Phoenix Permaculture Guild

Join us in creating a more sustainable Phoenix!

Ericka Cero Wood
  • Scottsdale, Arizona
Share
Share on Twitter
Share on Facebook

Ericka Cero Wood's Friends

Ericka Cero Wood's Groups

 

I can think of no better shovel ready project than a garden.

Jim Muir's Squash Bug Remedy

There are 2 methods that you can effectively use: 1. Collect as many live bugs as you can, add them to a blender with some water, and blend them up good. Strain the mixture, and spray the liquid all over and around your plants.

2. The second method is Biodynamic, and is called "peppering." Collect the bugs, and carefully burn them in a metal bowl or pot. A propane torch works OK, just don't blow the resulting ash (peppers) out of the pot. Let cool, and grind up the ash. Place the ash in a crock (I use a 3 gals. one), get a wooden stick, add the ash to the water, Now stir the mixture clockwise,until it forms a vortex (whirlpool). Break the vortex with your stirring stick, and stir counter-clockwise until a vortex appears. Repeat the process, stirring for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid. I use a 3 gal. Solo back pack sprayer. Spray the mixture on and around your plants and garden. I know it involves more effort and equipment for this method, however, I have been using Biodynamic peppering for over 30 years and it Works!

Initially I used a plastic 5 gal. bucket, with 3 gals. of de-chlorinated water in it to mix up the peppers. Then my wife Jenni got me a 3 gal. ceramic crock that I have been using ever since. Either container will work OK.

Comment Wall (241 comments)

You need to be a member of Phoenix Permaculture Guild to add comments!

Join Phoenix Permaculture Guild

At 9:21am on August 18, 2010, Samantha Ray said…
Thank you, Ericka! I hope to learn a lot from this group!
At 2:08am on August 17, 2010, salman22 said…
Welcome Ericka ~~!!
At 12:13pm on August 16, 2010, Melanie Uttech said…
Thanks Ericka! I hope to meet you and other like-minded spirits soon!
At 12:21pm on August 13, 2010, David Paul Rodriguez said…
I'm on the block of 43rd Ave and Glendale. David Rodriguez
At 11:33pm on August 9, 2010, Dr. Kirk Slagel said…
Thank you for the welcome. I read Jim Muir's squash bug remedy and it appears he is making a homeopathic remedy out of the bugs. The swirling of the blender or the crock water is actually succussing, i.e. rapidly mixing the bug bits with the water causing the water molecules to change their conformation and thus, create a potentized liquid. Very interesting.
At 4:50pm on August 9, 2010, Marie T said…
Thank you! It will be fun to try and grow it on my patio. :)
At 4:58pm on August 6, 2010, Debby Skroch said…
Hi and thank you for the warm welcome. I am excited about this "new" guild that I found and I have been busy browsing it today. Deb Skroch
At 1:14pm on August 4, 2010, Rick Large said…
Thanks for the welcome Ericka!
At 4:04pm on August 3, 2010, Jeff Reich and Farraday Newsome said…
Thanks for the encouragement Ericka!
We're very into the sunken bed idea and hope it works well! We're fortunate enough not too have rocky or caliche-plagued soil, so we went for it.

Anyway we've certainly sweated alot (and gotten in shape!) digging and preparing sunken beds this summer! So this morning was a BIG milestone because we actually planted something!!! After months of bed digging, compost making and soil-building, we decided to plant one of the new beds as a (late) monsoon garden of black-eyed peas, squash, etc. We just got fresh seeds from Native Seed Search in the mail yesterday, plus I had old, saved seeds that may or not germinate - couldn't resist getting something planted. We'll wait until early September to plant the rest of the garden with winter vegetables, plus fruit trees we've been keeping alive in containers all summer, & flowers and herbs!

Farraday and Jeff
At 8:41am on August 3, 2010, Alyssa Brooke-Gay said…
Hi Ericka,

Thank you so much! Our garden is not actually built yet. We are in the very early stages of planning. We're currently soliciting community support and asking our local community questions like where they would like the garden to be located. Feel free to check out our community forum next Monday (8/9 from 6-7:30pm at the Escalante Community Center in Tempe) to learn more :)

Enjoy this beautiful day!

-Alyssa

Profile Information

About Me:
Artist, recent avid gardener, tree worshiper, and bug-lover. Now I am also one of the web site volunteers :)
Website:
http://www.cerowoodart.com

Ericka Cero Wood's Photos

Loading…
 
 
 

Support the Guild

EcoMania

Botanical Interests, Inc.

Planting & Harvesting Calendar
Native Seeds \ SEARCH | www.nativeseeds.org

Latest Activity

Josh Fowler, Carissa Taylor, Gretchen Reinhardt and 7 other members are attending Christy Grace's event
Fall Garden Planning & Design with Doreen Pollack at Central Slope Eco-Design Center
September 4, 2010 from 1pm to 2:30pm
Be prepared for the fall planting season. Are you confused about what and how to plant in the low desert? - Where to get quality seeds – heirloom or not? Transplants, or seeds? How do you get an extended harvest? What is companion planting and what…
46 minutes ago
Backyard Composting Basics with Doreen Pollack at Central Slope Design Center
October 2, 2010 from 1pm to 2:30pm
Turn your kitchen scraps and certain waste materials into nutrient-rich fertilzer! Compost not only provides a source of slow-release organic fertilizer, it also boosts the community of microorganisms that helps keep plants healthy and improves wate…
1 hour ago
September 18, 2010 from 1pm to 2:30pm
What does a Permaculture Design mean? - and where do I begin? How do we pull together sustainable principles and apply them to OUR urban property? This class is an overview of implementing various aspects of permaculture to an urban home and lot - n…
1 hour ago
Bridgette Zellmann added a discussion
I've got some small, black little bugs on my butternut squash. I'm a Phx native and have never seen bugs like these, but I've also never grown the squash before, either. They seem to hide when I reach for a leaf - creepy! What are they and will they…
2 hours ago
Sophia, The AZ Homegrown Solutions group has a community table at the downtown Phoenix Farmers Market. This is a great way to share your over production and make a little cash in the process. Their website is: http://azhomegrownsolutions.ning.com/.…
11 hours ago
plus 1
11 hours ago
If you can find their hole, squeeze some lemon juice into it. This has worked for me in the past. Sit and observe where the little guys are coming and going. Eventually, this will bring you to their hole. It seems to me that the ants are not workin…
11 hours ago
monica might attend Christy Grace's event
October 5, 2010 from 6:30pm to 8pm
Learn to build your very own solar dehydrator AND a solar oven from inexpensive and/or reusable materials. Preserve and cook your food with natural and renewable Solar Power!The great Arizona sunshine can be used to extend your harvest with solar fo…
14 hours ago

2009 Arizona Farmers' Market List

Proud member of:

© 2010   Created by Administrator.

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service