Thought I would add a little humor to the forum today. It seems that I have started a worm farm without even trying. A few worms must have taken up residence in some of my smaller pots as each morning when I check the plants to see if any of these smaller pots need water, I find little clumps of beaded up 'soil' either on top of the pot or around the drain holes at the base of the pot. I may have to go out and dig up a few shovels of compost to feed my new pets over the winter or top dress the pots with a little sprinkling of used coffee grounds

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Worms are lucky things in pots. Add a worm to a pot and you've got a whole ecosystem in minature. There must be some in the plants on the porch, but there haven't been any signs yet. Last year a red marsh fly got into the basement somehow. It was there when the lights went on New Years Day. All through the propagation season it remained on station and never have the shelves been so free of aphid, whitefly, and spider mite.

Ward, I was thinking the same thing. I also managed to bring in a couple of lady bugs so I am hoping they stay with the plants and keep them bug free too.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Lady bugs should be easy enough to find, our rainy summer weather made lots of aphids which in turn made a lot of lady bugs.

Right again Ward! Last week I sat on the porch watching ladybugs working over the salvias that hadn't succumbed to the earlier frost. I even moved several off the porch out onto the salvia

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

You better move them back, there is work to be done.

I moved three more over to the Salvia reptans this afternoon. I wonder if I should save some of them for next spring to put out on the honeysuckle vines LOL!


Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Evey year I find lady bugs in my house .I move them into a vacume sweeper but maybe there are some of those asian lady bugs as well.I do know we have two kinds of them the asain bugs are invasive .


eldon voorhees

Well since I bring so many plants inside for the winter, If I have a couple of lady bugscome in I leave them on the plants to finish off any left over bugs on the plants

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39