Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Releasing a few tens of thousands of these tiny wasps in the spring of 2003 in my front and back yards has made aphids a non-issue here both on my roses and my food crops ever since. The females lay their eggs inside adult aphids, then the babies hatch and eat their way out. Like mosquitoes, the females need a protein meal to lay eggs, but of pollen vs. blood, especially the pollen of umbillifers like dill, anise, cilantro or cumin. Year after year I have JUST enough aphids, generally on cow peas, to sustain a healthy population of lady bugs and lace wings to further control aphids. Growing roses here as a monoculture, and spraying pesticides, would eliminate this balance that effortlessly controls pests FOR me.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
I just placed an order to the good folks at The Antique Rose Emporium to replace roses over the years now that I've made peace with using more water than the crazy low amounts I normally use (my water use bills often are just $4 to $10). I lost my original plant of my 'Gainesville Garnet' that I bred here in 2003 to a Paper Mulberry sucker and they are sending me two for free. (see link below). I will use most as pollen parents on 'Seagull' each spring. I ordered one of each except for two 'Old Blush' as it is a good hip setter and I want to boink it with modern pollens as it is ALMOST as tough as "Pink Cracker Rose" and dates to the year 1752. Old Blush, Graham Thomas, Souvenir de la Malmaison, Buff Beauty, General Jacqueminot (LONG shot for Tampa!), Souvenir de Mme. Leonie Viennot, Autumn Damask, Lamarque, Duchesse de Brabant, Albertine, Baronne Prevost, C.F. Meyer, Jaune Desprez, Reve d'Or. Sadly, they are out of Crepuscule. I will love having them and my own 'Gainesville Garnet' in my landscape and life again!
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