soap

olga.harrison 5/10/2012, 10:12 pm

hi everyone,
i read that soap is good for keeping bugs off the plants,so i have a few questions:
1. what soap to use? liquid hand soap, dish soap, bar soap?
2. what the concentration should be?
3. and the most important, my plants are about to bloom, will soap discourage bees from pollinating them?
i killed one bug, it was grey and rather long, when i hit it, the 'blood' was bright yellow. what did i kill and how to get rid of it? i have a busy toddler and i'm afraid of spraying strong chemicals, she is into everything and i don't want her to poison herself.
i appreciate the advice.

braim5 5/11/2012, 7:30 am

Here is a factsheet from Colorado State University Extension about using soaps to control insects. I do not usually put anything on my plants until I have a target that I am trying to eliminate. Soap is supposedly good for aphids and squash bugs, but useless for worm-type pests. It is harmful if sprayed directly on beneficial insects, so it is best to spray early morning or evening while bees/butterflies are not active. Be sure to examine your plants frequently including the underside of leaves to know when you have a pest problem. If you can not identify the insects you find, you can snap a picture and post it. Usually someone has seen it and can give good advice about what you should do about it. There are tons of helpful people here.

Good luck with your garden!

olga.harrison 5/11/2012, 9:51 am

thank you1

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