This show about our garden is a “repetey” from a couple years ago. Some things neve
r change, except, we have started using neem oil as a repellant and it is an effective organic way to deal with troublesome insects. Neem oil is derived from the seed of the Neem tree (Azadirachta indica) native to parts of India. It is related, by the way, to the chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach), an exotic found all over urban southeastern Arizona in old landscapes. I’ve read that a pesticide can be made from its berries and seed as well. It might be well worth doing some homework if you have a chinaberry in your neighborhood and troublesome insects in your garden.
The pesky insects found around our home and garden and that are the stars of this show are the rose chafer (Macrodactylus uniformis), the squash bug (Anasa trista), and the harlequin bug (Murgatia histrionica). Now you know.
Growing plants and being involved in horticulture since 1980 meant knowing the USDA’s plant hardiness zones so I could jabber to folks knowingly (Ha!)...
This episode is a reminiscence…something I seem to be doing a lot of lately…and also a plea for getting our children and grandchildren out...
Petey feels the need to jabber about three different wildflowers. This better be interesting. We did not have good winter rains and what wildflowers...
