Most gardeners spend good amounts of money, time, and energy in the Battle
of the Bugs. No one appreciates their favorite flower bed becoming an
all-you-can-eat-buffet line for the invading army of miniature munching
monsters. Of course, no one wants to nuke the enemy with the big P-Bomb either,
destroying the land along with the occupiers. And pesticides do just that. It’s
best to follow the excellent rule of engagement: know your enemy.
No More Free Food
If it’s a new garden you are starting, it’s likely the enemy was entrenched
long before you set your sights on that piece of land and he considers it his
territory. The best thing to do at this point is to starve him out. Yank up
everything in the territory you are now claiming as your own, and then be
patient. Yes, resist the urge to begin colonizing your new patch of paradise
for just a few weeks. Otherwise, the original occupants will simply view your
seeds or precious seedlings as a new food source.
Take the Offensive
What’s that you say? Your instincts drive you to the offensive, you cannot
passively wait for them to gather up their numbers and make an exodus, in
search of new sustenance? Then by all means take action; visit your new land on
a regular basis, armed with your trowel, and evict them by the masses!
Recruit Fighters
When it’s time to begin setting up your colonies, you will want to set up an
army of mighty warrior bugs to defend them. The best way to recruit the
beneficial flies, ladybugs, beetles, bees, and wasps that will fight on your
behalf is to offer them a steady and luxurious supply of the rations they
prefer, giving them an easy lifestyle in exchange for the protection. Many of
them seem to enjoy small, flowering plants. Members of the mint and daisy
families seem to be quite popular. So do the flowering blossoms of Chinese
cabbage, radishes, and broccoli. Parsley, which produces small white or yellow
flowers in its second year, also attracts the laborious predatory flies and
parasitic wasps you are seeking to employ. Parsley is also a self-seeder and
will happily be fruitful and multiply.
Perks of Service
Keep your army of defenders well hydrated with a steady supply of water,
especially in the hot, dry, summer months. Partially fill an old container, or
a new one if you want something nice looking to complement your new colonies,
with gravel, or small rocks. Keep it moist for them, but now over-full as you
wish to quench their thirst, not lead them to a watery grave. You want dry
spots they can climb over to access the readily available moisture.
Occupy
If you are seeking extra protection for your vegetable colonies, look to
dried grass or hay as a mulching source. Some other veterans of the Bug Battle
have experienced 60%-80% less invasions and damage by doing so. It would appear
that the Regiment of the Eighth Leg takes quite a fancy to hay and grass.
Hay-mulched gardens tend to have 10-30 times more resident spiders than those
mulched with other products.
Victory!
You should now feel rather secure about your colonies and hopefully not have
too much trouble from any of the disgruntled refugees that have been forced to
relocate. Now, all that remains is to plant your victory flag!