Full film.
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Turns out it was probably a red-shouldered hawk! I found 5he coolest app today, that letās you record and identify bird sounds!
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Thatās a fine garden guardian (gardenian?) ! Those hawks are abundant here and go after squirrels, mice, rabbits, snakes, voles, rats, etc. They also eat frogs. I made a pool for Wood Frogs to breed in, along with Spotted Salamanders. One day, when the frogs were breeding, the hawk started picking them off. So, I put a bunch of hoops and brush over the pool, so the bird couldnāt just swoop down for an easy meal.
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I heard birds too! Thatās why I felt red of my bird feeder.
Yep, Red Shouldered hawks are pretty opportunistic; small kittens and puppies are not out the question! Those birds are currently mating and nesting here, making a lot of racket andā¦ carrying on. In some movies, hawk calls are used in place of eagles, when eagles are shown in the movie, since many eagles have high-pitched, wimpy calls. Many hawks sound more respectable. Hee hee!
I was blending hot sauce yesterday and discovered, to my horror, that Iām out of pickled Rocotillo peppers, vital in most hot sauces I make. So, even though it wasnāt planned, I need to start Rocotillo seedlings asap. Rocotillo provides that Scotch Bonnet/Habanero flavor without the heat. And the red color helps, it doesnāt brown out like Yellow or orange peppers. Iāve got plenty of Carolina Reaper, but thatās insanely hot, too hot for table use.
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Itās the time of year when my garlic throws up a stunted bulb, a yellow leaf, later to be followed by a curved stem.
So I dug up a clove and found this. Is this a nematode or a maggot?
Iām guessing itās a maggot since it doesnāt seem microscopic, but when using a magnifier I swear I saw moving things inside what vim calling the maggot.
Forgot the remay.
Copied/pasted from an email:
Oh crap; those are Onion Fly Maggots! In your area, it may be a close relative, the Seed Corn Maggot. They attack onions, chives, garlic, shallots, scallions, leeks, etcā¦ The Seed Corn maggot often moves back and forth from plump seeds, like corn (probably favas) and onion bulbs, hence its name. There isnāt a good insecticide available for homeowners to control for them any more; maybe the commercial growers know of one. A chemical, Diazinon, used to be available, but has been taken off the market.
Onion Flies/maggots are a major headache here, so all my alliums are grown under insect-proof row cover. Reemay used to be the product I used, but Agribon is the current row cover fabric Iām using. That worked great, as there was no sign of onion pests. There are hoops keeping the fabric off the plants. The flies couldnāt get under the fabric. If weeding, watering was necessary, I always did that really early, before it warmed up and potential flies were around.
I imagine onion flies out in your area emerged a month ago and started zooming around, looking for alliums. Hereās an article on these nasty pests, from UC, which states they are often serious pests in CA. In my experience, which is contrary to some publications, Onion Flies have seriously attacked garlic.
Even if you donāt grow alliums for years, the flies cover miles and can emerge from onions tossed in compost piles, trash cans, etc. I stopped growing alliums until last year, when everything was under hoops and fabric.
Unfortunately, the affected alliums are toast. Years ago, when my garlic was infested, I put all the bulbs in a big stockpot and poured a lot of boiling water over them, to kill the larvae before composting.
Going forward: once the maggots, flies are gone, you can make or buy wire hoops, tall enough for alliums, and cover them tightly with Agribon or similar row cover. This can also exclude thrips and aphids.
I wish the news was better!
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Thereās got to be a dislike button on this forum. Ewwwwā¦
I hope my garlic bulbs are enjoying their extended winter sleep. Still covered under about an inch of snow and ice right now.
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Sigh. Thank you. I canāt believe I forgot thatyou told me that last year! For some reason they donāt seem to bother my shallots. I hope I didnāt fust jinx myself .
I might have to get me some rocotillo seeds, then. I like that flavor but Scotch Bonnetsāre just too over-the-top hot.
My seeds are taking SO LONG. I planted a mess of stuff on 2/12, and so far the only things that have sprouted are the cilantro from @bogman, the Sungolds, and one lonely Anaheim pepper. Which is extra weird, because peppers usually take a month or more for me.
No problem! Same address? If the 2015 seeds grow, I can send you vert fresh seed later this year, or I can send some soon from 2015, which should be viable. Please email your preference.
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Since there are multiple generations, it wouldnāt hurt to cover the other Alliums, each type separately, so if there are already eggs, maggots or pupae, they donāt spread under/inside the fabric!
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Youāre being too nice, you know. If I canāt find any Rocotillo seeds or seedlings I may take you up on it. I appreciate the offer.
My Peach Rush and Chapita (sp?) seeds sprouted! Used the Aerogarden.
Thanks! but Iām just passing it forward, folks mail me seeds for free; I send seeds around. Itās part of a weāre-all-family approach. And, it helps plant varieties survive. Weāre all stewards of the Earth. Plants help undo the damage we do by sequestering carbon, bring growers joy and offsets to terrible news or events. Sprouting seeds give us hope, peace. Thereās something innate about growing plants that help us, by food, spice or fiber. Sharing seeds is not unlike breathing, a natural vital action.
Just beware that if the Rocotillo are described as hot, they are outcrossed imposters. During the early 80s, most of the Rocotillo were true, mild peppers. Over time, the variety became corrupted with outcrossed, very hot types.
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Yay! I hope you love those varieties! Theyāve become two of my favorites, for flavor and productivity. Both have endless possibilities in recipes. Those Aerogardens are getting popular. So convenient!
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Oops! Sugar Rush Peach and Aji Charapita Peppers
