Wide Usage Means Bigger Harvests Overall
beginner ' s corner
Wide Usage Means Bigger Harvests Overall
Strawberries aren ’ t the only crop that can benefit from bees working double duty . Vectoring has been used to protect other crops including apples , blueberries , canola , sunflowers , tomatoes , and other crops that are susceptible to the same diseases . Work is also being done to use bees to help protect other crops including almonds , stone fruits , pears , squash , cucumber , and berries . In August 2016 , the bio-pesticide BVT-CR7 was submitted to the EPA after eight months of testing to ensure its safety for bees , humans , and the environment . This product is an organic strain of a naturally occurring fungus that targets Alternaria , Anthracnose , Botrytis , Monilinia , and Sclerotinia , acting as a preventative and greatly reducing the need for fungicidal sprays . It has also been show effective in increasing crop yields by 30 per cent or more according to trials . The EPA will review CR7 over an 18-month period .
Once the approval process is complete , it is hoped that the amount of chemical controls used on food crops will decline drastically . What this means is that bees may end up eventually taking part in saving themselves from decline by helping to reduce the amount of bee-damaging chemicals used in agriculture .
“ Strawberries aren ’ t the only crop that can benefit from bees working double duty .
Vectoring has been used to protect other crops including apples , blueberries , canola , sunflowers , tomatoes , and other crops that are susceptible to the same diseases ."
Beneficial
Insects Other Superhero Sidekicks
Bee vectoring is part of integrated pest management , which is a method of managing pests with as little impact on the environment as possible . Even if you are unable to take advantage of bee vectoring technology in your home garden , you can still reap the benefits of beneficial insects . And bees aren ’ t the only insects that will work to protect your plants . A typical garden has way more beneficial insects than harmful ones , which may be a surprise if you ’ ve always believed that all bugs are bad . In fact , a diverse ecosystem within your garden means you ’ ll have healthier soil and healthier plants , which means better yields for you . Here are a few helpful insects that you ’ ll want in your garden :
Ladybugs — Not to be confused with the invasive Asian beetles , ladybugs — or lady beetles — have a voracious appetite for aphids . Sometimes their larva will also eat whiteflies . Encourage them with cilantro , dill , fennel , tansy , and other pollen producing flowers .
Lacewings — Lacewing larvae eat many different pests including mites , caterpillars , mealybugs , and aphids . They enjoy many of the same plants as ladybugs .
Syrphid flies — Also known as hoverflies , these predators eat mealybugs , aphids , psyllids , and whiteflies . They are attracted to lavender , coriander , lemon balm , and many other herbs .
Spiders — Spiders eat a wide range of insects and you don ’ t really need to do anything to attract them . If there is a food source , there will be spiders .
Pirate bugs — These predators eat thrips , mites , and other tiny insects . They also like spearmint , alfalfa , fennel , marigolds , and caraway .
Usually the presence of pests will attract the corresponding predator insect , but you can also buy beneficial insects from many garden catalogs . Keep in mind , some insects that are considered beneficial will also eat other beneficials ; case in point : the praying mantis . If you want to take advantage of beneficial insects , it ’ s important that you don ’ t spray chemicals on your garden . Most insecticides will kill all insects , regardless of their role in your garden .
120 grow cycle