[Eric Vinje]

Louise –

Add compost. Other amendments will solve particular problems more quickly or completely, but compost is the best all-around soil conditioner available. Just make sure it’s organic and does NOT contain sludge or biosolids.

Soils with poor structure do need to have organic matter thoroughly incorporated into them. If your soil has too much sand or clay, if it is compacted, or if it lacks organic matter, then by all means dig in. Here’s a couple of links that should help.

https://www.planetnatural.com/composter-connection/soil-science/compost-soil/
https://www.planetnatural.com/compost-sewage/

Good luck!

[Eric Vinje]

Jill –

Semaspore Bait is specific to grasshoppers and one species of cricket — it will not harm you, your pets, birds or the environment.

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Hi Mindy –

Our two most popular soils for indoor gardening are FoxFarm Ocean Forest and Roots Organics. Both are excellent and include about a 6 week supply of organic nutrients. I’d suggest giving them a try.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/ocean-forest-potting-soil/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product/roots-organic-soil/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Hi George –

Here ya’ go! Have at the little buggers!

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/lawn-pests/sowbug-pillbug-control/

Thank you.

[Eric Vinje]

Joan –

Our minimum order is 3 squares (5,000/ square) of trichogramma. Eache square will treat 5,000 square feet.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/trichogramma-wasps/

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Hailu –

Give us a call on 1-888-349-0605 and we can give you quantity pricing.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/mosquito-dunks/

Note: We offer case pricing on almost all of our products.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Marco –

Trichogramma Wasps work for pantry moths but not clothes moth. I have attached a link that should help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/household-pests/indian-meal-moth-control/.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Brent –

The price of our Predatory Mites includes Fed Ex overnight shipping. Orders placed by Thursday morning will ship the following week and typically arrive by Wednesday. If pest populations are high, use a least-toxic, short-lived natural pesticide — Insecticidal Soap, Neem Oil, Botanical Insecticide — to establish control before releasing predators for long-term control. I’ve attached a link that should help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/spider-mite-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product/predatory-mites-spidex/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Three cheers for Tricia… Hip. Hip. Hooray!

Thank you Tricia — It’s always nice to hear from a happy customer. I will pass your note around to all of our hardworking employees. It’s very much appreciated.

[Eric Vinje]

Don –

The glassy-winged sharpshooter is essentially a large leafhopper that looks like a very tough bugger to manage. The big problem here is that it does not take many of these guys to spread disease on grapes. Most references suggest keeping them out of a new areas that are growing susceptible crops… but that doesn’t do you any good if they’re already present. With that in mind I suggest the following:

• Yellow sticky strips can be used to monitor the presence of the pest and help identify areas that need to be treated
• Lacewing, praying mantis, spiders and assassin bugs will all attack the glassy-winged sharpshooter.
• Botanical insecticides can be used to quickly knock down pest levels. However, we recommend spot-treating as much as possible to minimize harm to beneficial insects that may be present. Keep in mind, that beneficial insects are the good guys. They’re putting the work in to provide long term control!

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/leafhopper-control/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Not yet!

[Eric Vinje]

Niki –

Did you harden off your tender seedlings before sticking them outside? There’s a very good chance that your plants are sunburned. Here’s a couple of links that will help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/planting-seedlings/
https://www.planetnatural.com/organic-gardening-guru/starting-seeds/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Rosa –

All of our OMRI Listed fertilizers can be found here:

https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/organic-gardening/omri-listed-organic/fertilizer-soil/.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Faye –

Most tropical plants require a loose, good draining mix similar to something they might find in a rainforest. I suggest Krazy Karl’s Orchid Mix — it’s hand blended in our retail store — or perhaps making your own with a combination of coco coir, peat moss, perlite or vermiculite. I’ve included a couple of links that will help…

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/krazy-karls-orchid-mix/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/growing-indoors/growing-media/soilless/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/growing-indoors/growing-media/soil-conditioners/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Ashley –

Order away! We’ve got thousands in stock and can give you a break on quantity orders. Please call 1-888-349-0605 to talk to a customer representative.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/praying-mantis-egg-cases/

Good luck with the project!

[Eric Vinje]

Jeffrey –

We no longer offer a paper catalog. However, we invite you to shop our website at http://www.planetnatural.com and when in Bozeman, please visit our retail store.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Roy –

I apologize for the delay in my response. However, my favorite worm farm — the Can O Worms — was on backorder when you posted your question. Tried and tested, the Can-O-Worms has been used for years! I strongly recommend it.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/can-o-worms/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Lucas –

All of our mycorrhizae inoculants contains a mixture of beneficial fungi and are well suited to a wide variety of soils, climates and plants. I’ve been checking labels and can not find where specific plants are mentioned. With that said, I recommend the following product for your purposes:

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/plant-success-granular/.

I hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Dayn –

The minerals, fertilizers and soils listed here have all been subjected to rigorous OMRI oversight, giving you the assurance they consist of only the finest organic materials.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/organic-gardening/omri-listed-organic/fertilizer-soil/

[Eric Vinje]

Adam – I wouldn’t recommend using the Garlic Barrier inside. I think a better approach would be to find out where the ants are coming from — most likely they are coming in on the pipes. A small bead of Tanglefoot Pest Barrier will prevent crawling insects from entering. Here’s a link:

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/tree-tanglefoot-insect-barrier/

[Eric Vinje]

Nina –

A good all purpose organic fertilizer is best at this time. You want to use something with a little more phosphorous to stimulate root development. I’ve attached a couple of links that I think will help.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/life-all-purpose-fertilizer/
https://www.planetnatural.com/organic-lawn-care-101/
https://www.planetnatural.com/fertilizer-numbers/

[Eric Vinje]

Michael –

Now is a good time! If possible, we recommend making several applications a few days apart rather than one big application.

[Eric Vinje]

Robert –

Please give us a call at 1-888-349-0605 and one of our customer representatives will be able to help.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Hello,

I think you may have flea beetles on your lime tree, which can be remedied with beneficial nematodes and/ or diatomaceous earth. Both are safe for people and bees!

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/flea-beetle-control/

Good luck!

[Eric Vinje]

Bob –

Wood ash makes a nice addition to gardens and compost piles. It contains potash — or potassium — one of the required plant macronutrients, but is also very alkaline and will raise soil pH. If your garden soil is already very alkaline I would stay away from using them. You want to lower your pH — sulfur, peat or compost will help to lower or neutralize pH in high alkaline soils.

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Hi Greg –

Yes, the Tanglefoot Insect Coating is thinner than their pest barrier product. It is designed specifically for making your own traps!

[Eric Vinje]

Judie –

Have you seen this page?

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/tree-pests/tent-caterpillar-control/

[Eric Vinje]

Frank –

It is my understanding that the “do NOT feed to Ruminates” statement on bags of bone meal comes from concerns over mad cow disease. However, I am not certain of this.

Both Rock Phosphate and Bone Meal are good sources of organic phosphorous for home gardeners. We recommend using bone meal as a short term phosphorous supply and rock phosphate as a long term phosphorous supply, as it’s slower to break down. Many growers often combine the two to get the benefits of both and a more complete range of micronutrients.

[Eric Vinje]

Yes, we ship to Hawaii. The only restrictions we have are for beneficial insects — you will need to get a permit from your local USDA before we can send them.

[Eric Vinje]

Julia –

Yes, trichogramma are very effective for getting rid of pantry moths. Here’s a couple of links that will help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/household-pests/indian-meal-moth-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product/trichogramma-wasps/

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Hello Al –

Nematodes will persist in the soil and multiply once they are released. However, they typically do not keep up with the reproduction rates of most insect pests and will need to be released periodically for effective control. Right now, it does not look like the Spined Soldier Bug will be commercially available.

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Sharon –

I don’t see any problem with putting Smart Pots inside terra cotta pots, except that you will be reducing some of the air flow around the fabric pot. Smart Pots are soft-sided fabric containers that release heat and keep roots cool during hot weather. Also, the breathable material helps air-prune the plant’s root structure, which stops roots from circling. Better roots = better plants!

[Eric Vinje]

Tinka –

You’ve come to the right place. Please check the provided link and let us know if we can help in any way.

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/leafminer-control/

Thank you!

[Eric Vinje]

Sandra –

You’ll be fine planting 8- to 12-inches inside the frame. Make sure to allow enough space (1-1/2 – 3 feet) between plants to permit good sun penetration and air circulation. Also, you’ll need room for support — tomato cages, etc.

https://www.planetnatural.com/growing-tomato-plants/

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Jan –

Let us know how that worked out! It’s our concern that the oils could block the leaf pores and cause damage. Also, if your plants are under bright lights you may experience some leaf burn.

[Eric Vinje]

Shane –

Black Gold does not use biosolids in their potting soil or compost. Both are OMRI Listed for use in organic production. At Planet Natural we work hard to weed out the “crap!” I’ve attached an article we wrote on biosolids/ sludge.

https://www.planetnatural.com/compost-sewage/

[Eric Vinje]

Thomas –

Please see the link below for How to Identify and Control the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug:

https://www.planetnatural.com/stink-bugs/.

Hope it helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Yaniv –

We don’t have any consultants in your area, but this post may help to locate somebody. If not, please check out our gardening blog. We have over 700 articles that are broken out into specific gardening related sections.

https://www.planetnatural.com/blog/

[Eric Vinje]

Karen –

I’ve included a link to a couple of our grasshopper control pages below. Please take a look!

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/lawn-pests/grasshopper-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/grasshopper-bait/

We produce Semaspore, an organic bait that provides long-lasting control of grasshoppers. While not fast acting, the product persists throughout the hatching and growing season and at least through the following year. It is non-toxic to everything but grasshoppers!

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Sandra –

This link might help:

http://www.melbartholomew.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-vermiculite/.

[Eric Vinje]

Arianna –

For soil that is too alkaline, you need to add something that is acidic. Most gardeners use elemental sulfur (1/2 tsp/ 6 in. pot diameter), but you can also add pine needles, coffee grounds or peat moss to the mix — all are very acidic. We offer several trusted, natural options for changing the pH of soil. Let us help you find the best products for your area. Here’s a link.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/organic-gardening/soil-care/ph-adjustment/

Hope it helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Sharath –

Soaps and alcohol work by dehydrating insects — they are completely ineffective once dry and have little effect on scale. To combat scale, we recommend either a horticultural oil or neem oil — something that will coat the hard shell and suffocate the pest. Please see the links provided below:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/lawn-pests/aphid-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/houseplant-pests/scale-control/.

Hope this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Steven –

A Ductstat temperature sensitive switch will help to keep the temperature more constant. Although it sounds like you have a -DIF, or a cooler night time temperature than daytime temp, which can be advantageous for say a farmer who wants to keep his transplants short and stocky. For greenhouse crops though, yes, a constant temperature is desirable and the Ductstat would help.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/ductstat-thermostat/

[Eric Vinje]

Ess –

A 2 bulb t5 with warm and cool spectrum bulbs would be sufficient.. as far as wattage goes for an avocado tree indoors, the more power you pump on it the faster it will grow and the more water and nutrients it will need. A 250W HPS HID system would allow for quick growth.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/t5-fluorescent-grow-light-2-foot/

[Eric Vinje]

Casey –

Using a 2 foot 2 tube T5 fixture with the standard cool spectrum bulb, as well as a replacement warm spectrum bulb will help cover the red and blue light spectrum and fit into a compact space. Depending if a 2 foot 2 tube T5 fixture would fit in the space, another option could be to use a T5 Jump Start system if space is limited.
https://www.planetnatural.com/product/jump-start-light-system/

If the space is there, a 200W CFL light and fixture from hydrofarm could work as
well.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/compact-fluorescent-fixture/

[Eric Vinje]

Kevin –

Yes, beneficial nematodes wreak havoc on on army worm eggs and pupae found in the soil. Please see our page on armyworm control and let us know how things work out.

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/armyworm-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product/beneficial-nematodes/

Hope it helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Joy –

I think the basic rule of composting applies here… “When in doubt, leave it out.” You certainly don’t want to be adding toxic materials, if any, to your compost pile. As for composting paper, the following link will help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/composting-paper/.

[Eric Vinje]

Regina –

Please see the following link for Early Blight Treatment and Control:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/plant-disease/early-blight/

Hopefully this helps!

[Eric Vinje]

Suellen –

We specialize in natural pest control both inside and outside. The following links will help:

https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/healthy-living/home-pest-control/
https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/household-pests/
https://www.planetnatural.com/product-category/natural-pest-control/

If you can’t find what you are looking for please ask! We’re here to help.

[Eric Vinje]

Hello Al –

Neem works as an anti-feedant and insect growth regulator on a wide range of insects and will most likely work to control Codling Moth. With that said, broad applications of neem oil can get very expensive. I think you would be better served using a horticultural oil and trichogramma wasps early this spring to attack the eggs. Spinosad is a biological product that is SAFE for most beneficial insects, but toxic to bees exposed to treatment for 3 hours following application. Do not apply this pesticide to blooming, pollen-shedding or nectar-producing parts of plants if bees may forage on the plants during this time period.

Please see the following link for more control strategies:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/tree-pests/codling-moth-control/.

Thank you!

[Author]

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