I really need some advice about controlling or repelling Armadillidium- 'rollypollies, AKA Pill Bugs, AKA wood lice. (They are actually crustaceans, breathe thru gills, the whole bit...) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse This year there was a lot of flooding and they are everywhere. People doubt, because they are kinda cute, that they can harm anything except 'decaying wood' ; but they are munching off (while living in) the flowers of my pumpkins, my rhubarb looks like something took a shotgun to it, and I've caught them bobbiting the tomato and bean plants. Those lil round marks right at the top by the stem of tomatoes? Pill bugs. They aren't insects, so I'm not having luck with mild repellents and soaps. So far my garden has never needed the heavy Sevin type products -its been chemical free while I've had it. Advice?
Place a small amount of corn meal in a covered container with a small entry hole at the bottom to allow sowbugs/pillbugs in. Place in areas of high populations. Sowbugs will feed on cornmeal and swell to death. Ewww, but apparently effective.
Yes, You will. I never knew just how bad it could be and years ago said the same things, oh, they just feed on rotting wood. Is it the moisture? I never knew why they are here in such great numbers but there are many things I just don't grow anymore: marigolds, pansies, hostas, morning glories, hybrid polyanthus........ I have huge problems growing beans past the level where they are attacked and chewed right thru the stem! This year has been exceptionally dry here and there seem to be fewer but in the spring I asked somewhere and received a reply that seemed to work! 1st time in years I have found some relief besides planting starts inside a 1 gal. pot with the bottom cut out. The rim seems to keep the critters out & off the plants. BUT THE THING THAT WORKED cornmeal just didn't do it, way, way too many bugs, and snakes sure like to munch them up but how many can one skinny snake eat ? Oh what is the answer you are wondering???? Ground oyster shells, as found at feed stores for chickens, if you are not near the ocean to gather a few, sprinkled on the soil around whatever is being eaten seemed to really do the trick!!! First time in 20 yrs here that I have seen anything non-toxic work and I have not tried using toxins. The oyster shells are known as slug repellant as they can't stand the sharpness. I tried it on my runner beans, actually leaving them exposed with only crushed shells around to protect and where is Jack when you need him? You oughta see my beans this year! They are really out of sight as they mound over the large Buddlea at the back fence and I guess that's where I will be getting my seeds from, the high beans up there. Best of luck and please do post back your results if you do try this one. I'd like to know if perhaps our drier year is responsible or if it is indeed the oyster shells as I believe. Thks D
Dana- thanks so much for that shells tip! I'm wondering if zebra mussel shells would work too, we've had a plague of them in Lake Michigan, be great to fight one invasive species with another!:] do you use the shells in concentrations enough to change the ph? ps how can Vancouver Island have a dry spell?:]
Climate change? Weather cycles? We are heading into an el nino year and maybe we will get a wet winter again, dry since last ? Fall? or before, can't recall now, been watering so long am tired of it but it's getting better with the cooler weather. On the inside of the Island we are in a rain shadow due to Mt Arrowsmith where I live and we are customarily very dry in August many years. The west coast is much wetter. There are some years of summer-of-no-summer, overcast and showery but that's actually quite nice. (that's what happened after Mt St Helens went off in the '80's) And again two years ago. Things grow really well then, when it is humid and warm but not hot enough to grow a lot of molds at all times. Having grown up in Ontario I know a hot humid climate and this is not one. It most times always cools off at night and when you get in the shade of a tree it is actually cooler, unlike the hot humid places back there that I know, and think you know too. Have no idea on the mussels but it's a thought caution tho as some shells contain toxins!!! check 1st oysters are safe enough to ingest. How fast do they break down & change the ph - google?? ask a chemist? Maybe you've got an idea to pursue there for organic gardeners if you all get multitudes of pill bugs there. People just don't know what it's like until you move to a place that has lots as part of the natural environment. Uno! LOTS! I just sprinkled it lightly around the groups of plants I wanted protected. D D
D: I'm wondering if the oyster shells you used did work? Some of my flowers, beans, etc., have been eaten by "something" this year. I note there are many wood bugs and earwigs in the yard, so I'm beginning to think they are the culprits as the damage is way too much for just slugs. Cornmeal just doesn't work, they are too many. I've put earwig bait down (you put it under a rock so animals don't injest it), and that doesn't work either. Maybe someone out there in "gardening land" has some other ideas? sue
Yes, the shell bits worked for the beans and the wood bugs did not win! 2 yrs in a row now, even with a late spring and the scarlet runner beans came back from last year's roots. (again as this has happened here in other mild winters) A friend tried it on the too too numerous black slugs she has, to no avail. (cuke on foil did not work for her either) Earwigs have never damaged anything here much and we have tons of those too! The shells are available in feed stores. I got a little in bulk at sharkare. I have noted that the wood bugs arrive a little later in the spring season and if one can plant the beans before the bugs wake up in the spring they do not destroy them as the plants have had a head start. A tricky matter of timing as beans need those mild night temps to grow..... I often use a gallon jar as a mini greenhouse for beans, set on top of a 1 gallon pot that has had its bottom cut out and pushed into the ground. The lip of the pot seems to discourage some bugs but the jar for sure keeps them out and helps heat up the seeded spot. When the seeds have sprouted and the plants need air, I use a large pop bottle with its bottom cut off as a mini cloche with the top off for air circulation. All just to protect the plant til it is strong enough to stand up to weather and insects. We had a late spring this year and the beans seemed slow but managed just fine surrounded by the shell bits. OK. Now I'll step outside an wave HELLO! to you over on Gabe from the big rock. Cheers, D D
Thanks for the info, D. I planted the beans twice, but second time in a container in my little greenhouse. Once about 3" tall, I planted outside and protected with a clouch. Made no difference, I think they must come up from underneath the dirt! Never say die, I'll try the oyster shell next year. sue
Earwigs, along the pill bug & wood lice were terrible here this year & I found they were the culprits eating my clematis & other vines. My beans did nothing, as everytime they grew a little something ate them. It may have been our dampish, late spring? Also the banana slugs were getting into my window boxes & eating all the pansies. I have now lined the window boxes with copper tape from Lee Valley & I will try the crushed shells, maybe I'll have to mulch the entire garden with shells! :)
Yes, there it is. It WAS a late spring here and the beans did not really take off until later, when the woodbugs are abundant. I used the gallon jugs there too for a while to increase warmth. Once they get tall enough they are usually safe from predation.
