We found ourselves with an aphids problem. Fortunately, the garden store sells tupperwares with 1500 ladybugs for $9.
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I cook with local, organic, and seasonal ingredients. I have a fondness for simple meals, with a touch of Provençal gourmet.
Mostly, I keep this blog because I know that you want to know what I had for lunch today.
4 comments:
I, too, have an aphids problem, although luckily only on my landlord's irises and not (yet?) on my herbs or strawberries. I'm a little worried about putting in tomatoes in a few weeks, as they already have a tough time in this climate. And I have a housemate with a huge fear of ladybugs--no joke--because she had a ladybug infestation in her dorm room. So I'm not sure a tub of cute little red bugs is a good solution to this problem....
Wait, I don't understand. Ladybugs are completely harmless. Even if they infest a dorm room --- and I don't think they'd do that unless they found food there, which your housemate probably wanted them to eat --- they won't bite people. Maybe ladybug poo can be a problem?
What about preying mantises? Also harmless to people, and also very cute. I think they do eat aphids, although it's not their primary food source.
My understanding is that they were everywhere--on her walls, in her things, in her bed, etc. And she says they can bite, which I can see would be quite a problem. Ladybug poo was also quite probably involved. (What an odd sentence.)
Preying mantises are not quite as cute nor quite as helpful, but they may get the job done.
My mom suggested picking them off and squishing them while wearing gloves, but I doubt I could get even half of them. There are just so damn many!
If they get my tomatoes, though, it's war. I'm bringing out the ladybug cavalry, whether or not my housemate hates me. :)
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