S&S Seeds, Inc.
P.O. Box 1275
Carpinteria, CA
93014-1275
(805) 684-0436
(805) 684-2798 fax
Beneficial Insects Butterflys Are Free
Cover Crop Bonus
Cover crops are popular with organic growers because they
provide an ecologically sound way to control crop-destroying insects. There are some other effects that are also pleasant. Butterflies
find cover crops especially attractive and, being quite attractive themselves,
they bring their own beauty to the cover crop.
Some Beneficial
Insects
Aphidius
a parasite used against the green peach
aphid.
Encarsia formosa
a parasite that controls the greenhouse
whitefly.
Green lacewing
controls aphids, flea beetles, spider
mites and others.
Trichogramma
a wasp that parasitizes adult flies
before they breed.
Dust 'em off Another side
effect associated with cover crops is that the incidence of mites is nearly
eliminated. In bare-ground vineyards and orchards dust in the air made a home
for mites on leaves. Cover crops nearly eliminate dust and the mites who love
it.
The Mark of Zorro Zorro Fescue has
made its mark and is now the most popular single-species annual cover crop.
This day-length sensitive grass is used extensively by viticulturists in the
Napa Valley. Ask S & S Seeds
if Zorro Fescue is right for your cover crop needs.
Insecta-Flora
A Wildflower seed mix, beneficial
insect attractant and alternative food source. Use for chemical-free
biological control of crop-destroying insects with the beauty of spring
wildflowers.