Besides, we’re fur-apart neighbors, and I only have wild bees for whom I keep a horse-trough full of water in this dry West Texas… and only have a teeny-tiny beginnings of a Mel Bartholemew’s authentic All New Square Foot Garden (waist-high — no tilling — no weeding — drip-irrigated with rain water! But do have to draw water from the cistern and hand-water until it rains!)

And all this… while I’m living on a quarter-section of land with 5 acres I could work — if I’d o’ had a houseful of husky boys to help around the place!

Being an ol’ lady slows some of us down a mite.

As for natural pesticides… I’ve studied and practiced that for many years… first resource is: Tveden’s The Bug Stops Here –http://www.getipm.com/thebestcontrol/bugstop/index.htm — I downloaded his free book, and do a “find” to kill out the termites — I use much 20 Mule Team Borax, and an email going around says the following, after I tell you

Bye, Y’all… Stop by and set a spell, y’ hear?

Your devoted reader, That ol’ Texas Gal — read on — what is reportedly from Walter Reeves, from the University of Georgia (I’ll report back if that 2 bottles of Club Soda I poured on a big fire ant mound yesterday worked. — cost about $5 — Then sprinkled 20 MT Borax and Cream of Wheat on the stragglers for good measure!)
Killing Fire Ant Colonies GREAT NEW INFO!!!!

This is a new twist to killing fire ant colonies.
For those not familiar with Walter Reeves, he is from the University of Georgia agriculture department, specializing in home gardening. His television show, ‘Gardening in Georgia ‘, is on each Saturday.

I know fire ants are picky eaters and any type poison that is effective takes seven feeding steps before the queen receives it. Plus, if the bait is stored in close proximity to any petroleum or fertilizer products they won’t touch it. Contact poisons that are on the market just cause the colony to move away. A well developed colony can be as deep as 30 feet and spread out some 20 to 50 feet from the mound center… This was documented by studies done in the early 60′s when they were first sited in South Alabama .

An environmentally friendly cure for fire ants has been announced by Walter Reeves on his Georgia Gardener radio program. Testimonials that it REALLY WORKS are coming in.

Simply pour two cups of CLUB SODA (carbonated water) directly in the center of a fire ant mound. The carbon dioxide in the water is heavier than air and displaces the oxygen which suffocates the queen and the other ants. The whole colony will be dead within about two days.

Besides eliminating the ants, club soda leaves no poisonous residue, does not contaminate the ground water, and does not indiscriminately kill other insects. It is not harmful to your pets, soaks into the ground. Each mound must be treated individually and a one liter bottle of club soda will kill 2 to 3 mounds.

b (PS kitchen ants, and other ants reportedly will not go where you’ve sprinkled talc… worked last night in my dirty kitchen!