Meteorologists are Retarded

• Rain coming
• No rain coming
• Gonna rain Tomorrow
• No it's not
• 60%, 40%, 20% 5% chance of rain
• Ugh!

So I've been in Chicago on work, came back late Saturday and was excited to check on things Sunday morning.  Peas in EW3 look great, carrots were almost all eaten.  Spinach too.  Neighbors cat shit all over EW4 (or is it EW5?).  Peas in back wall planter haven't emerged.  All in all a very disappointing set of developments.  I walked back inside.

Later that night I walked out to see what was eating my plants.  My old nemesis the "rollie pollie" and her bastard children were swarming on everything green and sacred!  I hate them, I smashed 50-60 in between my fingers, their little isopod liquid guts squirting out.  I went to bed, unsatisfied.

Flipped compost Saturday, added the stuff from the tumbler as well as a bucket of chicken manure.

Partial Success

citrus rind traps are a success, although some improvements are required.

While not exactly "clogged with bugs" there are still enough PBs in each trap to make it worthwhile.  There are twice as many critters rolled up on the soil under the traps.  The first improvement would be to set the traps on top of a small square of weed cloth so they can be collected and disposed of as well.

I'll try to get to these changes Tonight and actually do a collection Tomorrow morning.  It's killing time!

BTW, I haven't yet decided how to execute the bastards.  I'd like to send a message to the others so I'm thinking something dramatic and over the top is in order.  I'll release a few survivors to tell the tale of doom.  Please feel free to make killing suggestions in the comments.

I wonder if I've hit just the right combination of words in this post to show up on some FBI website filter?

"bomb" - there, that should do it!

Your Days Are Numbered...

IT'S ON!!

The deceased - inspection prior to composting

The Pill Bugs really escalated things Today, they took it to a level I had hoped to avoid.  Only recently had I accepted that the little shits will chew on the lower leaves of my pea plants, maybe even snack a bit of spinach.  While none of this made me happy I had resolved to leave-them-be after feeling I won the last battle by removing the live sod acting as their fortress and launch point for attack.  With the sod cleared I turned the dirt and (hopefully) obliterated copious amounts of young and breeding-age bugs.  This, I assumed, had sent a clear message that I mean business and will kill indiscriminately if pushed.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT!!

You know what they say about assumptions...

I'm a fool for misjudging my opponent, for making assumptions about an enemy I only recently began to study and understand.  A fool for thinking that anything less that total annihilation would be sufficient!

They killed my snow pea plant, they sucked and chewed away at it's vulnerable stem until it finally gave up, unable to provide water and nutrients to it's top growth it had been tiring for weeks to grow.  I came upon the deceased slumped on it's trellis mesh, limp, pale green baby pods already beginning to curl in the heat of the intense sun... flower petals still clinging to the tips as if not yet ready to send the pod into the world alone.

Brothers, not even 2 months old...

A quick observation of surrounding plants and their stems at soil level proved what I suspected, and deep in my heart already knew; the pill bugs did this.  I took immediate action to protect the living while simultaneously plotting my attack.  This aggression will not stand (extra credit to cinematically-enlightened soul that guesses that movie reference!!), I will not sit idly by while my prize snow pea plants (and who's to say the Spinach aren't next?!) are reduced to compost greens!




OK, I ran out of steam and interest on this post.  If you happened to be enjoying up to this point I'm sorry, but it's late and I'm tired and sleepy.

Maybe too little too late?
A cut up soda can installed as a physical pill bug barrier.

Complacency

I've noticed a spike in evidence of leaf chomping lately, it seems that just about everything is being chewed on a little.  I feel guilty because I know, deep down inside my procrastinating little heart that I'm responsible; I've become complacent and eased my assault on the SLUG!  Sure enough a quick night hunt (I'm just back, exhausted and refreshing with some Stoli on the rocks) was productive, easily I bagged 10+ slimy little bastards, may their souls rot in hell for all eternity.

A day without learning is a day wasted - I just made that up and while not terribly profound or original I do like the sound of it and it's how I live my life.  With that said, I noticed I have the no-longer-so-cute "rollie-pollie" (Armadillidiidae - "Sow Bug", "Pill Bug") bugs ALL OVER THE PLACE, in fact next to the Boxelder I'd say the pill bugs are the second highest population in my garden microcosm.  I did a bit of research and while not typically considered a pest, they are of very little value.  Furthermore they can, in Southern regions and in large quantities (like mine!) be destructive to plants and eat live plants in addition to decaying organic material.  Pill bugs are now being considered for my kill list.  Stay cool boxelder, keep doing your thing, stay away from my garden and we're fine.

I'm also noticing aphids all over stuff.  Of course I'm using organic methods which means I can't just start spraying poison all over the place like I'd like to.  I've consulted my books and the guidance is varied with "increasing beneficial insects" as the most common theme.  Id' love to! - but it's not easy to get lacewings, lady bugs, assassin beetls, etc. to show up and stick around.  I'll be buying some flowering shrubs and annuals to hopefully attract them.  The second most common suggestion seems to be using a strong stream of water to blast them off.  I'll try everything and hit them with the full assault.