Check this space over the next few months for some of the many new products that have come to our attention and might be considered worthy of your interest. Please note that none of these have paid to be mentioned, nor offered “freebies” – although aged journalism wisdom has it that if it can be eaten, drunk or smoked in one day it is not a bribe, which seems to let us out.
Pest Control
It's all about nematodes nowadays, the natural nemesis of many pest. While still two or three months away from applying those specific to white grub, two others are offered by Natural Insect Control (NIC), both isolated from Canadian strains of predacious nematodes. Birch leafminer larvae consume the green tissues between the outer layers of the leaf, resulting in browning. An application of NIC’s Birch Leafminer Guard in late April to early May can correct the pest. See moths flying when mowing the lawn? By midsummer large sections of the lawn might be destroyed by the sod webworm caterpillars, which prefer sunny areas. Applying NIC’s Sod Guard in late April to early May and again in early July can correct this pest.
NIC also offers a non-DEET Insect Protection Patch, the newest technology in personal insect protection. It uses transdermal technology with a special water-soluble B1 (thiamine) vitamin formula that repels mosquitoes, gnats and other biting insects. The patches are said to last 48 hours and will not wash off with water or perspiration. Look for these in your local garden centre or go to (
link).
Indoors, the bugs never let up. Aphids, mites, thrips and far too many others continue to take their toll. And with chemical controls now strictly verboten by members of legislative assemblies they have become evermore numerous. Help is here from Go Green Insecticidal Products and their Botanics Indoor Plant Spray containing a botanical insecticide derived from the chrysanthemum flower. Should be
available at any good garden centre
Composters
The problem with composters is that as soon as you add fresh waste, the process commences all over again. When will it ever be ready for downloading? Veseys, the seed people in Charlottetown, P.E.I., have come up with a two-chambered revolving composter. The Mantis ComposT-Twin features two, 10-bushel capacity chambers. Once a day, the handle is cranked about five times. Several weeks later, out comes the compost while the second chamber contents continue to break down.
Garden Furniture
One of the most frustrating things that plus six-footers have to contend with is furniture fit for smaller populations. Bosman Home Front has come up with a nifty new line of what they call counter-height outdoors dining furniture. They claim that the higher sitting position accommodates viewing over most deck and balcony rails. We say it sounds more comfortable viewing of our domain.
Available in five different table styles: Rose, Daisy, Lily, Sunflower or Orchid and, for those worried about such things, made from 100 per cent recycled plastic jugs.
Technology
PlantMe is an iPhone and iPad application that allows homeowners to view, sort and save plant information and images into the PlantMe online garden journal, according to
GardenMedia. Access is granted free if charge by simply entering a Postal or Zip code. PlantMe can be downloaded free at iTunes.
