Garden Pest Control: Goin' Vigilante!

    Oh yes, folks!  We have started making our daily rounds, armed to the teeth, searching for bad guys in the garden.  The pests are out and we're trying to get ahead of the game!  It's open season for cut worms, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, and grasshoppers to name a few.  Also, the roly polys, snails, and slugs are out in full force.  We have applied Sluggo Plus because we have a huge roly poly problem. They are eating everything, it seems.  We have also dusted with diatomaceous earth, although, it's hard to keep up with all the rain we've been having lately.  Our early morning sentry duty has proved useful in the fight against the arch enemies.  No leaf left unturned, pinching almost anything that moves. LOL!  Don't get me wrong!  I don't mind sharing, but these suckers are awful greedy. 
     On the flipside, the beneficial bugs are starting to arrive.  I have noticed a few spiders with a virtual buffet entangle in their webs.  Assassin bugs are joining in the fight and ,of course, the star of the garden, THE LADYBUG!  A fantastic predator with a voracious appetite for aphids.  We are seeing more and more each day.  In all stages of growth.  I would suggest to any beginner gardener to educate themselves on the differences between pests in the garden and also, the beneficial ones. 
     So, whether you pinch, squeeze, squish, crush, or stomp, get out there in the garden and GO VIGILANTE on those pests!  This is the best time to protect your plants and keep them happy and healthy.  Just a few minutes a day can make a difference between a successful harvest or a crop failure.  Good Luck in the Fight!

East Austin Urban Farm Tour

Wanted to get the word out, in case anyone's interested.  This Sunday (April 11, 1:00-4:00 p.m.), Bill & I  are attending the East Austin Urban Farm Tour. 

The self-paced tour will connect Boggy Creek, Rain Lily, Springdale, and HausBar Farms, where participants can walk the rows, visit chicken coops, get inspiration for growing, and enjoy cooking demos and tastes of local food right out of the fields, prepared by celebrated local chefs from Olivia's, Dai Due, Cooking by Design, Texas French Bread, Eastside Café, Jeffrey's and the Odd Duck Farm to Trailer. Local creators and purveyors of wine, beer and spirits will be on hand with samples too!

All the farms are located within walking/biking distance (3 blocks) of each other, and maps will be provided. Car parking is available on the farms or on the streets in front of them.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Children under 5 are free.

Tickets are available at Boggy Creek Farm (cash/check/willcall on market days) and through Farm House Delivery (credit card) http://www.farmhousedelivery.com/

All proceeds benefit the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights and freedoms of independent farmers, ranchers and consumers.
 
I can't wait, and we hope to see y'all there--sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun!

Water, Water Everywhere.....

A few weeks ago, Bill and I came to the sad conclusion that our dishwasher is on it's last legs.  It still runs, but nothing comes out sparkling clean--yuck!  Since we just purchased our new stove, the thought of another major appliance purchase was not appealing!

We've been hand-washing our dishes, and it hasn't been bad at all.  I'll be interested to see how much of a difference it makes in our water consumption--in February, we used a total of 4000 gallons and in March, 3500--it looks like we're moving in the right direction.

The other thing that we'll be doing is replacing our toilets with high performance HETs (High Efficiency Toilets)--and the BEST part?  It's going to be FREE!  That's right boys and girls-Austin Water Conservation is offering to replace up to 3 toilets per home with Pro-flo PF9300 toilets-they have dual flush technology, which ensures great performance and reduces water consumption.

To qualify, your home must have been built prior to January 1, 1996 and you must receive your water from the City of Austin or an eligible MUD.

For more information, call 512-974-2199, or visit http://www.waterwiseaustin.org/ to download an application.