summer time bug and disease control

Yes Ma'am, 100%. There is never, ever, ever even 1 mosquito on or around the deck. Never.
And on the front porch I have 2 plants in pots; same thing -- never ever ever ever even 1 mosquito. Never. As you step out my front door, the "depth" of the porch is about 5 feet, and it's about 4 1/2 feet across. At the "far" end is where I have my 2 pots sitting; one on the right and one on the left. Never a mosquito anywhere near the porch or front door.

Here are pics of each on the front porch.

That's it! I'm getting lemongrass!

It's a good thing I like South Asian food. :)

Yippeee!!! Hurray for natural, organic, yummy pest control! =) And they're rather pretty, too. :)

speedie---

Educate me on Lemon Grass....I don't think we carried it at all..not sure...
Is it perennial? Annual? Do you bring it inside for the winter?

You have so many pots of it. It may get $$$ replacing them every year.
Is it still sold this late in summer?

Thanks...G.

In this area, Gita, it is an annual, sadly. I don't bring mine in for the winter as they are actually pretty cheap; I just replace mine every spring. (at work, they are about $3 per 4" pot). If our winters keep going in the direction they seem to be going in, they may soon last through our winters here though. < =/

We don't still have any at work, and I've had many customers coming in looking for it, saying they've looked around numerous other places without any luck. I'm not sure what growers would still have them available. If anyone (retailers) still has any available this time of year, especially if they are in 4" pots, I'd sure hope they'd be giving a BIG discount, and then I'd give 'em a good root pruning when I repotted them.

Mine all last me up until at least Christmas.

One of my cats likes to nibble on lemon grass - so I buy it for her.

I am definitely sold on the lemongrass now, too!

Me too. I bought a plant this spring but didn't put it near where we sit on the patio -- I'm going to move it now! Can it be divided easily? Can it be overwintered?

Yes, Lemongrass can be divided fairly easily and our heat wave is ideal growing conditions, A friend has rooted a stalk from Whole Foods in a glass of water and now has a nice clump of it. It can also be overwintered but I'm not sure of the details.

Thanks, Coleup!

Careful, the older leaves can give a 'paper cut'. If getting a stalk from the market to root get one that is fresh and still has the bulb like base on it. I saw one the other day that had those little white bumps that will become roots on the base.

Interesting about dividing them and overwintering them, I've not tried that. Then again, I can just bring a bunch home from work each spring, so I take the lazy way out. ;)

Muahahahahaha! Saw this in my garden this morning. Bug-on-bug violence is totally okay with me if the bug being victimized is a tomato hornworm!

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/beneficials/beneficial-04_braconid_wasp_on_hornworm.htm

I always let my horn worms stay on my plants because I know the wasps will find them soon enough and that'll be end of the worms for the year. I chuckle too when I see a white worm. Muwahahaha

haha
I saw an Assasin bug in the garden today, YAY

LOL Paul. I love it!

You guys crack me up! =) Sally, did your assassin but have a little Ninja sword?

haha speedie!

Paul---
I don't "get" the picture you posted! WHO are those Guys?

Then again--I don't "get" a lot of things....generational issue..
G.

Gita- it is a movie reference. Austin Powers starring Mike Myers.

Gita: the movie is hilarious.
here's a youtube video of the particular scene that Paul is referencing.
I want to make it my ringtone or something, it makes me crack up every time!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7edeOEuXdMU

karen--I smiled a bit--does that count? G.

Oh my gosh, I love Austin Powers movies!!
ONE MILLION DOLLARS!!! Muuaahahahaaa!!!!!

Seems it wasn't only August who spotted Stink Bugs recently!

Yesterday before the storms there were about ten gathered on their favorite side (SSW) of my house. Evidently they can still find my back door! Want to eliminate these early ones before they leave scent for the later ones to find.

Here is a link to our threads on the BMSB from last year. Lots of good info and accounts of past struggles. I've bumped it up for this year so comment there if you'd like.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1281718/