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Garden Gate:  Onion Maggots  |
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mydakota
True Blue Farmgirl
152 Posts
kristi
redmond
oregon
USA
152 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 09:46:20 AM
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The garden was very successful overall this year. I am still harvesting and canning/freezing like mad. The glaring exception though, was my onions. I lost at least 90% of my crop to onion maggots. Have any of you ever dealt with these? What were the most successful methods of combating them? I can tell you that soapy water did exactly nada. I was so sad. I had a beautiful bed of onions, yellows, whites and reds and didn't get squat out of them. My garlic and chives however, did fine. Looking for some farmgirl wisdom here!
HearthCricket Farm. Where the door is always open, and the coffee is always on. |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2011 : 1:27:42 PM
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I have found that they occur when your ground stays too damp, of at least thats what attracts them to my onions, I would cook that ground really well this winter to kill all of them, cover with black plastic, pin down and let go till its time to work the soil in the spring...good luck
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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mydakota
True Blue Farmgirl
152 Posts
kristi
redmond
oregon
USA
152 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2011 : 11:18:21 PM
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Well, I live in the desert so not sure if that is my problem. I did water regularly, but it seems they are pretty bad over here. I have read everything from "used raised beds" to "put coffee in your trenches when you plant". Just not sure what to do. I had a lot of beautiful onions and lost them all. I love onions. Sigh.....
HearthCricket Farm. Where the door is always open, and the coffee is always on. |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2011 : 09:41:02 AM
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Kristi, I too live in the desert, and dampness is still an occasional problem, we had several groups of days with high humidity and several hours of torrential downpoors that made it feel like I was in a sanna, and thats all it took...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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Garden Gate: Onion Maggots |
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Onion Maggots
