[Arid_gardener] Re: Wonderful Pomegranate Pests

[Dick]

Thanks, Derek, for the information. I have just been lucky with roof rats but, strangely, have not been plagued by the critters even though I have five full grown trees with a lot of fruit litter that I have been negligent in cleaning up. I once had a mouse colony in a bin but it disappeared promptly after a couple of rotations.

For compost, I use three of the recycled City trash bins that I try to turn every other week when I don't forget. To turn, I just insert a finger in both sides through the 1 inch holes, lift it off the pile, set it aside and fork the stuff back in, blended and rewetted withwater and about a half cup of 21-0-0 disolved in a 3 gallon sprinkler can. It gets so hot it almost blisters. When the stuff will no longer stay in the tines of a garden fork, I sift it through a half inch screen and bag it where it will continue to decompose if kept damp. What won't go through the screen goes back into the working bin where it acts as a starter, apparently.

I have learned that the finer the organic waste can be reduced in particle size, the faster it will decompose because there is a much greater surface area for micro-organisms to breed and feed. I have an efficient shredder that is the best garden investment I have ever made.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer. 
U of A Maricopa County Cooperative Extension.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "bit_eimer" <bit_eimer at cox.net>
To: "'Dick'" <rkgross3 at cox.net>; <arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu>
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 9:15 AM
Subject: Wonderful Pomegranate Pests



Hi Dick et al,

The leaf-footed bug to which I referred is shown in the following link
http://www.forestry.ubc.ca/fetch21/FRST308/lab2/leptoglossus_occidentalis/le
af.html.  As described on this site, they insert their proboscises into the
pomegranate to suck out the juice.  Often, after hitting one with a squirt
of diluted castile soap, it will dangle by that proboscis until finally
getting purchase to pull it out of the fruit.

The only "soldier bug" that I could find in my web-searching was the "spined
soldier bug" (http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/aimg80.html), an apparently
beneficial predator.  It looks nothing like the evil little stinkers that
are eating my pomegranates! :^)

As to roof rats, perhaps you are lucky to live in an area as yet uninvaded.
We (Ahwatukee) started having problems about 4 years ago and I've caught
upwards of 20-30 in that time, mostly using Havahart live traps.  Roof rats
will chew a 1.5" diameter hole in the pomegranate and completely hollow it
out in one night.  Unfortunately they can also attack drip irrigation lines
and exposed wiring.  One got into our pool heatpump and completely consumed
two sets of thin sensor wires.

We are fortunate that none have ever moved into our attic, but our next-door
neighbors had a pair, doing considerable damage to stored items.

We did have a family of 7 (2 adults and 5 juveniles) that made a home in our
compost bin.  I had to completely screen it in with 1/2" hardware cloth,
after which I was able to trap them all.

...Derek
 



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dick [mailto:rkgross3 at cox.net]
> Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 1:32 PM
> To: bit_eimer; arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
> Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] RE: Wonderful Pomegranate location question
> 
> An amateur Master Gardener, I have been a home grower for 63 years but am
> still learning as are my teachers many of whom are, however, in denial.
> Soldier bugs (leaf footed may not be the same thing), can be a pest but I
> have, in the past, washed them off with water.  After several washings,
> they
> tend to seek alternate living quarters at a neighbor's home. I've never
> seen
> a plant killed dead by these bugs but they must be living on what they are
> living in and, fortunately, haven't  encountered them at all  in my
> several
> citrus. Tell me if I am wrong but I've never considered them a major
> threat.
> 
> I also have several mature citrus and Wonderful Pomegranate impacting
> eaves
> and and overhang without ever hosting a roof rat. The rapping is me
> knocking
> on wood. I would go nuts!
> 
> Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
> ----- Original Message -----
> 


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