How to get rid of pesky pests

Thankfully, so far, our garden has been spared from the nasty pests that are prowling around gardens this time of year. But I know lots of gardens are being ran-sacked by insect invaders. 

Hopefully I can help :)  

My family and I try to grow our garden as organically as we can so I'll share some natural ways to control pests.

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If you have whiteflies you can try home-made insect spray.


Whitefly Spray
2 Tbsp dish soap 
2 Tbsp safflower oil
1 gallon water


Pour some of the mixture into a spray bottle and shake to combine. Because the mixture contains oil, you will need to shake it well before each use, as the oil will separate from the water and detergent.

(I got this recipe from ehow.com, click here for the original link)

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If slugs have decided to inhabit your garden, you can try home-made garlic spray. This also works for cutworms, wireworms and whiteflies. 

Garlic Spray for Pests

1 garlic bulb, crushed and minced
1 quart water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap

In a large jar, measure the water and cayenne pepper. Add garlic and onion to the mixture. Wait an hour before adding the soap. The spicy ingredients must sort of stew or steep, almost like tea. After an hour, add the soap and your non-toxic spray is ready to use! This can be stored in the fridge for a week.

(I got the original recipe for the garlic spray from essortment.com, click here for the original recipe and more home-made pesticide recipes.)

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If cabbage worms are devouring your plant, try salt spray.

Salt Spray

1 gallon water
2 Tbsp salt

Just mix and spray!

(I also got this recipe from essortment.com)

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If aphids are your problem, you can enlist the help of ladybugs. 

Praying mantises are also helpful with pest control.

If fungus gnats are a problem you can try hypoaspis miles.

If you have a variety of pests, an abundance of aphids or whiteflies that won't go away, I suggest green lacewings.

Their larvae eat a variety of pests such as: aphids, thrips, spider mites, greenhouse whitefly, mealybugs, leafhoppers, and the eggs and caterpillars of most pest moths. Of all available commercial predators, this lacewing is the most voracious and has the greatest versatility for pests of field crops, orchards, and greenhouses. Lacewings are also known as "aphid lions".

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If you're looking to kill the bugs and you're not worried about having an organic garden, my great grandma always used "Sevin" dust. You can find it pretty much anywhere, including The Green Thumbers. The Green Thumbers also has a wide variety of organic gardening products, as well as employees with a vast array of knowledge about eliminating pests from your garden.

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I hope this helps! I would love to hear about your bug remedies, and if you try any of these ideas I would love to hear how they work out!

Strawberry Dessert Anyone?

Yesterday we got 15 lbs. of strawberries. Yes, you read that correctly. 15 lbs. of strawberries! Not that they'll last very long, our family LOVES strawberries! I thought with strawberry season in full gear I would share one of our favorites. "Strawberry Dessert" is a staple at Bonnstetter family gatherings and holidays, I don't think I've ever been to a Bonnstetter get-together where it was missing in action!

We tweaked the recipe a bit so it doesn't include any packaged foods, but it still tastes just as good!

Strawberry Dessert

1st layer:

1 c flour 

1/4 c sugar 

1/2 c butter

1/2 c pecans, chopped

2nd layer:

1, 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 c powdered sugar

1/2 c heavy cream whipped

3rd layer:

1 c sugar
1 c water
1/4 c cornstarch
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 c strawberries, sliced


1st layer: Combine all the ingredients for the first layer using a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Press into a 9"x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Watch it closely, it burns easily. Let cool.
2nd layer: Whip heavy cream. In a separate bowl cream the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread onto the cooled crust.
3rd layer: Place all the ingredients for the third layer in a double boiler and whisk to combine. Cook over medium heat until thick, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the strawberries. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature. Pour over the first two layers that have chilled. Chill for 3 hours before serving. 

Enjoy!

You can find the original recipe in "A Century Of Cylinder Cooking", a cook book made by the women of my dad's home town, Cylinder, IA.

Chicken Stir-Fry

This year we decided to plant snap peas, and in the last week or so they have been putting on blossoms like crazy! We've even gotten a few peas already. It got me thinking, snap peas are delicious in stir fries. My family already has a stir fry recipe that we love, so why not add snap peas to it? The recipe calls for summer squash so if you're growing patty-pan squash, crook-neck squash or zucchini, you can use your own garden produce when it is ready to harvest. I recommend using baby squash, otherwise the dish gets a bit seedy.

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 cup edible pod peas
2 baby zucchini, thinly sliced
2 baby crookneck (yellow) squash, thinly sliced
Patty pan squash, thinly sliced, can be used, as well as any combination of the above-named squash)
salt and pepper to taste


Saute the onion and garlic and onion until they become soft. Add chicken, salting with each addition, and cook until almost cooked through. Add the sliced squash and cook until they start to become tender. Add the peas and cook just until they are warmed through.

Enjoy!

In quiche you didn't know

As a gardener, I am always trying think of new recipes that use the produce I grow. One of my favorite dishes is the Quiche. I love how versatile it is, you can add almost anything to it to make the recipe your own. This one of our favorite variations.


Kitchen Sink Quiche

4 eggs

3/4 cup milk 

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup gouda cheese

1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 cup cooked broccoli, mashed

1 chopped onion, caramelized in olive oil

1/2 cup cooked bacon or sausage

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp basil leaves, chopped

1 1/4 tsp thyme leaves, chopped

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 single pie crust

Pre-bake your pie crust. Sprinkle the gouda and cheddar cheeses onto the hot pie crust. Caramelize the onion, take off the heat and add the herbs. Spread the onion mixture on top of the cheese, the broccoli on top of the cheese, and the  meat on top of the broccoli. In a large bowl scramble the eggs and milk together, add the garlic powder, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Pour egg mixture over the crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before eating.

I hope you enjoy the recipe!

For Great B's lard pie crust recipe see "A Heavenly Dessert"