Hi there, I'd be happy to take that trade :) I noticed you also have maypop cuttings on your trade list. Is there anything else from my list that you might want in exchange for that as well? Feel free to pick several varieties- I know postage can be a bit more with cuttings. Either way, email me your address and we'll trade something or other!

mgpaquin According to this site, the tomato yellow leaf curl virus does not survive in soil. I'd do some more research to make sure that's what all the research says. I also found the site linked below that describes an odiferous "invention" to repel whiteflies using fermented eggshells and eggwhites as the ingredients. It sounds pretty smelly, if you know what rotten eggs smell like! Here's the process described in the link. I don't know if it could be reproduced by home gardeners or not, since the information given appears to comprise some sort of formula that someone wants to take commercial. I'm also not sure if you're supposed to spray the plants with the resulting smelly mess or water the soil with it. The author says the plants themselves begin to smell of sulfur and thereby whiteflies are repelled, so I concluded the soil around the plants should be watered with it. Yet, in another place the author mentions "placing" it on leaf surfaces. If the plants smell like sulfur, I suppose any fruit would taste like sulfur, and nobody wants tomatoes to taste like that, but who knows? Maybe one tomato plant in a container could be sacrificed as a test! ===== There are many parts of an egg including the albumen or egg white. Typically, the albumen accounts for about sixty-seven percent of an egg's weight. The albumen contains more than half of the egg's total protein, minerals and vitamins. The albumen contains protein, niacin, riboflavin, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, sodium and sulfur. The pest repellant is produced by fermenting eggshells with a portion of the albumen attached thereto. Fermentation is the chemical process that breaks down organic materials. The process is carried out by bacteria, molds and yeasts that are present in the air. It is believed that the fermentation process liberates sulfur from sulfates and sulfides present in the amino acids of the eggshells and albumen. A chemical analysis of chicken eggs was undertaken and the following results were yielded. One-hundred grams of fresh chicken eggs contains approximately 70.83 g of water, 12.14 g of protein and 11.15 g of lipids. Minerals present in the eggs were as follows: 56 mg of C, 2.09 mg of Fe, 12 mg of Mg, 180 mg of P, 130 mg of K, 138 mg of Na and 1.44 mg of Zn. Vitamins included in the fresh eggs were as follows 0.087 mg of Thiamin, 0.301 mg of Riboflavin, 0.062 mg of Niacin, 0.120 mg of B6, 1.547 mg of B12 and 520 IU of A. The chicken eggs also included amino acids in the approximate quantities: 0.820 g of Lysine, 0.392 g of Methionine, 0.289 g of Cystine, 0.596 g of Threonine, 0.759 g of Isoleucine and 0.686 g of Phenylalanine. Methionine and Cystine both include sulfur. Methionine is represented by the following structural formula. ##STR2## Cystine is represented by the following structural formula. ##STR3## Since the eggshells and albumen contain amino acids that comprise sulfur, sulfur dioxide is created during the fermentation process. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a distinctive odor. The sulfur dioxide contributes to repelling the pests as it is placed on the leaf surfaces of the plant. The plants also absorb the sulfur present in the mixture of eggshells and albumen and give off a sulfur smell that repels pests. Another important element in the pest repellent is sulfide. Sulfide is a chemical compound that contains sulfur and another element. All sulfides contain the sulfide ion, a single sulfur atom with an electrical charge of -2. Sulfide ions are present in some proteins which make up living things. Since eggs are high in proteins, sulfide is present in them. During the manufacturing process of the pest repellent sulfur from the sulfide is liberated by the fermentation process. The best contemplated process for producing the pest repellant, involves collecting eggshells with part of the albumen attached thereto. The eggshells are placed into a metal or plastic container with warm or hot water. Over a period of time, the water coupled with bacteria and other fermenting agents dissolve the eggshells and cause them to decompose and liquefy. The mixture of water, eggshells and albumen are allowed to ferment for a period of time. Typically, the mixture ferments for at least twelve days. Heat may be introduced into the curing time to increase the fermentation process and cause chemical bonds to be broken thereby more quickly liberating sulfur. Likewise, the mixture may be stirred occasionally to increase the fermentation process. Typically, the mixture is tested using a hydrogen sulfide test kit to determine whether it is ready to be applied to plants. The mixture is ready for use as a pest repellant when the hydrogen sulfide is present in at least an amount of 0.424 mg/I. The mixture is then strained to remove visible or non-liquid particles. Silt sized particles may remain in the mixture due to the calcium in the shells. Typically, the calcium carbonate of the egg shells does not breakdown entirely leaving silt sized particles which may be filtered from the mixture. In the preferred embodiment, the silt sized particles are left in the mixture and are applied at the base of the plant adding nutritional value to the mixture. The preferable ratios of chemical compounds in the mixture are 250 ml of H2 O to 24.3 g of CaCO3 to 1.060-5 g of H2 S. The following is the structural formula for the pest repellant. ##STR4## The following are examples of the effectiveness of the pest repellant mixture. EXAMPLE 1 A mixture of hydrogen sulfide and calcium suspended in water, as mentioned above, was applied to a poinsettia plant. The poinsettia plant was placed near a gardenia bush that was infested with white flies. The poinsettia plant was monitored and visually inspected bi-weekly for approximately five months during warm weather. Visual inspections of the poinsettia plant revealed no white flies, larvae or white fly eggs present on the leaves of the poinsettia plant. The plant remained healthy and productive with blossoms and leaves of deep color. EXAMPLE 2 A gardenia bush that was infested with white flies operated as a control. White flies were visibly present on the leave surface of the gardenia bush. A second gardenia bush was placed within approximately a foot of the control. The second gardenia bush was treated twice a month with a mixture containing 0.424 mg/l of H2 S as mentioned above. Visual inspections of the gardenia bushes were conducted over a four-month period of time. While the control remained infested with white flies, no white flies were present during the visual inspections on the second gardenia bush. Further, neither larvae nor white fly eggs were found on the underside surface of the leaf. The second gardenia bush remained healthy and did not become infested with the white flies. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above, but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. Here is a link that might be useful: Patent application

I make tea with vermicompost. When I make it, I use fish tank bubblers and add unsulphured black strap molasses to stimulate good microbial environments. I drench the soil of my new beds with it and water/fertilize the established beds by drenching their soil with it, occasionally. I just did so on my Kale two weeks ago. This kale is in its third season. Leaves grew amazing after. Now it's cool. Time to harvest! if I am regenerating existing plants (fertilizing) I add powdered alfalfa for nitrogen, too. Sometimes, I will add powdered egg shell. As I learn more about my soil and missing nutrients I will be able to add different ingredients to enrich the soil. The goal of any form of compost - whether liquid or solid - is to make nutrients available to the plant in such a way that gives it strength to fend of pests and diseases. Even weak solid composts are good by providing the right pH balance and aerating the soil. Some say foliar feeds are helpful. I have yet to see results of foliar feed being any greater than soil drenches. The longer a liquid "tea" is out from under aerated brewing, the less its quality. I believe time spent in a bottle produces much weaker tea, over time. I'm still learning, though. I think foliar feeds is a good way to conserve the amount of tea if you don't have a lot of compost.

John, I find that as a gardener (ornamental, veggie and orchid), what discourages bad bugs and encourages good bugs is not overfertilizing or overwatering, and watering only in early morning. Too much nitrogen encourages fast, lush, soft growth that pests love to feed on. Then you are stuck trying to get rid of the pests. Using organic, low-number fertilizers, or slow-release synthetics, IMHO, provide less soft growth and fewer pests. Best of all, IMHO, is feeding the soil, not the plants, with compost, and all kinds of organic matter (leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds, manure, etc.) and let the microbes and earthworms release the nutrients for your plants as they need them. I find this leads to the fewest pests. The only thing I treat in my yard is the tomatoes with Bt (an organic biocontrol agent). Nothing else in my yard or veggie garden gets pests (knock on wood). I guess that's not true. I have some knockout roses with chilli thrips that I am slowly getting rid of as I find other things to put there. That's another lesson too- don't plant things that tend to attract pests to your garden. Grasshoppers come every year and I just stomp those. Another lesson I've learned, is to be tolerant of some pests. As long as they are not decimating your plants, they will attract beneficials to your yard. Frequently, hand-picking or a spray of water from a hose will be enough control. What a great lesson to teach your little one. The circle of life in plants too. In this day and age of global warming and bad economy, recycling and reusing organic materials is a great solution, not only for the health of your garden and wallet, but the health of your community. I just put my neighbor's grass clippings and a few bags of leaves in my veggie garden. About 30 pounds of coffee grounds and 10-15 pounds of soybean meal went in there yesterday. The brown and yellow banana leaves I trimmed were put on the ground and covered with leaves. These are great lessons he will remember and carry on. Anna