Mrs. David's Garden Seeds®

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Trap Crop

Have you heard of the term Trap Crop? This week, we will discuss what they are and why you want to plant them.

Hey there, my fabulous green-thumb friends! Aren't you just excited for spring and itching to start gardening? I'm going to share a secret with you today - a technique that will help you get a good harvest while keeping those troublesome bugs out! It's called using a trap crop in gardening. Excited yet? Great! Let’s delve right into it.

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Trap Crop - 4/1/24-4/7/24

Monday, April 1, 2024

Good Monday morning! Happy April Fool's Day! I have been away for a few hours thinking. I hate that. All of life's problems pop into my head in the night and I cannot get them out. At my age, I just want to walk away and leave them behind, don't you? Life is too short for the hatred people have for me just because I am breathing. Frankly, they are not worth my time.

Welcome to another Monday morning that will be busy. I printed out and pulled all of my weekend orders up to 8pm last night. No, we did not get a weekend even though the store was closed. It is so disappointing.

I pulled and mailed out orders almost all day long. Two large hods of asparagus were picked so I had to break them apart and wash them, sending the inedible parts out to the compost pile. Interestingly, the rabbits and chickens refuse to eat them.

I also had to pack eggs. I packed four cartons. I now have 26 cartons of eggs. If you need eggs, see me for $5 a dozen, a bargain because everyone else out this way is getting $6, $7, or $8.

It was about 9pm when I finished getting the aspargus ready to blanch. I will blanch it tomorrow. My back is killing me and I have to sit down.

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Trap Crop

First things first, what is a trap crop? A trap crop, also known as a sacrificial garden crop, is a plant you grow to attract pests away from your precious main crops. This strategy is meant to keep the bad bugs out of your main garden, so they feast on the trap crop instead. Neat, isn't it?

Now, let’s talk about what makes a good trap crop. Ideal trap crops are plants that attract pests more than your main crops. They should also be easy to manage so that pests don't become uncontrollable. These will be plants that are delicious to pests but not too precious to your kitchen or garden.

Your trap crops should be a bit more mature than the crops you are trying to protect so get your trap crops started several weeks, if possible, before you plant your actual crops.

A trap crop sounds very strange, doesn't it?  It is also known as a sacrificial garden, something that you plant, not to eat, but to attract non-beneficial bugs away from the edible plants in your garden. Planting a trap crop is a form of companion planting, designed to get the bad insects away from your growing food.

An essential part of this pest management technique is understanding companion planting. Companion planting involves grouping plants together that benefit each other, such as using certain plants to deter pests from others. An example would be planting nasturtiums alongside your veggies to distract aphids and other harmful bugs.

For instance, if you plant a border of White Icicle Radish seeds around your squash and/or zucchini seeds, the squash bugs will attack the radish plants instead of the squash or zucchini plants. Interestingly, this only works with the White Icicle Radish and not other radishes. The White Icicle is a very hot radish. I grew them and tried one. Never again-they are so hot! Another seed to plant in with your squash is millet. Squash bugs love millet.

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Tuesday, April 2, 2024

It is now 4:20pm and we close in 40 minutes. I did not have time to say good morning as we left the farm early for doctor appointments in San Antonio. I am having ingrown toenail problems again so the doctor did all sorts of painful things. My toe is hurting but, hopefully, it will start feeling better in the next few days.

It is hot and sunny and we had just two customers all day long. Of course, no one bought eggs. More for me. Lol!

I got all of the orders out that were pulled but now there are more. I need to go in and blanch the asparagus from last night. I have three large containers that are full of it. I sent some that was just picked today home with our housekeeper to enjoy. She was happy to get it. I sent more home with Matt to enjoy. He loves to eat it raw.

My sister informed me that I would need eclipse glasses so I went on Amazon and ordered 10 pairs so we can all watch. Then I sent her 5 pairs. They should be in tomorrow. The eclipse of the sun is next Monday.

Time to pull some more orders. FedEx just pulled in and it is 4:51pm. They are earlier than usual.

I will be blanching asparagus, steaming some eggs, and prepping to make an egg casserole for breakfast in the morning. I washed all of the kitchen appliance covers this afternoon because they were really getting dusty.

Now for reality. At around 6pm, I went in the house to make dinner. I washed eggs and took four dozen over to the Farm Store. I blanched ten quarts of asparagus and put it in the freezer and I was exhausted, plus my toe was in so much pain.

As soon as the dishes were cleaned up, I planted myself on the couch and fell asleep. David woke me up at 10:20pm. I let the dogs out to make potty, gave them their night time chew, took a shower, and went to bed. The egg boiling and egg casserole will have to wait until tomorrow.

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Trap Crop

As for when should you plant a trap crop, timing is crucial. You need to plant these saviors early enough so they’re mature and pleasing to pests by the time your main crop is starting to grow. This way, pests will be drawn to the trap crops before they even notice your main ones.

Now, you must be thinking about the timing of planting these trap crops. That’s brilliant! It absolutely matters. You need to plant these super-hero plants early enough so that they’re mature and irresistible to pests by the time your main crop is on its way up.

Thinking of benefits? Trap cropping is an ace strategy to enhance organic gardening. By channeling pests to a designated area, you can protect the health of your remaining plants, invite beneficial insects, and even enhance soil quality.

Not just that, trap cropping is great for the environment too. Plus, it gifts you with a better understanding of your garden ecosystem. Observing the interaction between pests and your trap crops can provide fascinating insights into nature.

Planting millet and hairy vetch with your sunflowers will protect your sunflowers from stink bugs.

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Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Good morning. It is 43 lovely degrees Fahrenheit here and it feels cool and wonderful. It is supposed to get up to 83° today. The sky is blue and sunny. Sam and Matt are putting shade cloth up on the side of the gazebo that faces the oak tree next door. That tree is throwing leaves, twigs, and pollen into the pond every single day and night. The breeze out here gets pretty rowdy, especially in the evenings so the pond is filled each day. Hopefully, the shade cloth will keep most of that garbage out.

The pond is getting fairly low. Sam and Matt got shade cloth up on the sides so, hopefully, we don't have that problem anymore.

While they were doing that, I chose seeds to plant in my three Greenstalks. I planted the two Greenstalks up on the deck and watered them well. I also removed some June bugs from some of the plants up on the deck, pulled some weeds out of them, and cut off some dead leaves.

Then I went in to heat up some lunch for David and me. My legs are hurting and I feel very tired. Fun times.

I just finished writing a page on the benefits of farm fresh eggs. If you need some, we have them for just $5 a dozen.

It is now 3pm and I have cleaned out the pond. The dirty water is now coming out the way it should thanks to Matt and Sam cleaning out the outtake hose last week. It was clogged with leaves. Today, Matt and Sam put up shade cloth on the gazebo so the wind will no longer blow leaves into my pond from that huge oak tree next door. I have put de-chlorinator in the pond and in another 20 minutes, I will put fresh water in it. The pond is very low right now.

I filled up the pond, turning the water off at 5:15pm. It had gotten very low. I made keto meatballs, rice, green beans, sliced garden tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, and steamed eggs. It was a delicious meal. Matt stayed and we watched Star Trek: Nemesis. It was good.

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Trap Crop

As for what should trap crops be planted close to, it depends on the pests you're trying to deter. For example, if you're dealing with tomato hornworms, you'd want to plant your trap crops near your tomatoes. It's all about using them as a sort of pest magnet, to keep those destructive critters away from your prize-winning veggies. plant dill around tomatoes to prevent hornworms.

To prevent other bugs on your tomatoes, plant marigolds and okra plants with your tomatoes as well as the dill mentioned above.

If you're pondering over how many trap crops to plant in your raised bed, there's not a hard and fast rule. The key is to have enough to attract the bugs, but not so many that you risk an invasion. Generally, a small section of your garden dedicated to trap crops should do the trick.

Now, on to what makes a good trap crop. You would ideally want plants that are more attractive to pests than your primary crops. So, something tasty for the little critters, but not so precious to you or your kitchen, would do the trick.

The beauty of trap crops doesn’t stop at simply diverting pests. When used along with "companion planting" – where you grow plants together that help each other out – they can significantly enhance the health and yield of your garden. You're creating little teams of plants that support each other in every way possible.

Let’s take an example to explain companion planting better. Nasturtiums, the vibrant, showy flowers that are perfect for luring in aphids and other detrimental bugs, can be planted alongside your veggies. In this way, they serve as a shield, protecting your vegetables from being infested.

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Thursday, April 4, 2024

It is 90 minutes before we close on Thursday. It has been a very busy day. I went out to feed the fish and the pond was low again. So I filled it and soon discovered a huge water puddle in front of the gazebo stairs. Houston, we have a pond leak. I told David and he ordered a pond patch kit. Once I turned the water off, the puddle dried up quickly so I guess the hole is high on the liner.

I watered the zinnias in the flower beds in front of the Farm Store. I also watered all of the aloe and snake plants up on the Farm Store deck. Then I watered the two Greenstalk planters that I planted yesterday.

Matt helped me to move a lot of my garden supplies back inside my greenhouse. For some reason, they were left out after Nacho painted the floor of my greenhouse. He helped me move some cloth pots around and guess what? I have one peanut plant growing in one and three sweet potatoes growing in three others. I pulled all of the dead plants out of my Greenstalk planter back there and was surprised to find quite a few herbs still alive from last year. I gave them all a good watering and then I watered all of the trees and plants in my plant area.

To my dismay, the cloth hose I bought with my own money last year is gone. I cannot understand who on earth would steal it from me or why. So now I have to comb eight acres of property and see if I can find it. Isn't that ridiculous? There are so many hoses around here. I just don't get why someone would want to steal my hose. Of course, the nozzle on the hose, also my personal property, is gone, too. Last year, I had to buy a set of nozzles because someone kept taking them off of my hoses. Now they are all gone but one.

At 4:41pm, we had our first and only visitors. One person was on crutches. They asked for a tour of the farm in our tour vehicle.

First, we don't give tours after 3:30pm. Second, what tour vehicle? If and when we get a tour vehicle, there will be a tour charge of $5 per person because gas is not cheap. We do have a walking tour right now but you have to get here early and the temperature cannot be 95° or above.

Since we do not have a tour vehicle, they left. They were not interested in buying seeds. They just wanted something free to do. We sell seeds. This is our bread and butter. We do not have jobs. We own a business in which we sell seeds.

For most of the rest of the day, I have been filling orders. I did not sleep well last night and I am very tired. My blood pressure is high and now I have to go comb the property...

I fell asleep early on the couch, woke up and fell back to sleep so it was a good evening...I woke up and went to bed at 11:30pm.

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Trap Crop

Just like in the world of fashion, there are specific varieties that work best as trap crops. I am talking about plants like nasturtiums for aphids, radishes for flea beetles, and mustard plants for nematodes. Go ahead and research what pests are typical in your area, and choose your trap crop seeds accordingly. Some trap crops repel bad insects while others bring in the beneficial insects to eat or destroy the bad bugs.

Let's dive deeper into the benefits of trap cropping. This practice plays a significant role in organic gardening, as it reduces the need for harmful pesticides. By attracting pests to a certain area, you can maintain your other plants’ health, bring in beneficial insects, and even improve overall soil quality.

Not only is trap cropping good for the environment, but it can also give you a better understanding of the ecosystem in your garden. Observing the interaction between pests and your sacrificial garden crop can provide a fascinating insight into the natural world.

I have a lovely rose garden right in front of our home with 19 different rose bushes in it. To prevent Japanese beetles from overtaking your rose bushes, plant Four O'Clock flowers by your roses. The beetles like them more than they like the roses. They also love zinnias and geraniums so you can plant some of them by your roses.

The cucumber beetle really loves cucumbers but it loves amaranth even more so plant amaranth with your cucumbers.

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Friday, April 5, 2024

New Sale!

Good morning. It is 45° again this morning. It has been relatively cool all week long except for Sunday and Monday.

We are having a blowout 25% off of everything sale right now that started at midnight. Use code BLOWOUT25 at checkout.

Today, the seeds from my zinnia beds from 2023 went on sale. They are called Mrs. David's Garden Seeds® Zinnia Mix and include the giant single color zinnias, bi-color zinnias, and queeny zinnias. We harvested all of the seeds from our 2023 zinnia garden beds and packed them. You can purchase 0.4 ounce for $6.25 or 1 ounce for $9.45 and have a beautiful bed of zinnias. The seeds are not clean so there are various dried petals and stems.

I filled orders all day long with the exception of one family who visited in the late afternoon. The child tore things up, throwing seeds on the ground. He also played with my miniature display three times even though he was told three times not to touch it. He actually threw himself on the floor when the man tried to grab him to take him outside. Folks, teach your children to behave when they are very small and they will actually behave when you take them somewhere instead of humiliating you. Can you imagine being bossed around by a three year old? Parents might enjoy this. I do not. Please keep your kids out of our store if they cannot behave.

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Trap Crop

Now, let's touch on one technique that is a good partner to trap cropping: crop rotation. By not planting the same crops in the same place year after year, you can help disturb the life cycle of pests and diseases, further safeguarding your beloved plants.

Note that you do need to be wary of not attracting too many pests with your trap crop. The point is to absorb and lessen the pest population, not create a breeding ground. Regularly monitor your trap crops and deal with infestations promptly to avoid them becoming a problem.

Trap crops do wear multiple hats! Not only can they serve as sacrificial garden crops, but they could also provide value to your garden in other ways, too. They can serve as ground cover, provide food for beneficial insects, or even be harvested and used if the pest damage isn't too severe.

Another technique that pairs well with trap cropping is crop rotation. By shifting your crops’ placement year by year, you’re further disturbing pests and disease life cycles, giving your plants an additional layer of protection.

A word of caution, though, the objective of a trap crop is to manage and lessen the pest population, not transform your garden into a breeding ground. Regular observation of your trap crops is essential, and any infestation should be dealt with promptly.

The magic of trap crops doesn’t end at being a sacrificial crop. They contribute to your garden in several more ways. They can act as ground cover, provide nutrition to beneficial insects, and even be harvested for use occasionally if the pest damage isn't extensive.

The idea of trap crops serving as more than just a meal ticket for pests might seem overwhelming. But trust me, it’s worth it. They play an essential role in maintaining the equilibrium of your garden, and they empower your plants to thrive.

Brassica plants are loved by flea beetles. To keep them off of your broccoli and cauliflower, plant nasturtiums and radishes near them.

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Saturday, April 6, 2024

Good morning. It is Saturday and it is time to go feed the animals and open the store.

David made a nice breakfast. I took care of all of the animals. It is an overcast day and while I was out back, there were sprinkles of rain. Black caterpillars are everywhere.

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Orders For Pick Up

If you make an order of our seeds for pick up, please come and pick them up. Our first order for pickup last year took three months to pick up. Why bother? By the time he came to pick up the seeds he ordered, it was way too late to plant them. The customers usually take around two weeks to pick them up which I think is ridiculous. If you make an order for pickup, you should come pick it up the next day or maybe the day after that.

Right now, I am holding an order for someone who ordered seeds almost a month ago. It is now too late in the season for her to plant any of the seeds she ordered. I have sent her four emails asking her to come pick up her seeds. She ignored all of them except the last one which was sent last Friday, March 29. She responded that she did not want anymore emails from us and that she would get them as soon as possible. Today is Saturday, April 6 and they are still sitting in my store. Yesterday, I finally put them away in a cabinet. They are collecting dust and the longer they sit here, the more they are likely to have seeds missing from them. People bring their kids in to the store and they move things around, take things out of bags, etc. Now that they are put away, if this person comes for the seeds, no one but me knows where they are. No, she did not come today either...

When you choose pickup as you are checking out, there is a note that tells the customer the order is usually ready in four hours. When we get the order, we stop everything, fill the order, take it up to our Farm Store so it is ready to be picked up, send the customer an email, and then wait. The Shopify store will not allow us to close out this order until it has been picked up by the customer. That means every single day we have an order getting older and older which counts against us. The daily Shopify reports keep bringing it up.

All of that to say that from now on, if your seeds are not picked up within two weeks of us notifying you that your order is ready, you will be refunded. Just try making an order for pickup at Walmart and see if they will hold it for a month...Ha!

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It is now 11:20am and we have not had any customers at all today. I am pulling orders and updating listings on the computer. It is very windy and 70° with overcast skies. I should be planting some more of my garden but I have to be up front in case anyone comes. Not sure what is going on. We had some good Saturdays this spring. We have 30 dozen eggs in the refrigerator. Everything we have is on sale for 25% off right now when you spend at least $25. It includes the eggs and coffee...We close at 2pm.

A couple came by saying they were in Poteet for the Pre-Strawberry Festival. What? Yes, the festival is next weekend so this weekend, they are having all sorts of activities. No wonder we have not had any customers. They said they bought chicks and live catfish babies along the road. People are set up selling food and crafts, as well as animals. There is a battle of the bands, and you can buy flats of strawberries for $50. This couple wondered what we were so they came in and bought a soda, crackers, and chips and then left. It is now almost 1pm. The wind continues to blow pretty hard.

We had one more couple who were here just before 2pm. They bought some seeds and left after 2pm so I had to let them out. When they went out, the mailman came in so I had to let him out, too.

It got up in the 80s and was a bit humid but the nice breeze made it very tolerable.

I processed and blanched two huge hods filled with asparagus from the garden and froze it.

David and I talked about the rest of the month. Sales have dropped since spring break and even with the 25% off sale going on right now, not many are spending money. Fiesta is coming up in San Antonio for two weeks and the Strawberry Festival is next weekend. We made the decision to layoff our full time teen helper because there is not much to do.

We also decided that we do not have to be open to the public every day of the week. We had two customers this week from Monday to Friday and two customers today, one of which did not buy any seeds. People just stop in to take a free tour and not spend any money, yet we have to pay our people to give them that tour instead of doing what we need done.

Groceries, utilities, and gas keep going up and up. People no longer have extra money. Layoffs and company closings are happening all over the country. Couple that with spring break and Easter as well as two festivals close together in our area that cost a lot of money and people are just not buying seeds and plants. We actually go through this every April. Each April, we have fewer employees and lower sales. That is all for now.

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Trap Crop

So, I hope you’re now convinced that our humble trap crop is somewhat of a superhero in the garden. They're more than just a meal ticket for insects—they play a fundamental role in balancing the garden's ecosystem and enabling other plants to thrive.

As with all things in gardening, remember that patience is a virtue when using trap crops. It takes time to see results, as with most organic gardening methods. Don't be discouraged if you don't see immediate results. Persistence is the key!

Keep in mind, as with all things in gardening, patience is a virtue when using trap crops. Most organic gardening methods, this one included, may take time to show results. Don't get disheartened if there's not an immediate turnabout. Persistence, my friends, is crucial!

Lettuce is loved by slugs and snails. Chervil and parsley can protect your lettuce crop because the snails love these plants.

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Sunday, April 7, 2024

Good morning. It is Sunday once again. David is preaching again. No, he is not getting paid for it. The pastor quit seven Sundays ago with no notice. The last three Sundays we paid someone to supply the pulpit at $100 a Sunday for one sermon each day. That is a lot for a small church. Very few come and several left with the pastor.

It is already quite warm with the low being 70°. I just came in from feeding all of the animals and I have about 30 minutes to get ready for church. I dreamed twice last night about the eclipse. They were strange dreams.

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Trap Crop

In conclusion, including a trap crop in your gardening plan is an effective, environmentally friendly way to safeguard your precious plants from destructive pests—like you’re sending those pests on a bit of a goose chase!

Remember the three Ps of successful trap cropping: Planning (understanding what pests you're dealing with and what plants attract them), Persistence (giving the process time to work), and Patience (not being discouraged if there's not an immediate improvement).

So are you ready to try out a trap crop in your garden this spring? It’s time to take up this practical, organic method to protect your crops and bolster your bounty. Get your green thumbs ready, and here's to a successful, pest-free garden!

To wrap things up, trap cropping is an effective, eco-friendly way to keep destructive pests at bay, helping you "get a good harvest" and "keep bad bugs out" of your precious garden. And who knows, you might even end up capturing bugs that destroy your garden, turning them into pest souvenirs!

So, prepare yourself for this spring, follow the three P's of successful trap cropping: Planning, Persistence, and Patience. Set up your trap crops, let them work their magic, and watch as your garden bursts into a carnival of colors and flavors, all while keeping those troublesome pests on the run! Happy gardening!

We are in the Strawberry Capital of Texas so we plant lots of strawberries. Strawberries are loved by lygus bugs aka tarnish bugs. Plant mustard greens in with your strawberry plants to protect them.

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Return from Trap Crop to Year Five On The Farm

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Our New 2024 TV Ad

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