Monday, July 21, 2008

Fly Control



We have always had fly problems, especially in the heat of summer. We keep our doors and windows open almost all day instead of using our air conditioner, and the little buggers just love to swarm the house. As a joke last year, I bought this Pitcher Plant (see above), for Fred, and to our surprise, it not only works, but it works GREAT. It is in the kitchen window, and almost all of the flies that enter the house seem to find it and crawl down into its depths, never to return again. I love it, and it's a beautiful plant to boot.

I have no expertise with carniverous plants, but ours seems to love lots of morning sun, and shade the rest of the day. Pitcher Plants grow wild in bogs and swamps, so they need to stay nice and moist.

Happy Fly Eating!


XXX
Yvette

11 comments:

esmeralda Williamson-Noble said...

Hi. And there I was thinking that I must be nuts wanting to turn my front lawn into a vegetable garden. But I see that I am in good company if with a lot of catching up to do.
Do visit me on my blog
www.anewplot.blogspot.com
Efforts To Help Save The Earth, One Home Cooked Meal At A Time

Best,
Esmeralda Williamson-Noble

Price said...

Okay, this is a cool idea. Have you researched those "put-a-paper-cone-in-water" thingies? I tried one once...failed miserably. Pitcher plant seems like a MUCH better approach. Thanks for the tip!

Unknown said...

I love my pitcher plants!

Weeping Sore said...

Yikes, what an example of sustainable gardening - the right plant in the right place.
Don't they need lots of humidity? The only place I've seen pitcher plants alive in Southern California, is in the new conservatory at Huntington Gardens in Pasadena.

Anonymous said...

Hi there. I just stumbled on your blog after googling "hayground organics." i've been thinking about putting in a front yard vegetable garden ever since we did a piece for food network about a family out in Lakewood, CA who participated in the edible estates project. I just watched your Sundance video and am wondering... did you design/install your landscape plan yourselves, or did you hire someone to do it? if you hired someone, would you be willing to recommend them? Congrats on your garden and thanks for sharing it on your blog!

yvette roman davis said...

Hi Judi,

Can you email me directly about the garden install?
yphoto@earthlink.net

:)
Yvette

yvette roman davis said...

Regarding the pitcher plants needing a lot of humidity, they're in our kitchen window (we have a greenhouse window). It's right above the sink, so it probably gets some extra humidity from washing dishes, etc, but it's doing well in that spot!

:)

ilex said...

That's a great idea. So much better than those lazy, goodfornothing plants, those Venus Flytraps.

Bpaul said...

Here's the big thing I learned about pitcher plants: VERY susceptible to wind. I'm designing a cage (like a mini tomato cage) for ours, because it lives outside almost all year long and the spring/summer winds are taking out pitchers left and right.

Love them so much though, I think I've found a new obsession. I have plans for a shelf full of various carnivorous plants between my chicken yard and the compost pile. Yum yum.

Beautiful photo, btw.

(was pointed here by Catherine The Great)

BPaul

yvette roman davis said...

Here's To Catherine! Welcome to my tiny world, and thx for the carni advice. I, too, am susceptible to wind. Can you build an outdoor cage for me too?

:)Y

Bpaul said...

I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out -- possibly Cirque Del Soliel style?

hehe