to less insecticides needed for these crops. Other agricultural crops that benefit from fire ants would be soybean, corn, sorghum, watermelon, cucumber, sunflower, and peanuts.
However, fire ants also will eat young shoots of crops and, during dry periods, chew and damage irrigation tubing. The large mounds of these ants interfere with harvesting equipment and can cause a lot of pain for any field workers who happen to get in their way. Plus, these voracious feeders are indiscriminate in their prey and will also kill beneficial insects. Okra farmers find that fire ants love the okra and pecan nuts are also a delectable for them.
Overall, I still don’t like these critters and will continue my one-person fire ant eradication efforts. I will continue to use the 2-Step Method for control in my yard and try to convince my neighbors to do the same. But, if I ever start a major sugarcane or cotton farm, I may just let these ants do their thing.
References:
AgriLife Extension (Texas A&M) and Cooperative Extension Program (Prairie View A&M), http://www.extension.org
Auburn University College of Agriculture, http://www.ag.auburn.edu
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, http://www.uaex.edu
University of Tennessee Extension, http://www.fireants.utk.edu
Humulus lupulus
Originally published in The Grapevine, a newsletter for the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, I also posted this on their blog on 9 July 2009.
Humulus lupulus is a rapid growing vine that grows well in zones 5 through 8. The plant reaches about 20 feet in height in a growing season and must be cut back during the winter months. This plant tolerates full sun to partial shade and should have lattice or something on which to cling while growing. It must be planted in well-drained soil.
The oils of this plant can be used in perfumes, cereal beverages, mineral waters and the stems are a source of fiber (like cotton stalks) that may be used for pulp or even biomass production. The young bleached tops are used as a vegetable (especially in Belgium) and the Romans ate the young shoots like asparagus.
Alcoholic extracts in various dosage forms have been used clinically in treating numerous forms of leprosy, pulmonary tuberculosis, and acute bacterial dysentery. Extracts are used in skin creams and lotions while the extracts and oils are used for flavoring in nonalcoholic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods, gelatins, and puddings.
Additionally, recent studies indicate that a flavonoid compound called xanthohumol located in the flower of the plant show toxicity to human breast, colon and ovarian cancer cells, and most recently has shown some activity against prostate cancer in Oregon State University studies.
However, the part of Humulus lupulus that is most recognized and most used is the flower. And 99.9% of all Hululus lupulus grown and harvested is used in beer production. As many of you may know, Humulus lupulus L. var. lupulus is in the family of Cannabaceae and is commonly known as “brewer’s hop.”
Today’s beer is produced by using only yeast, grain (mostly barley), hops, and water. But hops were only used in beer since about the 12th or 13th century. Originally an herbal medicine, brewers discovered that beer brewed with hops actually preserved the beer longer. Later, they discovered the beer could be brewed with lower alcohol content by using hops. Lower alcohol meant using less grain and, therefore, greater profit could be obtained.
Being a home brewer (I make my own beer and wine at the house), I have been used to buying my hops from a local homebrew store. However, in the past two years, the price of hops has gone from around $2 an ounce to upwards of $7. Some special varieties are not even available to most markets these days. This spiral in prices is due to a world-wide shortage of hops and has resulted in a large interest to grow your own hops. Most of the literature indicated that growing hops in the south was probably not a good idea but more recently, I have discovered several successful hops growers in Texas with at least a dozen within 50 miles of Houston.
Local home brewing stores have started to carry the risome during the planting season, usually early March. My contact tells me that they sell out very quickly. So, my next planting in the spring will be some hops - if I get to the store in time.
References:
“Anti-Cancer Compound in Beer Gaining Interest”, Oregon State University, http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Oct05/beerandcancer.htm
“Humulus lupulus L.”, Center for New Crops & Plants Products, Purdue University, http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Humulus_lupulus.html
“Humulus lupulus”, Vines for the Southeast, North Carolina State University, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/vines/humulus_lupulus.html
Leung, A.Y. 1980. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. John Wiley & Sons. New York.
Humulus lupulus is a rapid growing vine that grows well in zones 5 through 8. The plant reaches about 20 feet in height in a growing season and must be cut back during the winter months. This plant tolerates full sun to partial shade and should have lattice or something on which to cling while growing. It must be planted in well-drained soil.
The oils of this plant can be used in perfumes, cereal beverages, mineral waters and the stems are a source of fiber (like cotton stalks) that may be used for pulp or even biomass production. The young bleached tops are used as a vegetable (especially in Belgium) and the Romans ate the young shoots like asparagus.
Alcoholic extracts in various dosage forms have been used clinically in treating numerous forms of leprosy, pulmonary tuberculosis, and acute bacterial dysentery. Extracts are used in skin creams and lotions while the extracts and oils are used for flavoring in nonalcoholic beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods, gelatins, and puddings.
Additionally, recent studies indicate that a flavonoid compound called xanthohumol located in the flower of the plant show toxicity to human breast, colon and ovarian cancer cells, and most recently has shown some activity against prostate cancer in Oregon State University studies.
However, the part of Humulus lupulus that is most recognized and most used is the flower. And 99.9% of all Hululus lupulus grown and harvested is used in beer production. As many of you may know, Humulus lupulus L. var. lupulus is in the family of Cannabaceae and is commonly known as “brewer’s hop.”
Today’s beer is produced by using only yeast, grain (mostly barley), hops, and water. But hops were only used in beer since about the 12th or 13th century. Originally an herbal medicine, brewers discovered that beer brewed with hops actually preserved the beer longer. Later, they discovered the beer could be brewed with lower alcohol content by using hops. Lower alcohol meant using less grain and, therefore, greater profit could be obtained.
Being a home brewer (I make my own beer and wine at the house), I have been used to buying my hops from a local homebrew store. However, in the past two years, the price of hops has gone from around $2 an ounce to upwards of $7. Some special varieties are not even available to most markets these days. This spiral in prices is due to a world-wide shortage of hops and has resulted in a large interest to grow your own hops. Most of the literature indicated that growing hops in the south was probably not a good idea but more recently, I have discovered several successful hops growers in Texas with at least a dozen within 50 miles of Houston.
Local home brewing stores have started to carry the risome during the planting season, usually early March. My contact tells me that they sell out very quickly. So, my next planting in the spring will be some hops - if I get to the store in time.
References:
“Anti-Cancer Compound in Beer Gaining Interest”, Oregon State University, http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Oct05/beerandcancer.htm
“Humulus lupulus L.”, Center for New Crops & Plants Products, Purdue University, http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Humulus_lupulus.html
“Humulus lupulus”, Vines for the Southeast, North Carolina State University, http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/vines/humulus_lupulus.html
Leung, A.Y. 1980. Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs, and cosmetics. John Wiley & Sons. New York.
Ujukitsu – What is this?
I authored this article for The Grapevine, a newsletter for the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners and then posted it to the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Blog on 9 July 2009.
I was recently looking at all of the cool fruits available during the recent Fruit Tree Sale and ran across a fruit that I had no clue what it was. I was determined to find out all about this strange citrus in case I had to answer any questions about it.
Ujukitsu, Citrus ujukitsu Tanaka, originated in Kyushu, Japan and is considered quite rare. Several references mentioned that the ujukitsu is a cross between a lemon and an orange. That is not actually true; it is a hybrid lemon created in the early 1950’s by T. Tanaka. It is a lemon with a rather sweet flavor and is shaped like a small Bloomsweet grapefruit. The yellow, pear-shaped fruit can be peeled and eaten like a tangerine. Many folks say it tastes kind of like lemonade!
This variety does well in this part of Texas and should be considered a good option for a different type of citrus in your orchard. The typical protection you would use for other citrus during the cold weather would be proper for this tree also.
While researching this citrus, I came across information that shows that the oil of certain citrus [ujukitsu, yuzu (C. junos ), mochiyu (C. inflata ), and ponkan (C. reticulate)] is very effective at inhibiting the effects of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NMDA). NMDA is a highly toxic chemical that can be found in some foods (rare) and which can cause liver cancer. Use of ujukitsu oil extract actually reduces the effect of NMDA by inhibiting the formation of the chemical.
References:
Citrus Information by John Panzarella, Brief Description of Citrus Trees, http://johnpanza.googlepages.com/briefdescriptionofcitrustrees
Inhibitory Effects of Citrus Essential Oils and Their Components on the Formation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, Sawamura, M., Sun, S.H., Ozaki, K., Ishikawa, J., and Ukeda, H. J. Agric. Food Chem., 47, 12, 4868 - 4872, 1999, 10.1021/jf9903206
I was recently looking at all of the cool fruits available during the recent Fruit Tree Sale and ran across a fruit that I had no clue what it was. I was determined to find out all about this strange citrus in case I had to answer any questions about it.
Ujukitsu, Citrus ujukitsu Tanaka, originated in Kyushu, Japan and is considered quite rare. Several references mentioned that the ujukitsu is a cross between a lemon and an orange. That is not actually true; it is a hybrid lemon created in the early 1950’s by T. Tanaka. It is a lemon with a rather sweet flavor and is shaped like a small Bloomsweet grapefruit. The yellow, pear-shaped fruit can be peeled and eaten like a tangerine. Many folks say it tastes kind of like lemonade!
This variety does well in this part of Texas and should be considered a good option for a different type of citrus in your orchard. The typical protection you would use for other citrus during the cold weather would be proper for this tree also.
While researching this citrus, I came across information that shows that the oil of certain citrus [ujukitsu, yuzu (C. junos ), mochiyu (C. inflata ), and ponkan (C. reticulate)] is very effective at inhibiting the effects of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NMDA). NMDA is a highly toxic chemical that can be found in some foods (rare) and which can cause liver cancer. Use of ujukitsu oil extract actually reduces the effect of NMDA by inhibiting the formation of the chemical.
References:
Citrus Information by John Panzarella, Brief Description of Citrus Trees, http://johnpanza.googlepages.com/briefdescriptionofcitrustrees
Inhibitory Effects of Citrus Essential Oils and Their Components on the Formation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine, Sawamura, M., Sun, S.H., Ozaki, K., Ishikawa, J., and Ukeda, H. J. Agric. Food Chem., 47, 12, 4868 - 4872, 1999, 10.1021/jf9903206
Slugs - Friends or Foes?
This has appeared in The Grapevine, a newsletter for the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners. More recently, I posted this on the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners Blog on 4 August 2009.
I got up one morning and went out to my front yard to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy the sunrise. I noticed several slime trails on my walk and wondered what the critter was who made those marks. I searched around and found a slug about 3 inches long, moving slowly from one point to another.
My first inclination was to take that slug and get it off my yard! But, I really didn’t know much about them. Are they beneficial or harmful? Should I encourage them or eradicate them? After being a Master Gardener (or Associate) for more than a year, I realized I needed more information before I made a decision.
So, is the common garden slug we have here in Fort Bend a friend to you or a foe to be controlled? As hard as it might be to believe, some slugs are beneficial to your garden! They can play a major part in clearing up dead and decaying material in the garden and can assist in managing the soil by incorporating humus and helping to form soil crumbs. Additionally, they are important prey for other wildlife including toads and frogs.
For most gardeners, however, the slug is a slimy, rather disgusting creature that destroys seedlings and mature plants alike. Many a grower has gone to her prized vegetables in the morning only to find them in tatters after a night of feasting by the slimy creatures.
Slugs have rasping-chewing mouthparts and cause plant damage by creating large irregular shaped holes in leaves. Slugs have a strong sense of smell and will travel substantial distances to locate a food source.
They prefer to feed on succulent foliage such as seedlings, herbaceous plants, and fruit lying on the ground. Garden slugs feed on narcissus, grasses, lilies, iris, Jimson weed, amaryllis, coleus, tulips, and vegetables and one of their favorite food plants is the hosta.
Adults vary in color from almost white to brown, grey and black. They are legless, elongate, terrestrial (land) mollusks (snails, shellfish, etc.) and prefer to feed at night. They will however feed during the day in moist shady locations. Their movement is highly dependant upon moisture availability. They move by sliding forward on a trail of secreted slime. The slime has a silvery appearance and is often used to detect an infestation.
Slug life span is anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on species. They can lay between 20 to 100 eggs several times per year. Garden slugs increase in size during summer and reach sexual maturity in late autumn. Our local slugs here in Fort Bend only reproduce in early spring. Garden slugs reproduce faster on alkaline to neutral soils than on acid soils.
Slug eggs are very small (less than 3 mm or 1/8 inch in diameter), colorless and deposited beneath the soil surface, making them very difficult to detect. Newly hatched slugs are also small and transparent making their presence easily overlooked. Because of this, slug eggs or young slugs can enter the garden on new plants or in soil materials.
Transplants, perennial divisions, strawberry plants, etc, whether they are given to you by your neighbor or purchased at a retail outlet, can be responsible for infesting your garden. Even borrowed garden equipment can introduce slug eggs. Slugs, even though considered to be a slow mover, can move unaided from one garden to the next in an urban situation. Eggs, because of their size, can even be transferred on the bottom of footwear when crossing an infested area.
Slugs prefer warm, moist conditions. They hide under all sorts of debris including mulch, plant debris, rocks, boards, weeds, and ground covers and even seek shelter in cracks in the soil during dry periods. Rock piles are especially good breeding areas but also support populations of natural slug predators like garter snakes. With the onset of cooler weather, slugs will become less active or even dormant, but with the return of moist warm weather, slugs soon assume their active state.
Slug controls
Few gardeners, however, would want to willingly encourage slugs and will be looking for ways to get rid of them.
Slug management involves a combination of strategies such as hand picking, habitat modification, barriers, traps, baits, and commercial molluscicides. Spring and fall are the best times to control slugs. Feeding generally occurs at night. In the morning slime trails can often be seen where slugs were the night before. Since they have a skin covered with mucus that cannot dry out, the principal enemy of the slug is a hot, dry atmosphere. Making sure that there are as few ‘hiding’ places as possible is a start to reducing their activity. Of course, this is limited action and any light shower or overhead watering of the plants, will create ideal conditions for them.
Habitat modification is one of the most effective strategies in reducing slug populations. This involves eliminating hiding places such as mulches, weeds, old vegetation, and debris. The initial preparation of the soil is most important in a slug control regime and a soil that has a fine surface with no lumps will be less attractive to slugs. Make sure that your soil is well drained and not too alkaline. Regular cultivation and hoeing of the soil can also help as it disturbs the slugs and their eggs and exposes them to the drying conditions that are fatal to them.
There are natural predators of the slug and these include various beetles such as firefly larvae and ground beetles. In addition, toads, frogs, snakes, and lizards eat slugs. However, these predators may not be present in high enough numbers to keep slug populations below damaging levels. It is good to encourage some of these predators though, of course, some of them bring their own brand of threat!
One of the oldest methods of slug protection is the use of some kind of ‘barrier’ around the plant. Diatomaceous earth, shredded bark, eggshells, lime, and wood ash have been used as barriers to prevent slugs from feeding on plants. However, these materials generally work best during dry periods when slugs are less active. In addition, the effectiveness of these materials is reduced by rainfall, which means they have to be reapplied regularly after becoming wet. The use of some of these materials such as egg shells, lime, and wood ash is discouraged because over time, they may raise the pH of the soil. Also, never pour salt on slugs as this may burn plant foliage and roots.Mulches, too, can encourage slugs as they provide places to hide. Avoid mulching young plants and always apply mulch to a warm soil.
Another option is spraying coffee on plants that are plagued with slugs. Caffeine in any form — including a few No-Doz tablets mixed with water — is a slug neurotoxin that will kill these unwanted pests.
Another old-fashioned method that works well is the trap and one of the best is the beer trap. In this method a small container has beer put into it and then the container is placed on the ground where you know the slugs to be. They will climb in and drown and can be removed every few days. Try to ensure that the lip of the container is at least 2 cm. (approximately 1”) above the ground as, otherwise, the beetles that eat slugs will also get in and die. Slugs are attracted to the yeasty smell of beer and they fall into the pan and drown. However, beer does not have an EPA registration number, so the use of beer as a pesticide is not technically legal.
There are, of course, a number of patent chemical options available such as slug pellets and slug tape. Unfortunately, pellets can be dangerous to pets and, because of their blue color, they might look like attractive candies to small children. If the non-chemical methods work then use those as a first choice.
Finally, you can pick slugs by hand. Discard into a bag in your household garbage.
You may have a number of garden slugs in your garden. If you see the benefits that they bring, you may be willing to share your yard with them. Then again, they may be destroying your hard work by eating their way through your plants. Either way, slugs are a part of our gardens and knowing more about them makes them less disgusting!
By the way, studies from Colorado State University have shown that Kingsbury Malt Beverage is the beer most preferred by slugs. I wonder if I can get a grant from the Fort Bend Extension Office to make a study about different Texas beers and their influence on slugs.
References
Wauer, Ro, “Slugs are not the Loveliest of Creatures”, The Victoria Advocate, August 15, 2004.
“Attractiveness of Beer and Fermentation Products to the Gray Garden Slug, Agriolimax reticulatum”, Technical Bulletin TB97-1, Colorado State University, Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, February 1997.
“Bringing Knowledge to Life”, Ohio State University Extension, website (http://extension.osu.edu/~news/story.php?id=1993).
“Featured Creatures”, University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, website (http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/florida_slugs.htm).ou are in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, plan on spending at least a day at this wonderful place.
I got up one morning and went out to my front yard to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy the sunrise. I noticed several slime trails on my walk and wondered what the critter was who made those marks. I searched around and found a slug about 3 inches long, moving slowly from one point to another.
My first inclination was to take that slug and get it off my yard! But, I really didn’t know much about them. Are they beneficial or harmful? Should I encourage them or eradicate them? After being a Master Gardener (or Associate) for more than a year, I realized I needed more information before I made a decision.
So, is the common garden slug we have here in Fort Bend a friend to you or a foe to be controlled? As hard as it might be to believe, some slugs are beneficial to your garden! They can play a major part in clearing up dead and decaying material in the garden and can assist in managing the soil by incorporating humus and helping to form soil crumbs. Additionally, they are important prey for other wildlife including toads and frogs.
For most gardeners, however, the slug is a slimy, rather disgusting creature that destroys seedlings and mature plants alike. Many a grower has gone to her prized vegetables in the morning only to find them in tatters after a night of feasting by the slimy creatures.
Slugs have rasping-chewing mouthparts and cause plant damage by creating large irregular shaped holes in leaves. Slugs have a strong sense of smell and will travel substantial distances to locate a food source.
They prefer to feed on succulent foliage such as seedlings, herbaceous plants, and fruit lying on the ground. Garden slugs feed on narcissus, grasses, lilies, iris, Jimson weed, amaryllis, coleus, tulips, and vegetables and one of their favorite food plants is the hosta.
Adults vary in color from almost white to brown, grey and black. They are legless, elongate, terrestrial (land) mollusks (snails, shellfish, etc.) and prefer to feed at night. They will however feed during the day in moist shady locations. Their movement is highly dependant upon moisture availability. They move by sliding forward on a trail of secreted slime. The slime has a silvery appearance and is often used to detect an infestation.
Slug life span is anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on species. They can lay between 20 to 100 eggs several times per year. Garden slugs increase in size during summer and reach sexual maturity in late autumn. Our local slugs here in Fort Bend only reproduce in early spring. Garden slugs reproduce faster on alkaline to neutral soils than on acid soils.
Slug eggs are very small (less than 3 mm or 1/8 inch in diameter), colorless and deposited beneath the soil surface, making them very difficult to detect. Newly hatched slugs are also small and transparent making their presence easily overlooked. Because of this, slug eggs or young slugs can enter the garden on new plants or in soil materials.
Transplants, perennial divisions, strawberry plants, etc, whether they are given to you by your neighbor or purchased at a retail outlet, can be responsible for infesting your garden. Even borrowed garden equipment can introduce slug eggs. Slugs, even though considered to be a slow mover, can move unaided from one garden to the next in an urban situation. Eggs, because of their size, can even be transferred on the bottom of footwear when crossing an infested area.
Slugs prefer warm, moist conditions. They hide under all sorts of debris including mulch, plant debris, rocks, boards, weeds, and ground covers and even seek shelter in cracks in the soil during dry periods. Rock piles are especially good breeding areas but also support populations of natural slug predators like garter snakes. With the onset of cooler weather, slugs will become less active or even dormant, but with the return of moist warm weather, slugs soon assume their active state.
Slug controls
Few gardeners, however, would want to willingly encourage slugs and will be looking for ways to get rid of them.
Slug management involves a combination of strategies such as hand picking, habitat modification, barriers, traps, baits, and commercial molluscicides. Spring and fall are the best times to control slugs. Feeding generally occurs at night. In the morning slime trails can often be seen where slugs were the night before. Since they have a skin covered with mucus that cannot dry out, the principal enemy of the slug is a hot, dry atmosphere. Making sure that there are as few ‘hiding’ places as possible is a start to reducing their activity. Of course, this is limited action and any light shower or overhead watering of the plants, will create ideal conditions for them.
Habitat modification is one of the most effective strategies in reducing slug populations. This involves eliminating hiding places such as mulches, weeds, old vegetation, and debris. The initial preparation of the soil is most important in a slug control regime and a soil that has a fine surface with no lumps will be less attractive to slugs. Make sure that your soil is well drained and not too alkaline. Regular cultivation and hoeing of the soil can also help as it disturbs the slugs and their eggs and exposes them to the drying conditions that are fatal to them.
There are natural predators of the slug and these include various beetles such as firefly larvae and ground beetles. In addition, toads, frogs, snakes, and lizards eat slugs. However, these predators may not be present in high enough numbers to keep slug populations below damaging levels. It is good to encourage some of these predators though, of course, some of them bring their own brand of threat!
One of the oldest methods of slug protection is the use of some kind of ‘barrier’ around the plant. Diatomaceous earth, shredded bark, eggshells, lime, and wood ash have been used as barriers to prevent slugs from feeding on plants. However, these materials generally work best during dry periods when slugs are less active. In addition, the effectiveness of these materials is reduced by rainfall, which means they have to be reapplied regularly after becoming wet. The use of some of these materials such as egg shells, lime, and wood ash is discouraged because over time, they may raise the pH of the soil. Also, never pour salt on slugs as this may burn plant foliage and roots.Mulches, too, can encourage slugs as they provide places to hide. Avoid mulching young plants and always apply mulch to a warm soil.
Another option is spraying coffee on plants that are plagued with slugs. Caffeine in any form — including a few No-Doz tablets mixed with water — is a slug neurotoxin that will kill these unwanted pests.
Another old-fashioned method that works well is the trap and one of the best is the beer trap. In this method a small container has beer put into it and then the container is placed on the ground where you know the slugs to be. They will climb in and drown and can be removed every few days. Try to ensure that the lip of the container is at least 2 cm. (approximately 1”) above the ground as, otherwise, the beetles that eat slugs will also get in and die. Slugs are attracted to the yeasty smell of beer and they fall into the pan and drown. However, beer does not have an EPA registration number, so the use of beer as a pesticide is not technically legal.
There are, of course, a number of patent chemical options available such as slug pellets and slug tape. Unfortunately, pellets can be dangerous to pets and, because of their blue color, they might look like attractive candies to small children. If the non-chemical methods work then use those as a first choice.
Finally, you can pick slugs by hand. Discard into a bag in your household garbage.
You may have a number of garden slugs in your garden. If you see the benefits that they bring, you may be willing to share your yard with them. Then again, they may be destroying your hard work by eating their way through your plants. Either way, slugs are a part of our gardens and knowing more about them makes them less disgusting!
By the way, studies from Colorado State University have shown that Kingsbury Malt Beverage is the beer most preferred by slugs. I wonder if I can get a grant from the Fort Bend Extension Office to make a study about different Texas beers and their influence on slugs.
References
Wauer, Ro, “Slugs are not the Loveliest of Creatures”, The Victoria Advocate, August 15, 2004.
“Attractiveness of Beer and Fermentation Products to the Gray Garden Slug, Agriolimax reticulatum”, Technical Bulletin TB97-1, Colorado State University, Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, February 1997.
“Bringing Knowledge to Life”, Ohio State University Extension, website (http://extension.osu.edu/~news/story.php?id=1993).
“Featured Creatures”, University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, website (http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/florida_slugs.htm).ou are in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, plan on spending at least a day at this wonderful place.
Norfolk Botanical Garden
I originally posted this on the Fort Bend County Master Gardener Blog on 14 September 2009.
During a recent trip to the Hampton Roads area, my wife and I decided to visit the Norfolk Botanical Garden for the afternoon. Being this was my first visit even though I lived in the area for nine years, I really didn’t know what to expect. Just let me say that I was very pleased.
The Garden consists of 155 acres and 12 miles of paths so don’t expect to see it all in one go. Especially since there are many hidden jewels throughout the area! There are more than 30 themed areas ranging from their Japanese Garden to the Hofheimer Camellia Garden to the WOW (World of Wonders) Children’s Garden. And be aware that the gardens change with the seasons!
You have different ways of seeing these different areas, too. I would recommend you take the boat trip that journeys through the waterways giving you a general look at the layout of the park with a guide who is both knowledgeable and friendly.
After the boat excursion, take the time and ride the guided land tour that takes you through the interior of the park. This way, you can see a lot of the plantings up close and will help you narrow your focus for later.
Then, you can start out on your own and walk the paths deep into the gardens.
The next time you are in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, plan on spending at least a day at this wonderful place.
During a recent trip to the Hampton Roads area, my wife and I decided to visit the Norfolk Botanical Garden for the afternoon. Being this was my first visit even though I lived in the area for nine years, I really didn’t know what to expect. Just let me say that I was very pleased.
The Garden consists of 155 acres and 12 miles of paths so don’t expect to see it all in one go. Especially since there are many hidden jewels throughout the area! There are more than 30 themed areas ranging from their Japanese Garden to the Hofheimer Camellia Garden to the WOW (World of Wonders) Children’s Garden. And be aware that the gardens change with the seasons!
You have different ways of seeing these different areas, too. I would recommend you take the boat trip that journeys through the waterways giving you a general look at the layout of the park with a guide who is both knowledgeable and friendly.
After the boat excursion, take the time and ride the guided land tour that takes you through the interior of the park. This way, you can see a lot of the plantings up close and will help you narrow your focus for later.
Then, you can start out on your own and walk the paths deep into the gardens.
The next time you are in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, plan on spending at least a day at this wonderful place.
Horticulture at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk
This originally appeared on the Fort Bend County Master Gardener Blog on 6 November 2009.
A few months ago, my wife and I visited the Tidewater area to attend a retirement ceremony. We had planned to have a few days to re-explore the area and treat ourselves to some time at the Zoo. But we weren’t expecting the Horticulture Gardens to be the highlight!
The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk has developed ten different themed gardens throughout the park that complement the animals in residence. They have a Butterfly Garden, Color Gardens, an Organic Rose Garden, an Ornamental Grass Garden, a Rain Garden, a Shade Garden, and a Tropical Garden. However, my wife and I were overwhelmed by three of them – the Herb Garden, the Virginia Barnyard Garden, and the African Village Garden.
At first, we didn’t realize that the Gardens were there. We were walking over to the African Savanna exhibit when we stumbled across their Herb Garden. A wonderfully refreshing smell of herbs was noticeable from 15 feet away. Each section was marked as to the use of the herbs (such as medicinal or culinary) and the herbs were identified by common and scientific names.
We then starting looking for more gardens to visit (alas, we soon forgot about the animals) and found several more. Eventually, we found the Virginia Barnyard Garden where we spoke with a zoo employee about it. She mentioned that the gardens were used to educate the public and to provide fresh provender for the animals. The garden changes frequently as the seasons change and fresh plantings are continuous.
The third garden that made an impression on us was the African Village Garden. All of the plantings here are familiar to all of us but have in common being originally from Africa.
We learned a lot visiting the Gardens in this zoo and since most of us have interest in this subject, I highly recommend a visit to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk – but you don’t even have to look at the animals!
To view more about these Gardens, visit http://www.virginiazoo.org/about-the-zoo/our-gardens.asp and see what they have done to improve their zoo!
A few months ago, my wife and I visited the Tidewater area to attend a retirement ceremony. We had planned to have a few days to re-explore the area and treat ourselves to some time at the Zoo. But we weren’t expecting the Horticulture Gardens to be the highlight!
The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk has developed ten different themed gardens throughout the park that complement the animals in residence. They have a Butterfly Garden, Color Gardens, an Organic Rose Garden, an Ornamental Grass Garden, a Rain Garden, a Shade Garden, and a Tropical Garden. However, my wife and I were overwhelmed by three of them – the Herb Garden, the Virginia Barnyard Garden, and the African Village Garden.
At first, we didn’t realize that the Gardens were there. We were walking over to the African Savanna exhibit when we stumbled across their Herb Garden. A wonderfully refreshing smell of herbs was noticeable from 15 feet away. Each section was marked as to the use of the herbs (such as medicinal or culinary) and the herbs were identified by common and scientific names.
We then starting looking for more gardens to visit (alas, we soon forgot about the animals) and found several more. Eventually, we found the Virginia Barnyard Garden where we spoke with a zoo employee about it. She mentioned that the gardens were used to educate the public and to provide fresh provender for the animals. The garden changes frequently as the seasons change and fresh plantings are continuous.
The third garden that made an impression on us was the African Village Garden. All of the plantings here are familiar to all of us but have in common being originally from Africa.
We learned a lot visiting the Gardens in this zoo and since most of us have interest in this subject, I highly recommend a visit to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk – but you don’t even have to look at the animals!
To view more about these Gardens, visit http://www.virginiazoo.org/about-the-zoo/our-gardens.asp and see what they have done to improve their zoo!
Suburban Home Lawn and fire ant controls
This was originally posted by me on the Fort Bend County Master Gardener Blog on 22 December 2009.
Over the past four years, I have waged a continual battle against the bane of my existence – imported red fire ants. In this conflict, I have received numerous bites and have reached the conclusion that one of us must go. To this end, I have tried three separate commercial products to see which weapon will be the main tool in my arsenal of fire ant destruction.
Disclaimer: I am not a research scientist with unlimited funds. I am using only easily obtainable commercial products. And since I don’t receive any funding from any company, I will only talk about the active ingredient in these products.
The three active ingredients in fire ant bait which I used were Spinosad, Permethrin, and Hydramethylnon. For each, I followed the usage directions on the containers and judged the effectiveness of the ingredient by seeing how quickly the mounds disappeared when treating the individual mounds and, when broadcasting, how long the fire ants remained absent from my yard.
The first one I tried was Hydramethylnon. This product was effective in treating individual mounds within 72 hours. The broadcast method seemed to keep the ants away for only 2 to 2 1/2 months. I continued this treatment for about 9 months total but was disappointed when the fire ant mounds kept returning.
The next test involved Spinosad. This product eliminated my mounds within 48 hours although I found that adding a bit more than recommended resulted in mounds dying out in as little as 24 hours. By broadcasting Spinosad over my yard, I was delighted to see no new mounds for 4 months and usually fewer mounds than before.
The last test I made using Permethrin. I hesitated to use this product since it also eliminates many other insects. However, it was advertised as a fire ant bait so I decided to give it a try. By adding this product to the fire ant mounds and watering it in well, I followed the directions explicitly. However, the fire ants either moved to a close-by location or seemed to be totally unaffected by the product. I broadcast the product over my yard and found it to be totally ineffective in fire ant control.
In summary, the Spinosad product performed the best for me. Although it’s initial cost is higher than the other two products, I found that I didn’t have to apply it as often.
Your results may be different than mine. But I will stay with Spinosad for now.
This review does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, Inc., the Fort Bend County AgriLife Extension Office, nor the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
Over the past four years, I have waged a continual battle against the bane of my existence – imported red fire ants. In this conflict, I have received numerous bites and have reached the conclusion that one of us must go. To this end, I have tried three separate commercial products to see which weapon will be the main tool in my arsenal of fire ant destruction.
Disclaimer: I am not a research scientist with unlimited funds. I am using only easily obtainable commercial products. And since I don’t receive any funding from any company, I will only talk about the active ingredient in these products.
The three active ingredients in fire ant bait which I used were Spinosad, Permethrin, and Hydramethylnon. For each, I followed the usage directions on the containers and judged the effectiveness of the ingredient by seeing how quickly the mounds disappeared when treating the individual mounds and, when broadcasting, how long the fire ants remained absent from my yard.
The first one I tried was Hydramethylnon. This product was effective in treating individual mounds within 72 hours. The broadcast method seemed to keep the ants away for only 2 to 2 1/2 months. I continued this treatment for about 9 months total but was disappointed when the fire ant mounds kept returning.
The next test involved Spinosad. This product eliminated my mounds within 48 hours although I found that adding a bit more than recommended resulted in mounds dying out in as little as 24 hours. By broadcasting Spinosad over my yard, I was delighted to see no new mounds for 4 months and usually fewer mounds than before.
The last test I made using Permethrin. I hesitated to use this product since it also eliminates many other insects. However, it was advertised as a fire ant bait so I decided to give it a try. By adding this product to the fire ant mounds and watering it in well, I followed the directions explicitly. However, the fire ants either moved to a close-by location or seemed to be totally unaffected by the product. I broadcast the product over my yard and found it to be totally ineffective in fire ant control.
In summary, the Spinosad product performed the best for me. Although it’s initial cost is higher than the other two products, I found that I didn’t have to apply it as often.
Your results may be different than mine. But I will stay with Spinosad for now.
This review does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners, Inc., the Fort Bend County AgriLife Extension Office, nor the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)