slaters
fredba
18 years ago
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annabel__WA
18 years agogardengirlWA
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Slater's Crimsom China and Maggie
Comments (7)Pagan, yes, by all means, go and threaten "Maggie"! What shameful behavior she is having at your house! Down here, an hour north of Houston, she is a workhorse! Blooms all the time, long elegant canes, she could be pegged nicely, but I just keep pruning her into a shrub for the spot she has alotted. This is a vigorous rose, very easy to root, and one that bounces back from insect damage very quickly! Good luck! Allison...See Moreslater problem in worm farm
Comments (7)Slaters! Thats a new one on me too ;o) Slaters are good guys or bad guys depending on the situation. Good when in the compost pile as they break down the organics for your use, bad guys when they munch on your plant roots. If they are interfering with the worms in some way I would be concerned otherwise they are helping you out. Don't fight nature but work with it to reach your desires. I would screen the compost if going into a seed bed to remove the ... slaters. You Auzzies ;o) The removed bugs would be enjoyed by your chickens if you have 'em. G'Day now from the American south :o) Mike...See Moreslater army invades worm farm in old bathtub.. yikes
Comments (11)I've read the statement that sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters compete with the worms too, but you can add that to your list of internet myths badly in need burial, but with the unfortunate gift of apparent immortality. There are NO invertebrates that compete with the worms in a worm bin, because the worms will ingest the manure of all of these organisms as a nutrition source. Let's say this again, all together; there... are... no... invertebrates... that... compete... with... the... worms... in... the... bin! Now, commit that phrase to memory and smack anyone who suggests otherwise, and we may find more folks willing to try vermicomposting and not fearing the critters they see crawling through the system! Ok, in all seriousness, sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters are omnivores whose preferred food source is some of the toughest organic materials in the bin; stuff that is very lignous or high in cellulose, which is difficult for most of the other organisms, both micro and macro, to break down. Their powerful mouth parts are able to bite and chew these tough materials, and their digestive enzymes break them down, fragmenting them so they can be ingested and stabilized by the worms once they pass outof the sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters as poop. This is the good side of these guys. It needs to be understood, however, that when castings containing sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters are introduced to closed environments like greehouses where their preferred OM food sources are in short supply, they will begin feeding on tender plant shoots. It is this aspect of their behavior that has led some to have concerns, and it is people erroneously applying these concerns to environments where sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters are not a problem that has created concern about finding them in the worm bin. So, bottom line, sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters are wonderful in the bin and we love them. They are fine if they remain in the castings when they are applied to the outdoor garden, but if the castings are to be applied to plant starts or seed start mix in a greenhouse consider freezing the castings for several days before use to eliminate any potential sow bugs/pill bugs/rolly pollies/slaters problems. There, now wasn't that easy? ::grin:: Kelly S...See Moreslater problem in worm farm.
Comments (1)see my reply in the Garden Clinic http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pests/msg070322492350.html?1 Here is a link that might be useful: one suggestion...See Moremeggs
18 years agoSparaxis
18 years agoSparaxis
18 years agoSparaxis
18 years agogardengirlWA
18 years agoannabel__WA
18 years agofredba
18 years agoUser
18 years agogardengirlWA
18 years agoMaryanne_WAustralia
18 years agoCheryl_West_Australi
18 years agotrancegemini_wa
18 years agogardengirlWA
18 years agojumbuck
10 years ago
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