Beneficial Nematodes

Robert Hoel bob.hoel@comcast.net
Tue, 25 May 2010 11:50:59 PDT
Dell,

I am a regular user of beneficial nematodes for the same purposes in the vegetable garden and lawn as you described.  I have also extended this to my bearded iris because I had such a difficult time with iris borer as I garden organically.  It has been quite effective and I have had several years now where we have been "borer free."

Bob Hoel
Near Chicago

On May 25, 2010, at 12:21 PM, pbs-request@lists.ibiblio.org wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Beneficial nematodes (Dell Sherk)
>   2. Floral Treats (James Waddick)
>   3. Tigridia light requirements (Leo A. Martin)
>   4. Re: Floral Treats (Jane McGary)
>   5. Re: Floral Treats - wide crosses (James Waddick)
>   6. Re: Floral Treats - wide crosses (Jim McKenney)
>   7. Re: Floral Treats - wide crosses (Boyce Tankersley)
>   8. yesterday's missing messages (Diane Whitehead)
>   9. Re: yesterday's missing messages (Diane Whitehead)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 17:02:16 -0400
> From: "Dell Sherk" <ds429@comcast.net>
> Subject: [pbs] Beneficial nematodes
> To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <001d01cafb84$64bec840$2e3c58c0$@net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"
> 
> I don't remember our having had a discussion about nematodes for pest
> control. I have used them for a number of years to control whatever insects
> eat holes in my vegetable root crops. Last year I began trying them for
> control of cucumber beetles. There I neglected to control the adults
> adequately and lost most plants to bacterial wilt. Nematodes are also
> supposed to help with flea beetles and any other insect that spends part of
> its life underground. And they are not supposed to be harmful to earthworms.
> 
> 
> 
> So it occurs to me that they might be useful against insects whose larvae
> burrow into bulbs and tubers. Has anyone tried this? Note:  they are also
> advertised as being effective against fungus gnat larvae.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be interested in hearing what our collective experience with these tiny
> critters is.
> 
> 
> 
> Dell, in SE Pennsylvania, zone 6/7
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 17:15:07 -0500
> From: James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com>
> Subject: [pbs] Floral Treats
> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <p06240803c820a5af8d49@[192.168.0.101]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
> 
> Dear Friends,
> 	After weeks of unseasonable chill and damp, the sun has come 
> out and temps near 90 (same for humidity). This has triggered some 
> much awaited bloom.
> 
> 1.	Helicodiceros musciverous. 	I have written a few years 
> ago about trying this in the ground here and surprised at its 
> survival. You can still Google this and find it is only hardy to Zone 
> 9/ 10. It has survived at least 4 years and perhaps longer, but this 
> year after a long cold continuous chill it came up strong and has 
> bloomed yesterday. The incredible (and incredibly stinky) flower 
> (inflorescence) is one of nature's wonders. Perfectly shaped to 
> resemble the rotted rear end of a dead horse (as it is commonly 
> known). The spathe spreads wide in a putrid sort of pink color. The 
> hairy tail-like spadix emerges from a hole (no imagery needed here) 
> and flies swarm too it like candy. The odor is as bad as you can 
> imagine for rotting flesh.
> 
> 	Considering its often reported tenderness I am thrilled to 
> have a blooming plant in the garden, stink and all.
> 
> 2.	Dracunculus vulgaris	Closely related to the above in odor 
> and as another Aroid, this is a far more common plant in my climate. 
> I have 4 good sized clumps that bloom regularly. Two flowers open 
> yesterday and continue perfuming the garden today. The flowers are 
> well over a foot long and half that width looking like a slab of meat 
> that has gone 'off'.  But the color is rich and robust with a deep 
> black imposing spadix to offset the weirdness. I have at least 6 
> flowers to go and anticipate each wonder as they open.
> 
> 	Recently Tony Avent, Tom Mitchell, Alan Galloway travelled to 
> Crete and Tony posted photos of this species in the wild with white 
> spathes, yellow spadix and a range of marbled colors as much as 6 ft 
> tall. Wow! Check out his Plant Delights blog if you haven't already.
> 
> 3. 	Sisyrinchium patagonicum	On a much smaller scale. I've 
> tried a variety of South American Yellow Flowered Sisyrinchium and 
> none have proven hardy in my climate until now (I wish S. striatum 
> 'Aunt May' was hardier). After starting from seed last year and 
> planting out in mid-summer, the resulting plants have produced a 
> number of small yellow star-like flowers of bright clear yellow. A 
> first!
> 
> 	The flowers are one and one half times as big (but still 
> small) as our common (weedy) 'Blue-Eyed Grass' S. latifolium and a 
> good variation. Now I wonder if they'll set seed or even cross with 
> each other.
> 
> 	I also tried S. palmifolium without survival, but I have a 
> few more seedlings to sacrifice.
> 
> 4. 	Iris speculatrix	This is a fairly rare (in 
> cultivation) iris in the Chinenses Series. Originally described from 
> Hong Kong it grows farther north along the E. Coast of China.  I've 
> grown this for years, but it has never been happy. At least 2 -maybe 
> three - moves and it has found a spot to its liking. The clump 
> doubled last year and now has 4 open flowers. The flowers are small 
> with a mix of pale lilac, white and yellow with an interesting halo 
> marking around the signal.
> 
> 	This is in the same group as I. odaesaanensis, I. koreana and 
> others. A good woodlander that would be happier a zone or 2 south of 
> here.
> 
> 5.	Iris 'Alley Oops'	This was introduced a few years ago, 
> but I have finally grown a plant. The ancestry is unknown, but 
> guessed as a rare cross between I. pseudacorus and some Siberian 
> Iris. This is an odd chromosomal mix and surely it is sterile.  The 
> flowers resemble I pseudacorus, but the falls have fine purple veins 
> washed with pale yellow. The yellow fades quickly to white.  It is a 
> vigorous and intriguing mix of characters. So far, I 'think' I like 
> it.
> 
> 	Of course other choice non-bulbous plants are popping up 
> surely (in part) to our sudden change to warm weather. It would be 
> nice to be somewhere inbetween chill and sweltering like 'moderate'.
> 
> 			Oh well.		Best		Jim W.
> -- 
> Dr. James W. Waddick
> 8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
> Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
> USA
> Ph.    816-746-1949
> Zone 5 Record low -23F
> 	Summer 100F +
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 18:14:01 -0700 (PDT)
> From: "Leo A. Martin" <leo@possi.org>
> Subject: [pbs] Tigridia light requirements
> To: pbs@lists.ibiblio.org
> Message-ID: <2a2d54f5fa3447ec627b8487b9bbaf67.squirrel@http://www.possi.org/>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
> 
> I've taught myself I can't grow garden variety Tigridia outdoors in our
> summer heat, but I still want them. What is the light like where they
> originate in Mexico? I have some very bright windows.
> 
> By the way, Milla magnifica bulbs from the PBS BX a few years back are
> sprouting. I moved them into a very large pot. Maybe flowers this year?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Leo Martin
> Phoenix Arizona USA
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 18:37:33 -0700
> From: Jane McGary <janemcgary@earthlink.net>
> Subject: Re: [pbs] Floral Treats
> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <E1OGj7N-0007sy-GX@elasmtp-spurfowl.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
> 
> Jim Waddick wrote:
>> 5.      Iris 'Alley Oops'       This was introduced a few years ago,
>> but I have finally grown a plant. The ancestry is unknown, but
>> guessed as a rare cross between I. pseudacorus and some Siberian
>> Iris. This is an odd chromosomal mix and surely it is sterile.  The
>> flowers resemble I pseudacorus, but the falls have fine purple veins
>> washed with pale yellow. The yellow fades quickly to white.  It is a
>> vigorous and intriguing mix of characters. So far, I 'think' I like
>> it.
> 
> This sounds very similar to 'Holden Clough', which I have in this 
> garden. It is a lot shorter in growth than I. pseudacorus but has 
> flowers like Jim describes. They make elegant floral arrangements, 
> especially in a copper or bronze container. It is a vigorous spreader 
> but fortunately I planted it where I didn't want anything else.
> 
> Jane McGary
> Northwestern Oregon, USA
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 23:22:35 -0500
> From: James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com>
> Subject: Re: [pbs] Floral Treats - wide crosses
> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <p06240805c820fecd7051@[192.168.0.101]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
> 
>> J5.      Iris 'Alley Oops'
>>> guessed as a rare cross between I. pseudacorus and some Siberian
>>> Iris. This is an odd chromosomal mix and surely it is sterile.
>> Jane McGAry replied:
>> This sounds very similar to 'Holden Clough', which I have in this
>> garden.
> 
> Dear Jane and all,
> 	Sort, but only slightly. 'Holden Clough', named after the UK 
> nursery where it was found was known to be a seedling of a 40 
> chromosome or Sino-Siberian and guessed at the other parent. Some 
> people think it is I. pseudacorus, others favor I foetidissima. It is 
> a bit tender here and I can't keep this one going.
> 
> 	'Alley Oops' is a cross with a 28 chromosome or Garden 
> Siberian with an unknown, but guessed to be I. pseudacorus.
> 
> 	Siberian Iris Series contain 2 distinct groups of species: 
> Sino-Siberians with 40 chromosomes each and a half dozen species, and 
> the more common garden siberians with only 3 species (siberica, 
> sanguinea and typhifolia).  There's one know cross between these two 
> groups.  Oddly both groups are all found in China (And some spread a 
> bit further afield)
> 
> 	40 chrom siberians have been crossed with a lot of other iris 
> most notably PCNS to make a group known as Cal-Sibes. The 28 chrom 
> species form the basis of most modern garden siberian iris, but there 
> are relatively few wide crosses.
> 
> 	......and there's relatively few people trying these odd 
> crosses , so when one turns up like 'Alley Oops' or the earlier 
> 'Holden Clough' we all sit up and take notice.
> 
> 		Best	Jim W.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Dr. James W. Waddick
> 8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
> Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
> USA
> Ph.    816-746-1949
> Zone 5 Record low -23F
> 	Summer 100F +
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 6
> Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 09:48:16 -0400
> From: "Jim McKenney" <jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com>
> Subject: Re: [pbs] Floral Treats - wide crosses
> To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <6ED8348AA8814904A27FE092BD30D70E@Library>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> I grow Iris 'Sea Krill' which I think is an I. pseudacorus cross. But I
> don't really know anything about its ancestry. Can any one fill me in? 
> 
> 
> 
> It?s shorter than typical I. pseudacorus and the flowers are a paler yellow.
> They also have a burst of short red lines on the falls. Take a look here:
> 
> 
> 
> http://jimmckenney.com/iris_sea_krill.htm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Jim McKenney
> 
> jimmckenney@jimmckenney.com
> 
> Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, 39.03871? North, 77.09829? West, USDA zone
> 7
> 
> My Virtual Maryland Garden http://www.jimmckenney.com/
> 
> BLOG! http://mcwort.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
> 
> Webmaster Potomac Valley Chapter, NARGS 
> 
> Editor PVC Bulletin http://www.pvcnargs.org/ 
> 
> 
> 
> Webmaster Potomac Lily Society http://www.potomaclilysociety.org/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 7
> Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 09:10:02 -0500
> From: "Boyce Tankersley" <btankers@chicagobotanic.org>
> Subject: Re: [pbs] Floral Treats - wide crosses
> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID:
> 	<52857FDB394B7E45BA1F2E60D7313E2A1223E05F@cbgmail.chicagobotanic.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"
> 
> I find this discussion of Iris pseudacorus very interesting. When we
> were researching the literature for the invasive species risk analysis
> we discovered this species actually has a number of races (I am not sure
> this is the correct term) within in it with different chromosome
> numbers. 
> 
> Phenotypically, they all look identical to the human eye - and they are
> all mixed up in commerce. 
> 
> One of the hypothesis explaining why this 'species' has been so
> successful in naturalizing native habitats is this genetic variability.
> If one set of chromosome numbers doesn't provide the adaptive
> characteristics apparently sometimes a different set will.
> 
> Like Jim Waddick in Kansas City, we have at last broken out of a cold
> damp period and are enjoying some warm weather. Some of Jim Shields
> Crinum crosses are in flower and a dark pink Hippeastrum hybrid. Both
> are planted against the south facing side of my home where the winter
> soil temperatures are moderated by the relatively warm basement wall.
> 
> Boyce Tankersley
> Director of Living Plant Documentation
> Chicago Botanic Garden
> 1000 Lake Cook Road
> Glencoe, IL 60022
> tel: 847-835-6841
> fax: 847-835-1635
> email: btankers@chicagobotanic.org
> 
> I grow Iris 'Sea Krill' which I think is an I. pseudacorus cross. But I
> don't really know anything about its ancestry. Can any one fill me in? 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 8
> Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 07:53:46 -0700
> From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
> Subject: [pbs] yesterday's missing messages
> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <80B3C233-3C78-4D49-9D18-9A076AE595E4@islandnet.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
> 
> I was puzzled by Boyce's message this morning about Floral Treats -  
> wide crosses.  It has Re: in front of it, which means he is replying  
> to a previous message, but I didn't receive the first message.
> 
> I checked in the archives and found  messages sent yesterday that I  
> didn't receive.
> 
> It is possible that some others of you missed messages too.  The place  
> to look is the pbs archives:
> 
> 	http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbslist/old.php/…
> 
> Diane Whitehead
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 9
> Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 08:10:36 -0700
> From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
> Subject: Re: [pbs] yesterday's missing messages
> To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <F23E403B-9530-4D4C-B7DE-9196DF80A264@islandnet.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
> 
> Well, wouldn't you know it - as soon as I complained, yesterday's  
> missing messages arrived from wherever they'd been hiding.
> 
> However, knowing about our archives is a good thing, not just for  
> messages that didn't arrive, but also for ones you may have deleted in  
> error, and ones that were posted long before you joined the PBS list.   
> It starts in June 2002.
> 
> You can search by date, author, subject and thread.
> 
> 	http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php
> 
> Diane
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
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> End of pbs Digest, Vol 88, Issue 22
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