From: songbird@anthive.com   
      
   Snag wrote:   
      
   >    Were eating my beans up pretty badly , but I'm somewhat controlling   
   > their numbers now . I sprayed the plants - blue lake pole beans - before   
   > they flowered with some fruit tree spray (checked with my Plant Guru   
   > first , she said it was OK) that has permethrin and neem oil and that   
   > worked fairly well . Once they flower I can't use pesticides because of   
   > the bees , so I'm drowning the bugs in soapy water . What I'm doing is   
   > holding a gallon size ice cream container with an inch or so of soapy   
   > water in it under the leaf they're on . I touch or shake the leaf , they   
   > land in the soapy water and drown . Early in the morning is a good time   
   > as is late afternoon/early evening - but you can find them just about   
   > any time of day . I'm not preventing all the damage , but I'm reducing   
   > it enough that it's not a big deal . And this year the beans are loaded   
   > loaded with blossoms and teeny tiny beans . I am optimistic ...   
      
     if you put the JBs in soapy water they will drown   
   but you will be surprised by how long that can take.   
   longer than an hour or two.  they must go into some   
   hibernation state.   
      
     i was taking them and throwing them at the end of   
   the driveway for the birds to eat.  after a while   
   they would start crawling away.   
      
     i haven't seen any yet this year but they will be   
   around.  i greatly reduced the number of how many   
   are around by getting rid of the wild grape vines.   
   i see some vines are starting up again so i'll   
   have to get back there again and cut it back.  always   
   fun on a slope.   
      
      
   >    Also , the tomatoes are doing very well , loaded with fruit and   
   > blossoming like crazy .  We've started picking cucumbers and a few   
   > peppers (California Wonder red/green and Anaheims) and the bees are   
   > doing very well , putting up lots of honey . Everything seems to be   
   > going well this year - I think it's partly because I'm spending more   
   > time out there and partly due to fertilizing with generous quantities   
   > of rabbit droppings ...   
      
     it's been so hot here i'm not sure how many fruits   
   are setting yet, but i do see some and plenty of   
   blooms.  lack of rain keeps me watering every two or   
   three days.  the beans are not doing all that great   
   but they'll perk up once we get a few good rains.   
      
     i'm starting to see some flowers here or there.   
      
      
     songbird   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)