We will be open on Mother’s day from 10:00 am until 3:00pm. And Rohde’s is ready with a great selection of gift items in our store. Bird feeders, chimes, garden hats and plants. Nothing tells mom that you love her more then a rose, that is why we carry a great selection of Antique Roses, no pun intended. But, just like mom these roses thrive on little care, never get sick, and keep giving day after day.

Come into Rohde’s and get 20% off of any rose through Mothers Day.

Pest Control

Things have changed since we started offering organic products more then thirteen years ago.

Back then there were very few products that were considered safe to use by those of us who insisted in changing the way gardeners treated unwanted pest.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) was considered one of the best tools back then. This natural sharp as glass like product worked by lacerating the undesired of the insect causing it to bleed to death, loose an appendage or dehydrate the insects that came in contact with this product.

Pyrethrum is an insecticide produced from pulverized Chrysanthemum flowers. The rresulting in a powerful product that attacks the nervous systems of all insects.

Roetenone a biological insecticde that was recommened for insect control, but was found to be to toxic and able to kill fish and other wild life.

Dormant Oil made from parafin wax solutions are prefered then petroeum disolates are used to suffocate overwintering insects and eggs. Dormant Oils can be used for year round to control insects, such as aphids, meally bugs scale and other small pest. Make sure you read the directions for summer use.

Bacillius Thuringensis (BT) products are specific to certain insects. The most used would be BT kurstaki to control catepillars. The draw back is the accidental or deliberate control of butterflies.

The above products and maybe a few more were the most benign products that we had for control of unwanted insects. That was then, now 2006 we have products that are safer and more effectve with longer residual that are able to help us control even themost deaded insect pest that now seek to ruin our back yard forays.

Over the past four years Rohde’s has begun serving hundreds of customers in order to help them regain control of their backyard activities. Some of the products we have used showed promise and worked very well in small areas. Such as BT israellensis. This BT product works wonderful in controlloing mosquito larvae but must be applied in areas that have sufficient moisture to serve as breeding grounds for these pest. Locating these areas and correcting the moistire problem turned out to be more efficient then reapplying the product and as the customers realized that any standing water should be treated or cleaned periodically the results were more effective, nmore economical and reduced the flying blood sucker. The key word here is reduced, the control of standing water did not erradicate the pest. Other products were more economical and helped rid the back yards of the pest.

Eco PCO WP has turned out to be a great product that can be used for insect control. All insects seem to sucumb to the effects of this botanical insecticide. Yes, I did say all insects so the use of this product for mosquito contol should be be prudent and well thought of. Mosquitos are mobile and can reach far distances by hitching a ride on unsuspecting birds or may be blown around by heavy winds. But, once they are in an area where they can feed and breed there is no real reasson for them to venture far away.

I will go out with a new employee to show them the areas where I think applications should be made in order to control mosquitoes and minimize blanket spraying to areas where other insects may reside. Insects that we may not want to kill. I try to avoid a blanket spraying of the entire landscape.

We look for areas where the customer may spend more time. Like the swimming pool, the barbecue area and sitting areas such as benches or tables. We treat these obvious areas as if they wwere an extension of the living areas in the house. We want the home owner to be comfortable and to be able to enjoy the fruit of their effors in creating these reteats.

I know that in past newsletters I have mentioned that it is the female mosquito that sucks our blood, but we can not distinguis at a glance the sex of a passing mosquito so we swat at all that we see. The good news is that the blood that the female takes from us is to heavy to permit her to fly off to far away places so she goes to the nearest upright location where she rest until the water sepperates from the blood and is expeled from her body.

That is when the Eco PCO becomes effective. Hoefully we have applied this product to the walls, tree trunks and vegetaion near the areas where are customer will unfortunatley have been attacked, and we hope that that attack will be the last one.

Most mosquitoes are active at dawn and dusk and tend to rest in the heat of the day. By apllying Eco Pco into targer areas where the mosquit may have gone to rest or to areas where the sprinkler system or rain have created breeding grounds great results may be accomplished. Walk the areas around the house look for puddles or moist areas under ground covers and treat these areas.

DO NOT spray areas that are in full sun or your vegetable and herb gardens. The mosquitoes may be there but so will many of your beneficails and you need them to help control their target pest.

Eco Pco WP has a nice fragrance and can bu used in the house.

Niban FG is my insecticide of choice for indoors. This boric acid product is bated with corn meal and has given me great control of all indoor pest. One container cost $5.50 and will treat my 2500 s/q home three times.

Beneficail Nematodes: These worm like creatores live in the soil where they attack soil dweliing pest. Despite customers fears of having their bodies penetrated by the microscopic creatures I still sell them after a long made up story if possible.

Did you hear about the lady that was cleaning her flower bed. She had a small scratck on her knee from shaving earlier in the day. The fresh scent of blood caused a sudden migration of the Beneficial Nematodes to the area where her knee was touching the ground. CSI teams found a large concentration of BN’s at every indentation in the soil caused by preassure from her knee.

Later that night as she was eating dinner with her family, six children and her husband, she started to shake uncontrollably. At first the husband thought that she might be cold since she was sunburned from the days outdoor activities. Later on as they were finishing her meal blood began to ooze from her nose and mouth. Then blood began to trickle from the ears. The kids thought this was cool.

”How are you doing that mom?” They asked her. “That is cool they exclaimed!”

Now the husband showed some concern and walked over to her just in time to see blood squirt from one tiny the eyes followed by more and more holes caused by the microscopic worms. Before her husband could get to the phone she let out a blood-curling scream. The kids stopped laughing as she fell face first into her dinner.

Of course this could never happen since the nematodes need to be in cool soils away from sunlight. Soil temperatures at ground level where her knees would have been resting is way to hot for the BN’s.

BN’s seek out prey by smelling the gasses that they put out and then enter their bodies through a natural orifice or wound. Once inside they lay their eggs and as these hatch they consume the innards. As Rachel Ray would say: “Delishhh!”

Roaches, fire ants, fleas, grasshoppers and other insects that have at least one life cycle in the soil can be destroyed by one BN. There is only one catch. The soil must be moist throughout the year. Applying one inch of water per week should give plenty of moisture for the BN’s to survive.

Spinosad is derived through the fermentation of a naturally occurring organism. It uniquely combines the efficacy of synthetic products with the benefits of biological insect pest control products.

The ants start to forage for products containing spinosad immediately. We have noticed that within hours the granules are no longer visible. Within days the ants have died and the mound starts to collapse.

One container usually covers 10,000 square feet.

Ascend this growth regulator containing abermectin. This is the perfect solution for properties or farms with two acres or more. Actually, it can be used for any size property but the 2 pounds of product should be used up within six months for better results.

Neem Oil is a botanical pesticide and fungicide made from an extract of the Neem tree. It is safe to use around humans and animals and is considered a soft insecticide sins it does not harm all beneficial insects. Neem oil can be used as an insecticide and miticide to keep away pests like aphids and white flies while preventing fungal problems such as powdery mildew, making Neem oil a perfect product to use on ROSES.

One of the best insecticides that I know of is proper care for your plants.

• Water when it needs water.
• Feed when it needs food.
• Aerate the soil when it is compacted.