Dried molasses, neem oil, organic gardening tips, etc... this lady is a walking encyclopedia

[RedEarth]

Since I'm in Oklahoma, I go to the Oklahoma gardening forum on Garden Web and a lady(okiedawn) on this forum provides a tremendous amount of information on all types of gardening. It's fun to read her posts and if you live in Oklahoma or close by, she might be able help with some of your garden problems.

Here are two of her posts on Neem Oil and dried molasses

Neem Oil

Posted by okiedawn Z7 OK (My Page) on Tue, Jun 17, 08 at 8:53

Mick,
I have mixed feelings about the use of Neem, but it is one of the more effective organic products available. It is OMRI-approved although I believe their guidelines define it as a tool in Integrated Pest Management programs which is to be used only after milder methods or rememdies have been tried without success. However, it can burn plant foliage if applied at temperatures above 90 degrees, so keep that in mind. And, in fact, here in our climate, I think Neem and some other foliar products (including insecticidal soaps and superfine horticultural oils) can burn at significantly lower temperatures--more like 80 degrees than 90 degrees.

Neem is derived from the Neem tree, which is native to Burma and India and grows in many tropical areas. The Neem tree, by the way, is related to Chinaberry and Mahoghany. Extracts of the neem leaves and/or seeds are used as a natural pesticide. Some extracts from neem bark are used in some products as well.

Neem is is antibacterial, a fungicide and a pesticide. However, it is NOT a systemic pesticide if used as a foliar spray. It IS a long-lasting systemic insecticide on pests located in soil if used as a soil drench.

much more......

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/okgard/msg0622364317432.html?5

Using Dried Molasses in the Garden

Posted by okiedawn Z7 OK (My Page) on Thu, Jun 19, 08 at 12:01


In a different thread, Jill mentioned hearing an "old-timer" who had converted from chemical methods of gardening to organic gardening talking about using dried molasses. And, it occurred to me, that I probably seldom if ever mention molasses, which is an important soil restorative often used by organic gardeners. So, I thought I'd discuss it a little here.
WHAT ORGANIC GARDENING REALLY IS:

A lot of people call themselves organic gardeners because they don't use pesticides or fertilizers of chemical origin, and only use those of organic origin. That is a good start, but organic gardening is so much more.

Organic gardeners understand that EVERYTHING starts with the soil. Thus, they do many, many things to maintain healthy soil. This includes adding organic materials like compost, rock and mineral powders (like soft rock phosphate, greensand and lava sand), etc. It also includes doing whatever you can to encourage healthy soil that is ALIVE. Soil is not a dead, inert material (well, it can be, if it has been heavily farmed chemically). Good soil is alive and teeming with many, many microorganisms that contribute greatly to soil health. These microorganisms include but are not limited to bacteria (there's good bacteria, you know), fungi, algae, nematodes (there's good nematodes too), protozoa, and actinomycetes If these microorganisms are missing from your soil, your soil is not healthy enough.

much more.......

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/okgard/msg061201151272.html?2

[bvar22]

1. Thanks.

We live in Western Arkansas, so this source is especially valuable to us.
Bookmarked the site.

Okiedawn seems very knowledgeable, and is easy to read.
We share her values about Organic Gardening.
She should write a book.

[RedEarth]

2. Since I had seen where you had moved to Arkansas and started a big garden,

I thought you might enjoy reading some of her posts. She really seems knowledgeable and also quick to help people with their gardening questions.

The pictures you've posted about your garden are great and it looks like a beautiful area you live in. Years ago I went to summer camp in Mt. Ida, Arkansas and after camp we used to go boating at Lake Ouachita. Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma are both very beautiful parts of the country and not many people know about them.

Below are some links to some sites in OK that shouldn't be too far from where you live. All three are relatively close to each other and could be a fun weekend trip...once the gardening slows down.


Cedar Lake is in the Ouachita Forest(we used to tent camp there when our kids were younger...beautiful lake, and best to go in the fall when it's not so hot and the leafs are turning)

http://www.shareyourstate.com/oklahoma/cedarlake.htm

Heavener Rune Stone State Park

http://www.shareyourstate.com/oklahoma/runes.htm

The Spiro Mounds

http://www.shareyourstate.com/oklahoma/spiromounds.htm

[hippywife]

4. I've been dying to get down

to the southeastern part of the state to do some camping. Gonna have to pay the kid across the road to come feed all the critters for us so we can do this in the fall maybe. I'd really rather head back over to Arkansas, tho, I think. It's hard to decide what to do when you aren't able to go very often.

[hippywife]

3. Interesting.

I don't think I've ever seen dried molasses before? Have you seen it locally?

We're south of Tulsa, and I know you've told me before where you are, but I don't remember.

Thanx for the links. I'll be sure to check there once in awhile. :hi:

[RedEarth]

5. Prior to reading the post on Garden Web, I never had heard of using dried molasses,

however, it sure sounds like something that could be helpful. I live in Oklahoma City and might check with Horns or TLC to see if they have it.

Hope you can find some time to go camping when the weather cools down.

[KatyaR]

6. Oh, I know, isn't she incredible?

Her posts on raising tomatoes are absolutely invaluable. She helped me save mine last year when we were having weeks of neverending rain by recommending spraying the plants with MiracleGro Tomato Food. My plants were still throwing fruit in October!

She should write a book, I swear.

[RedEarth]

9. She really does have a tremendous amount of knowledge and always

tries to help other people with their garden problems. She mentioned in one of her posts, she has been gardening since grade school...nearly forty years....she really could write a book.

[Kolesar]

7. So, I would need to live in the perfect place to avoid using Neem

When attempting to control insects, I rely most upon beneficial insects but also upon birds (domestic ones, and my chickens and guineas as well), bats, toads and frogs, and dragonflies.

That's a pretty high standard to meet for somebody who just picked up a spade four years ago. I am not going to buy any chickens, either.

[RedEarth]

8. That's the method she uses..... I didn't get the impression she's

trying to imply everyone do the same thing.

[Dover]

10. That's not entirely true. She says that when the balance is way off she will

use organic products that are very specific to the problem, for instance Nosema locustae for grasshoppers, Slug-Go for slugs, etc.

In an organic garden, one of your MOST EFFECTIVE pest controls is beneficial insects. Those beneficials help keep bug populations under control by eating the "bad" bugs. If I spray Neem and kill off all the "bad" bugs, or even most of them, then my beneficial insects will either leave or die because their food source has been removed. Then, when bad bug populations resurge, I have no beneficial insects around to deal with them. So, I choose not to use Neem.

When attempting to control insects, I rely most upon beneficial insects but also upon birds (domestic ones, and my chickens and guineas as well), bats, toads and frogs, and dragonflies.

If a particular pest is giving me trouble, I try to find an organic remedy which targets that specific insect, like using Slug-Go or Slug-Go Plus for snails, slugs, pill bugs and sow bugs, for example. I sometimes use particular strains of Bt for whichever pest they target--Bt San Diego, for example, for Colorado Potato Beetles, or BT Israelensis for mosquito larvae. For grasshoppers, I use Nosema locuste, which targets only members of the grasshopper and locust families.

Because Neem is known to kill over 200 kinds of insects, I don't like using it EXCEPT as a last result and I seldom get that desperate. I just consider it to be more of a broad-spectrum product than I am comfortable using.

I didn't realize that Neem Oil and Tea Tree Oil were one and the same. That helps me understand it better as I've used tea tree oil products for a lot of personal and pet care.

I used some neem oil in my garden the other day (but forgot to add some soap to it so it didn't adhere that well to the leaves). I sprayed it late in the day, just before sunset so as not expose bees to it and so it wouldn't burn the leaves. But I got some on my fairly recently planted mounding juniper plants and they completely burned up. I don't think they're coming back either. We'll see. So if you do use it, do so sparingly and specifically where you need it. Good to know about the Nosema locustae, because grasshoppers are the main pest I'm targeting, and while the neem worked okay I think her argument for using controls that are very specific to the problem and only when absolutely necessary is a really good rule of thumb. Nature has been at this balancing act alot longer than me and I bow to her immense wisdom in these matters.