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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 12:54:19 GMT
Didn't see that you all had a greenhouse chat. I guess I posted my gnat problem in the wrong place. I think the hydrogen peroxide might be working on those little buggers. I LOVE my greenhouse and if any one here wants to know what NOT to do, just ask me. I've made every mistake possible with mine and still learning. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/sad.gif |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 13:10:32 GMT
I have got a new one for next year (still to be put up) but 2 years running I have had caterpillars having a feast on my toms in the GH...I was not amused...
I used a garlic concoction to get rid of them but the smell was disgusting...the toms were just ripening so I didn't want to spray them with something drastic!!
Have you come across caterpillars in the GH?? Even the Gardner at my GC had never encountered it...
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 13:34:31 GMT
I have got a new one for next year (still to be put up) but 2 years running I have had caterpillars having a feast on my toms in the GH...I was not amused... I used a garlic concoction to get rid of them but the smell was disgusting...the toms were just ripening so I didn't want to spray them with something drastic!! Have you come across caterpillars in the GH?? Even the Gardner at my GC had never encountered it... RF Nope. No caterpillars, but do have a lot of Preying Mantis, which are fun to play with, but they did nothing to cure the gnat problem. Interesting. Hadn't thought about using the garlic in the GH. I'll bet it did stink. We buy the garlic juice in gallon jugs and spray it around our yard to deter the mosquitoes. It seems to be working. I noticed the other day that my artichokes were covered in aphids. I drenched them in my HP water and waiting to see if it kills them. My GH is the only thing that saves my sanity during the long Winters. |
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 13:37:19 GMT
My GH isn't very big. Only 8 x 15. Here's a pix.  It's not a picture of mine (wish it were), but off the net. No way could I have flowers around mine, with all the hungry deer in our area. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 14:11:16 GMT
What a fantastic shape - great...still a good size..would love one like that!!
Do you have a bad problem with deer??
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 14:43:30 GMT
What a fantastic shape - great...still a good size..would love one like that!! Do you have a bad problem with deer?? RF We like the GH. We were worried that the light wouldn't be enough, but it is very well diffused, allowing us to can grow veggies under the tables. Our main problem is wind. Even though we liked the look of the put-together-kind better, we knew that it would not hold up. Even with this one, we had to secure it with cement anchors and a truckers strap across the top that is cement anchored into the ground. Deer problem? OMG, do we ever! We have a permanent herd of about 20, that has been living and eating here for 43 years and there is NOTHING that they won't eat. They've even eaten my Barberry bushes and marigolds. Everything I value is fenced. I can see little hoof prints all around the GH. They are just waiting for me to accidentally leave the door open. Do you have deer problems? |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 14:57:46 GMT
I can see that the GH looks light weight as is my new one - Polycarbonate...my OH has suggested also tying it down permanently to the fencing as well as cementing the foundation...
Someone that I now in the Uk has deer problems - tends to loose anything that isn't fenced in as well.
We are very lucky here in Germany - the Wild Boar population has gone berserk and laws are being changed to allow more and more to be shot. They are coming nearer and nearer to houses in search of food and absolutely trash a garden completely in one night if they get in...
Although we live in the country and are surrounded by forests that are full of deer, wild boar and unfortunately Raccoons are getting more and more, plus normal animals, the only thing that I have had in the garden up to now are mice and rats...slugs and snails of course, aphids and co and now caterpillars!! Even the moles are on the other side of the road!! Very lucky..
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 15:06:27 GMT
You're in Germany. It is so awesome to be able to talk with you. My mother's side came from Germany during the war.
I have heard that Wild Boar can be a real problem. We don't have them here.
We are in the far North East part of California, up in the high desert, near the Sierras.
The Raccoon is slowing moving down from the forests and giving us some grief. I'd always thought it would be neat to have them around. This was until I saw them checking out my Koi pond. Now we trap them and haul them back to the forest.
We have moles that dig up our lawns, but no rats.
What kind of caterpillar are you having a problem with?
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 15:31:45 GMT
Two are getting a little out of hand:
One is the Oak Processionary which is extremely irritant as they have hairs that are poisonous for people - and guess what - we are surrounded by Oak trees!!
The second is a variety of the Ermine moth - it spins webs with millions of caterpillars - we do get those on the bushes in the garden but I spray immediately when I see them.
Otherwise the ones in the GH are what I would call everyday normal moth caterpillars...with an enormous appetite!!!
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 15:47:20 GMT
Two are getting a little out of hand: One is the Oak Processionary which is extremely irritant as they have hairs that are poisonous for people - and guess what - we are surrounded by Oak trees!! The second is a variety of the Ermine moth - it spins webs with millions of caterpillars - we do get those on the bushes in the garden but I spray immediately when I see them. Otherwise the ones in the GH are what I would call everyday normal moth caterpillars...with an enormous appetite!!! RF A poisonous-haired caterpillar? I've never heard of such a critter. Here's the worst of what we have.  Wish I could figure out how to make these pictures smaller. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 16:57:02 GMT
Good heavens - what is that then?? The pics won't get bigger than 640 x 480 as we have a code in place to stop it... This is the Oak Processionary caterpillar - covers large areas of the trunk of an Oak tree...  Close up...you can see the hairs..  This is the Bird-cherry Ermine caterpillar which we get in the garden and can strip a small tree/ bush in a day or so....  RF |
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 17:25:38 GMT
It's a Tomato Horn Worm and can eat a small tomato plant in 2 days. We have to pick them off by hand. Usually about 5 will attack each plant.
That little hairy caterpillar of yours is kind of cute. I can just see my grand sons trying to pick one up.
The oak tree caterpillars look a lot like what we call Tent Caterpillars.
Not sure how to re size photos. Was my Tomato Horn Worm picture too big?
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 17:32:03 GMT
No the pic is fine - you can mark in your image software that pics stay at 640 x 480 but I have just seen that this pic is 800 x 533 and the code has worked well...we enjoy larger pics here anyway, just as long as the code can cope and they don't stretch the board...
Well that hairy caterpillar causes asthma and terrible itching and skin conditions...
The others are harmless, just eat anything and everything they find...
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 12, 2012 17:36:03 GMT
Good that Pix is okay. Don't send sample of hairy caterpillar and I won't send one of Tomato Horn Worm.  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 12, 2012 17:38:20 GMT
Haha - sounds a good deal to me !!
RF
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Post by carolann on Dec 13, 2012 9:48:38 GMT
I have enjoyed popping in and reading about you LW, love the colour of the catapiller  pity its such a pest and I love your GH never seen one of thoses before very nifty do they come in larger sizes? I have 3 GH's 2 glass and 1 perspex the last one is like being in a sieve when it rains but its so large you can not stop it from leaking you stop one downpour and another one starts somewhere else I look forward to seeing pics of you garden n the garden thread. |
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 15, 2012 20:56:40 GMT
Hi, Carolann!!!
Thanks. We do like the GH. The largest size is 8 x 15 and so far it seems to be enough room.
I would love a huge plexiglass one, but we have such awful winds, that it would never hold up.
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Post by Dutchy on Dec 16, 2012 11:01:24 GMT
Don't know about your caterpillar LW I sure would not want it even if it looks nice.
RF start collecting earwigs they eat the Ermine eggs and the baby ones.
Since I introduced them the pest has diminished somewhat.
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 16, 2012 16:05:41 GMT
Don't know about your caterpillar LW I sure would not want it even if it looks nice. RF start collecting earwigs they eat the Ermine eggs and the baby ones. Since I introduced them the pest has diminished somewhat. So, I guess you're not up for me sending any Tomato Worms? I can send millions of earwigs. What are Ermine eggs. I didn't think earwigs were beneficial, at all. |
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Post by Rosefriend on Dec 16, 2012 16:18:34 GMT
Ermine moths are the type that writhe on my bushes here...yuk!!
Haha - I can just imagine the Postie delivering earwigs to Germany and Tomato worms to Holland...
I always thought earwigs were pretty beneficial insects as they eat aphids and decaying plants etc. However all they seem to do here are eat my Dahlias, seedlings and I find them on my toms as well...now then are they eating the caterpillars/eggs or my toms!!!
Not the best things to have in a GH methinks!!
RF
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 16, 2012 16:46:46 GMT
I'd like to thank Rose for setting me up with that beautiful Avatar. I IM'd her and asked, because for some reason I've never been able to get one to set. Thanks, Rose.  I love it! |
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Post by Ladygardener on Dec 16, 2012 16:58:43 GMT
It's a lovely Avatar Lonewolf.  Good looking greenhouse you have there, I don't have room for one but have a mini plastic growhouse instead. |
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Post by Jasmine on Dec 16, 2012 17:07:36 GMT
I agree Lonewolf - very summery at the darkest time of the year!
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 16, 2012 18:04:46 GMT
It's a lovely Avatar Lonewolf. Good looking greenhouse you have there, I don't have room for one but have a mini plastic growhouse instead. Thanks. That picture is not an actual picture of mine. That's all I could find on the Net that shows what it looks like. Mine is not pretty like the one in the picture, but it works. |
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Post by lonewolf on Dec 16, 2012 18:05:31 GMT
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Good looking greenhouse you have there, I don't have room for one but have a mini plastic growhouse instead.