Fucking White Ants

[tripy spiral]

arsenic

NO WAY, thats some heavy poison and will fuck you up or kill you if you mess around wit that shit

[Rottweilerpunk]

yeah we have termites here, but they usually like eating the wood in your house, instead of plants outside

[Luke Skywalker]

Indeed, I would not advise using arsenic, it will be drawn up by the plants. This is why treated pine and tyres should never be used for constructing garden beds, as it slowly releases arsenic and other heavy metals into the ground/water, which in turn is slowly absorbed by the plants.

 

But as for the termites, I'd suggest keeping them in pots, above ground somewhat, so like placed on a couple of bricks or something similar, and you could smear a ring of petroleum jelly around the base of the stand to block the ants/termites entry.

 

I just got the latest copy of "The Organic Gardener" magazine, and there was a q in it about termites... well, part of it was. I'll copy the whole question and answer out, but just ignore the bits about the beetle. Here it is.

 

CAPE GOOSBERRY BEETLE PEST

 

I have a pest that has taken a fancy to my cape gooseberries. It is a yellow and black beetle (three black stripes running down its back) that starts as yellow eggs under the leaf, then a moist -looking grub. Is there a companion plant that may keep them away? At the moment I'm picking them off. Would a spray of nicotine work, or even a decoction of them (the insects) turned into a spray?

Just a comment on the Spring 2003 issue and the use of cardboard as a weed barrier (suggested by Tim Marshall). I have tried doing the same using newspaper and found the white ants loved it!

 

Isabel Edward-Moon,

Lawnton, QLD

 

There are several insects that attck cape gooseberries including the potato beetle, flea beetle and the striped cucumber beetle. This yellowish-green beetle is oblong, 5-6mm long, with three black/grey stripes. Eggs are light yellow or orange, and round to oval shaped.

Covering young plants with shade or frost cloth can provide physical protection.  Alternatively, dusts such as rotenone give good control over all chewing pests, providing plants are thoroughly treated. Natural predators include soldier beetles, tachinid flies, braconid wasps and predatory nematodes. Attract beneficial insects by combining your planting with a diverse mix of daisy (Asteraceae) and carrot (Apiaceae) family species. I have never made a repellent spray made for cucumber beetles. As you are already collecting them by picking them off, it is probably worth a try.

Nicotine is highly toxic. While commonly suggested in older gardening texts, its use is not permitted, nor recommended, in any form of horticulture or agriculture today.

With regard to newspaper mulch, if you live in a termite area, (that seems to include most of Australia these days), most wood-based material including paper, cardboard, woodchip and bark provides food for the termites. If you live in Queensland and think you do not have termites in your garden, you are probably fooling yourself.

Termites are a natural part of our environment. Eradicating them completely is not possible, nor desirable. In my experience (in the past, termites ate half my house), vigilance, installation of barriers, and creating a healthy, diverse ecosystem (black ants prey on termites) are the keys to living with these destructive creatures. I do not recommend using wood-based mulch close to buildings.

 

Anyway, hope that helps mate.

[splotto]

thanx 4 that Luke I will the newspaper thing a try for sure gotta try something