RE: [compost_tea] Thrips

From: Tatia Veltkamp <tatiav_at_comcast.net>
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:13:30 -0700

Richard,

Thank you very much! I am looking into a refractometer. I’d also =
like to look into those books you suggested. I know that if I can grow thi=
ngs well and in an environment they like, I will have fewer problems with t=
he bad bugs!

 

I appreciate everyone’s suggestions!

Tatia

 

From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On B=
ehalf Of ezentrix_at_aol.com
Sent: Monday, January 23, 2012 6:38 AM
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Thrips

 

  

Hello Tatia

 

I have never done Brix testing on weeds, but there is no reason that it wou=
ld be any different from food plants for humans. Brix is the measure of su=
gar and minerals in a plant's sap. It is easily tested with some relatively=
 inexpensive equipment. I use a $30 press made from vice grips and a tempe=
rature compensating refractometer ~ $120.00 from many venders or check Peac=
eful Valley or Pike Agrilabs. Brix over 12 is generally enough to deter in=
sects.

 

 The people that I learned from say that Brix is a single indicator of plan=
t health and that insects only attack unhealthy plants. That has been my e=
xperience in my garden and orchard. The goal then is healthy plants and th=
is is achieved by looking at soil structure, chemistry, biology, moisture =
and energy. One thing that I have learned over the past years is that bio=
logy is the digestive system of the soil, but it is only part of the soluti=
on. It is not the magic bullet that some claim. If you want to put in som=
e time, try Mainline Farming For Century 21 by Dan Skow, D.V.M. & Charles W=
alters or <http://www.acresusa.com/books/closeup.asp?action=search&prod=
id=18&catid=&pcid=2> Science In Agriculture by Arden Andersen both av=
ailable from Acres USA.

 

Kind Regards,

Richard Jennings, Designer
Earthwrights Designs / Dirtwrights Technologies
30 Camino Sudeste
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508
USA
Phone: (1 505 ) 986 1719
www.earthwrights.com

 

In a message dated 1/22/2012 4:47:36 P.M. Mountain Standard Time, damocleso=
ne_at_gmail.com writes:

Hi,

I don’t get to follow everything on these posts and am still very m=
uch a newbie, but am learning a lot on here. I grow milkweed in 1 gallon a=
nd 4” pots to feed Monarch caterpillars. I have trouble (LOTS) wit=
h thrips. They also love the milkweed. I found in the summer there are pl=
enty of predators that take care of the thrips if I move the plants outside=
. But I have to grow almost year round and find the thrips appearing at ab=
out 6-8 weeks on the plants (I grow from seed) in the greenhouse. I canno=
t use chemicals so the plants are safe for the caterpillars, although I=
ve tried some of them too and they don’t work. I’ve d=
one some soaping and that helps (a little), but I’m wondering about=
 using compost tea as a foliar feed if that would help. Since part of the =
thrips’ life cycle is in the soil, I’m also wondering if I =
should be adding worm castings or compost to the top layer of the soil to h=
elp with any microbes that might attack them there.

I realize that I am not going to get rid of the thrips. But I’m tr=
ying to learn how to control them, so they don’t take over. Has an=
yone dealt with thrips successfully in a greenhouse?

Thanks so much for any insight you might have!

Tatia

Albuquerque, NM

 







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Received on Mon Jan 23 2012 - 19:21:22 EST

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