Will You Support Monsantos Organic Varieties

I have mixed feelings about Monsanto right now.  Breeding better varieties by crossbreeding has long been accepted whereas using enzymes, bacteria and viruses to genetically modifying genes has had a lot of us concerned, and calling for an all out boycott of Monsanto and other biotech corporations.

For me its not so much that I fear their food, but more that they are not required to keep those genes contained and isolated, and when they escape they are legally allowed to claim ownership of plants infected by their Frankenstein genes.   It seems obvious to me this law was bought and paid for. So much for logic in our legal system,

Heres where is gets troublesome. Monsanto also breeds better varieties the same way its always been done, but they are using their knowledge of genes to select only the offspring that they wish to propagate allowing them to create superior varieties thousands maybe millions of times more efficiently than traditional crossbreeding. 

I have to say this is brilliant, but heres where I find trouble brewing.  Monsanto is likely to use the same laws that allow them to detect their genetic patent in plants that are accidentally infected (pollinated) by these varieties.

I would love to show my support for Monsantos crossbred varieties, but not if it will hasten their ownership of every seed and plant on Earth.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/01/new-monsanto-vegetables/

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Do You Know Your Garden Insects

Dont get these confused 

Squash Bugs- Bad

Damsel Bugs - Good

Damsel Bugs really love to live near alfalfa fields

Colorado Potato Bug

Cucumber Beetle - 1

Cucumber Beetle -2

Mexican Bean Beetle

Beneficial Lady Bugs

Learn to associate the moths in your area 
with the caterpillar

.  You have most likely seen these moths.  Here is the association.

Cabbage Loopers

There are simply too many moths and caterpillars to show them all,  But this site has an amazing collection of images.   http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/gallery

 

Should we kill it?

The white cocoons of the parasitic braconid wasps (Hymenoptera) hangs on the back of this tobacco hornworm. It would probably be better to let this one live in order to let the braconid wasps hatch.  I dont want to get into pest management but plant pollen and nectar producing plants attract Braconid Wasps.  So plant flowers for a beautiful garden defense.

Swallowtail Butterfly

Swallowtail caterpillar

Swallowtail caterpillars are beneficial insects; however, if you are a parsley farmer, you may have a different opinion!  Caterpillars forage heavily on their host plants, but they also serve as a food source for songbirds and other wildlife.  After their metamorphosis into butterflies, they become pollinators, which is important because one-third of the world’s cultivated crops depend upon the work of pollinators like butterfly and bees.  In addition, butterflies are beneficial to humans for their aesthetic qualities.  Many species are brightly colored and so capture the attention and marvel of many people.  Just watching the whimsical flight of butterflies is enough to lift the spirits!  - Joseph 

The Bug Guide is a good site for insect identification

The less pesticides you use, the more beneficial bugs you will see in your garden.
More flowers bring more beneficial bugs.
Malicious insects dont like healthy plants.
Use compost tea with molasses, essential micro-nutrients, and grow your soil.
Attract Soldier Beetles with goldenrod, hydrangeas, catnip or milkweed in your garden.

Soldier Beetles

UC Davis has very good information about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/index.html

 and

IPM Images is my favorite! 

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