Stink Bug vs. Garden

This summer the stink bugs have not been too bad.............around the house! The garden is another story. Indoors, we have collected maybe a dozen a day. Really quite wonderful given past years where you could gather about a dozen an hour. We always keep a glass of water on hand for dropping them into. Then down the toilet they go...they seem to love water rides! (Okay, we enjoy seeing them on the water ride!)

The garden on the other hand has been another story. For every tomato we picked for the table two more went to the chickens. They have destroyed our cucumber bounty. We went from over flowing with cucumbers to sorry looking shriveled up fruits and vines. I have read articles where apple farmers have lost 90% of their crop to these enemies. These despised bugs are in the Bible somewhere, I'm sure of it! look really hard in the fine print of the 10 plaques and you will find the not often mentioned 11th plaque of stink bugs!!!

So how do you get rid of them? Seems to be anyone's guess. They aren't easily killed by pesticides, don't have many predators.... except Joy Bells, who will then loving pant in front of your face... and are amazing at getting in to any area they are not welcomed. They break the skin of the fruit and then funguses and other diseases invade and kill the plant. What a tag team they play! However, some people are saying that hot peppers are not on the menu for these guys.  They have tried home made sprays to keep the beast at bay. At this moment I too have a batch brewing. I will let you guys know if it works the wonder we hope for. If it does, it will be written down for next years arsenal defense!

They recipe calls for:
1 quart of warm water
1 TB Cayenne Pepper powder
2 TB vinegar

Stir/shake well.  Let sit a spell then spray down the plants. Reapply every couple days or after rain. Apply first thing in the morning.


I will let you guys know how it works!