Organic pest control

This is my first year and everything has been good up till now... I have an infestation of some sort of small beetle looking thing that is devouring my radish leaves and seems to be moving to the leaf lettuce. The radish leaves I could tolerate but the only one eating my lettuce is me .

Pictures are still a no go due to work internet restrictions but from what I can see they are black, maybe 1/4" at the max, fairly long antennae given their size, and what seems to be an orangish line outlining the very outside of the body.

Any tips on non-chemical ways to get rid of these guys? Right now cheaper would be better but whatever it takes. If its a plant Ill buy it, if its a home brew Ill mix it! Im open to anything.

JK - Google "flea beetle" and look at the pics....if that's what you've got, then search here on the forum and also online for organic control...Folks say they've used DE, Neem, row covers, tulle, etc... That should get you started!

Thanks for the responce . From what I read the damage is identical but the flea beetle seems to be full grown at 1/10"? These guys are a good 1/4". Bout the length of your pinky nail. Im going to go ahead and try some of the flea beetle remedies though. Maybe they will work on these things too.

JK,
I'm only in my second year but my garden is also under attack. I have done lots of reading and I am about to purchase some neem oil. Apparently it is only harmful to bugs that eat the leaves. Once it dries it is safe for bees, butterflies, lady bugs and other helpful insects. It is best to spray in the lat evening when bees are not around. Supposedly earthworms are not harmed but one study even showed that their numbers increased were neem was used. Neem is said to be safe up to the day of harvest. It even has an additional benefit of preventing powdery mildew. It sounds too good to be true but apparently there is one small catch. It doesn't work like the harsh chemicals that drop bugs dead immediately. It messes them up from the inside. They forget to eat, can't reproduce and lots of other basic parts of life are interrupted. I think you are supposed to spray every 3 days for two or three weeks; not quite sure so you may want to check that out before you actually do it.

I caught these on my pepper plants and radishes. I think this is a flea beetle even though the pics don't match. But I did buy the oil recommended- in the form of EcoSmart Organic Garden Insect Killer. It claims to kill eggs as well as adults. I found tons of eggs on the underside of the leaves of all my pepper plants and they have just been refusing to grow since the infestation. Any additional suggestions would be appreciated.

OOPS! No photo....

Came across this site for pest control:

35 Organic Pest Controls

HTH
Lee

SwampCatNana wrote:Came across this site for pest control:

35 Organic Pest Controls

HTH
Lee

Good find!

Some one here was asking about insecticide soap sprays. She talks about that as a wetting agent for foliar sprays. Here is another article to suplement about the soap sprays http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05547.html
Generally I only have these troubles with house plants. For them a quart bottle of water with a couple drops of liquid soap and mineral oil usually works. In the garden there are lots of yarrow and other plants to host beneficial inscects. With time the need for other inputs has disapeared (except for slugs )

Turan - I saw something about grapefruit to attract slugs?
Here:
Barriers and baits for slugs and snails
Slugs and snails are responsible for wiping out many a gardener’sdreams. I create barriers around prized plants to protect them from annihilation. Copper strips produce a shock to snails and slugs trying to cross them. Wrap inexpensive, thin copper, found in craft stores, around pots, plants, and trees to create a protective barrier. Pine needles, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, or diatomaceous earth (fossilized, silica-shell remains of prehistoric diatoms that desiccate insect bodies) provide a scratchy barrier and should be reapplied after a rain. Always purchase natural diatomaceous earth because swimming-pool grade contains crystalline silica, a respiratory hazard.

• I also use several bait techniques to catch slugs and snails; then I scrape the creatures into soapy water in the morning. Here are some ways to lure them:
• Set out fresh grapefruit and melon rinds each evening in a moist, shady area plagued by slugs and snails.
• Lay empty flowerpots or milk cartons on their sides in a shady area.
• Water a small portion of your yard in the evening, and put down a small, wooden board that is elevated slightly on a rock. The slugs and snails will congregate on the board’s underside.

Lee

It's definitely worthwhile finding out what is eating your veggies. This way you can research the "pest" so you know what cultural practices you can change for next season(growing your radishes and lettuce further apart might help, especially if you're putting the insects' favorite foods right next to each other).

SwampCatNana wrote:Turan - I saw something about grapefruit to attract slugs?

Lee

Thanks, Lee. I saw that too. I think her article is quite informative.

Aspirin for powdery mildew.... For plant or gardener?

Turan wrote:

SwampCatNana wrote:Turan - I saw something about grapefruit to attract slugs?

Lee

Thanks, Lee. I saw that too. I think her article is quite informative.

Aspirin for powdery mildew.... For plant or gardener?

I got squash bugs.

Any remedies?



I saw them last night and picked them off but nothing this morning.

floyd1440 wrote:I got squash bugs.

Any remedies?



I saw them last night and picked them off but nothing this morning.

Here are some links:
Killing squash bugs

Link to several sites for help

HTH
Lee

SwampCatNana wrote:

Here are some links:
Killing squash bugs

Link to several sites for help

HTH
Lee

Thanks Lee! I think I have some type of squash bug, but I'm certain I have caught it early enough in the cycle to eradicate them before they can destroy my plants. I found a leaf with a ton of eggs this morning, cut it off the plant, and told my husband to take it to the trash bin since I can't burn it in our current weather conditions. The Grumpy Gardener says neem oil works, and I happened to pick some up a week ago to have on hand
"just in case" I might need it sometime. Talk about kismet.