We received our beneficial insects this week and just wanted to briefly go over their advantages. Taken from the Orcon website, here is a bit of information on each of them. In all, they are an excellent way of solving garden and landscape problems with out the use of harsh chemicals. I have used praying mantis and nematodes before to great effect. I highly recommend them.
I EAT BUGS!
Praying Mantis - These ferocious-looking creatures eat a wide variety of insects, including beetles, caterpillars, grubs, aphids, grasshoppers, crickets and many more. And since they don’t fly, they stay right in the area where they are released. Praying Mantids are completely harmless to people, pets and the environment. In fact, they are so much fun that sometimes people buy them for pets. Each egg case, about the size of a ping pong ball, contains about 200 eggs, which hatch when the weather becomes warm. Includes two egg cases per cup.
Lady Bugs - A favorite “good bug” and alternative to chemicals. When released at sundown (because they don’t fly at night), ladybugs eat aphids, mealy bugs, scale, leaf hoppers, various plant-eating worms and other destructive soft-bodied pests. And they keep on eating until the bad guys are gone, laying their own eggs in the process. When new pests arrive, fresh ladybugs will be waiting. Each container includes 1,500 live ladybugs.
Beneficial Nematodes - These microscopic organisms destroy pests that live underground. They will seek out and destroy more than 230 different kinds of soil dwelling and wood boring insects, including Japanese beetles, cut worms, wire worms, weevils, white grubs, fungus gnat larvae, flea larvae, subterranean termites and many more. They are so small that several thousand would fit on the head of a pin! But they do a big job –moving through the ground, they enter the body cavities of their target pests and release bacteria that kill that pest. They are completely safe for people, pets, and the environment, and are compatible with other beneficial insects. Each container includes seven million live beneficial nematodes.
Red Earthworms - Earthworms (Red Wrigglers – Eisenia fetida) help keep the soil loose – they’re Mother Nature’s very own spade! These little guys eat and burrow 24 hours a day. All of this tunneling aerates the soil (getting oxygen to the roots), allows for easier root growth and improves water retention. And they speed up the decomposition process in cold composting. Earthworms are shipped by the pound, and include approximately 1,800-2,000 worms per pound. They are shipped as “Bed-Run,” which means there will be a variety of sizes and life stages in each pound. Use them in the garden or in worm composting.
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Lots of Beautiful Perennials in Bloom
Huge Azaleas Budded and Blooming
Some Lobelia Baskets above an assortment of 8″ Annuals
Coco Fiber Hanging Baskets full of flowers.
Nice combo petunia and verbena baskets.
One table of 4″ Herbs
All vegetables ready to go in the ground!
Early 4″ Herbs – Most are cold hardy and can be planted now.
4″ Geraniums – Beautiful Blooms!
Early Perennial Mix – Helleborus look awesome.
Asiatic Lillies and some other Perennials

Add some color to your home with some cold hardy pansies
Red skin and red flesh. This would make some awesome french fries.