Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceaous Earth

An organic method of insect control for use in house plants, or any indoor and outdoor gardening. Diatomaceaous Earth can be used to kill bed bugs, cockroaches, crickets, fleas, ticks, spiders and many other pests. According to the NPIC there are thousands of non-pesticide products that contain diatomaceous earth.

What is Diatomaceaous Earth?

    Diatomaceaous Earth is made up of fossilized aquatic organisms called diatoms. Diatom's skeletons are made of Silica. Diatoms build up in the sediment of rivers streams, lakes and oceans, where they are then mined to create Diatomaceaous Earth.

Avoid breathing in Diatomaceaous Earth dust, and keep out of reach of children and pets.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC uses organic methods when at all possible. 

Some other methods used for pest control:

• Neem Oil
• Companion Gardening, using plants that coexist well together and ward off pests that would normally be attracted to it's companion plant. 
• Some plants themselves contain natural pesticides. That can be harvested for use.
• Maintenance, actively removing seen pests from plants.
• Some minerals act as natural pesticides.

To attempt to avoid killing bees in your garden, it is best to use Diatomaceous Earth beneath the blossoms of the plants that you are treating.Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC also provides a "Bee Bath" in our garden, in addition to our natural creek that runs through our property to the Lake. A Bee Bath is a Bird Bath, but with rocks we've gathered to help prevent the Bees from possible drowning. Bee's are our favorite little pollinators!  

Additional Resources:

https://www.almanac.com/what-diatomaceous-earth

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/what-is-diatomaceous-earth-27832

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html

https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/disease-and-pests/diatomaceous-earth/

https://www.planetnatural.com/diatomaceous-earth-bees/

https://www.beelab.umn.edu/bees/pollination

All DIY projects shown on www.LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Grow a little!™

Growing Roses

We have decided to try a couple of new traditions with our old after Valentine's Day traditions. We love to regrow our Valentine's Day Roses from the leftover stems as they wilt each year. Convinced by a friends suggestion, we gave three methods for growing your own roses from stems a try. Hopefully these will take, and in a few months we will be able to update with which methods worked best for us.

Method 1: Propagation in Water

What you will need:

Water

A vase or jar

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

We saved our petals to use in our Bath Teas and other projects later.

How to:

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Place in Water and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form in the water. 

Plant the rose in Soil or your choice of growing method.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Method 2: Plant Stem directly in Dirt, Potted or Outside dependant on location seasonally. 

What you will need:

Dirt and a hand shovel

A vase/jar/space 

Rooting Hormone, such as Fast Root

Water and fertilizer

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

How to:

Have Dirt in vase/jar/space to plant your Rose Stem.

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Dip the tip of the bottom of the Rose Stem in a Rooting Hormone.

Place in Soil in vase/jar/space.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form. 

You may use a clear cover to help contain the moisture for your plant while it's rooting. Using something that mimics a greenhouse effect will help ensure that your stems root properly, but monitor your plant to avoid mold or unwanted conditions. 

Method 3: Dip Rose Cuttings in Honey and Plant in a Potato, in Soil.

What you will need:

Soil and a hand shovel

A Potato and Something to poke a hole into it, We used a metal chopstick

Honey

A Bucket/Planter or you may plant it outside dependant on location, seasonally.

Water and fertilizer

Your Roses/Rose Stems with some foliage, preferably the top leaves

Scissors

How to:

Have Dirt in vase/jar/space to plant your Rose Stem.

Poke a hole into your Potato.

Cut the bottom of the stem at an angle below a node/bump on the stem.

Cut the rose flower off.

Cut all but the top leaves off.

Dip the tip of the bottom of the Rose stem in honey and place into the Potato.

Place in Soil in vase/jar/space.

Water, Fertilize and Expose to light.

Wait for up to 1-3 mths for roots to form. 

You may use a clear cover to help contain the moisture for your plant while it's rooting. Using something that mimics a greenhouse effect will help ensure that your stems root properly, but monitor your plant to avoid mold or unwanted conditions. 

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Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!™