CHAPTER 11 - The Best Control 2

Planting Times and Spacing - can be used to environmentally control and/or prevent insect pests.Plants - Garlic, spurge, tansy, pennyroyal, eucalyptus, peppermint, yarrow, wormwood, southern wood, lavender,sage, marigolds, scented geraniums, fritillaria, etc. are all known to have animal and/or insect-repelling qualitiesand have been used in companion planting or by themselves to control pests.Plastic Sheeting (Black) - Covering the soil surface under the hot sun will sterilize the soil and kill plantsindiscriminately.Plowing - Simple plowing helps control many kinds of weeds, diseases, insects and other pests.Poison Ivy - If you know you just brushed up against poison ivy and can get to cold water within three minutes,wash away the nasty stuff. But don’t use soap - it may seal in the poison-ivy oil. If the three-minute clean-upwindow is over and the itching is unbearable, reach for some Not Nice to Skin Irritations ® or a slice of watermelon.Eat or cut off most of the fruit, leaving about a half-inch on the rind. Rub the rind over your rash-ridden bodyparts. Let dry naturally. Or you can try plaintain balm; juice 1 c. plaintain leaves in a blender or food processorwith 3 - 4 c. water to make a slurry; then dab it on the affected areas. Dilute 1 part of the slurry with 3 parts wateror apple juice and drink it. The leaves of the plaintain can be used internally and externally to draw out toxins.You can also freeze the slurry/juice in an ice cube tray for emergencies. Add the slurry to a warm bath and soakfor ½ hour. Place the juice on any remaining problem areas. You can also use the juice of a jewelweed stemto alleviate poison ivy. Once again, you can take a pot of jewelweed stems, leaves and flowers and cover withwater; simmer for 30 minutes; then freeze into cubes. You can use the cubes directly on the skin to relieve poisonivy, stinging nettle and/or insect bites. You should be considerably better the next day; if not, see a doctor.Poisonous Plants - Four - o’clocks, Jimson-weed (Datura stramonium) dwarf and red buckeyes and delphiniumsattract and kill pests like Japanese Beetles, but they are toxic to humans and pets as well.Polaroid Glases - Allow you to see into the water and in white-out snow conditionsPolice Tape - “Do not cross” tapes can be used to keep most people out of an area; they do not work on childrenor pets.Polycultures - Nematodes, weeds, insect pests and diseases are generally less abundant in polycultures thanmonocultures. Even if some plants die, they all will not die. Plant a variety of crops with different growth habits.Polyethylene Terepthalate Sheets - Sheets of this material and other plastic surfaces can be used to preventbeetle larvae, e.g., lesser mealworm and hide beetle larvae, from climbing. These barriers can be used to preventpassage of emerging beetle larvae.Polymers - have been used for years in aquatic pest control, primarily for drift control because of their longchaincarbon molecules (up to 40,000 per polymer strand). Polymers like nitrile which kills cells by continuallyreleasing a toxic substance into the culture medium. The toxicity of polyurethane varies considerably due to themanufacturing process. There has been research on the emission of toxic sulfur gases from polymers comingin contact with food products and infants, so “we” stopped all further research on polymers early in 1998.Polypropylene Bird Netting - will keep birds out of fruit trees and many other areas. Span bat entry wayswith netting (several feet on each side) and allow the netting to taper and hang down at least 3 feet below theopening(s); using staples and duct tape secure the tops and sides (be sure to taper the sides) of the netting tothe building. Be sure to leave an (unfastened) opening no more than 15” wide at the bottom. After several daysthe bats will leave and you can permanently seal all of the openings.Polysorbate 80 - is a nonionic surfactant and emulsifier and dispersant that is relatively inert and is readilyabsorbed by the skin, it is derived from sorbitol, which comes from fruit and berries used as a dispersing agent- mixes oil and water, stabilizer and lubricates. Polysorbate 80 is known to increase the absorption of drugs,vaccines, mineral oils and other fat soluble materials. Personal note: You may want to compare the effectivenessof glyceryl cocoate, which is derived from coconuts.444