Search
Latest topics
» Hire a professional hacker! (Telegram: Blackhat_plug)by FedorRasputin3 Today at 12:57 am
» Frequency/amt to water
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 9:09 pm
» N&C Midwest: June 2023
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 2:50 pm
» Famous Gardening Quotes
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 10:18 am
» Easy Refrigerator Pickles from Extra Produce
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 9:25 am
» Tea Time -- Compost Tea, that is
by OhioGardener 6/3/2023, 7:07 pm
» Hello from Central Missouri, Zone 6a
by Scorpio Rising 6/3/2023, 3:48 pm
» N&C Midwest: May 2023
by OhioGardener 6/1/2023, 8:55 pm
» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 5/31/2023, 4:32 pm
» Walking stick kale
by sanderson 5/31/2023, 1:38 pm
» Why Letting Weeds Run Wild Can Actually Help Your Garden
by sanderson 5/30/2023, 2:35 pm
» What are you eating from your garden today?
by OhioGardener 5/30/2023, 12:11 pm
» Teaming with Microbes Kindle Sale (Mem. Day weekend 2023)
by sanderson 5/29/2023, 3:14 pm
» Mid-Atlantic New Host Intro & Info
by JAM23 5/29/2023, 8:38 am
» Paul's First SFGs
by pkadare 5/28/2023, 11:06 am
» Poppy seeds - Hungarian Blue Breadseed
by AtlantaMarie 5/28/2023, 6:12 am
» Sluggo Plus
by sanderson 5/27/2023, 3:23 pm
» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 5/25/2023, 6:25 pm
» Centpedes
by OhioGardener 5/25/2023, 6:19 pm
» beneficial nematodes
by OhioGardener 5/24/2023, 9:18 pm
» Senseless Banter...
by markqz 5/24/2023, 5:39 pm
» Pre-Filling a 30" Raised Bed
by toledobend 5/24/2023, 1:10 pm
» Happy Birthday!!
by AtlantaMarie 5/24/2023, 7:03 am
» Aphids & Their Predators
by MrBooker 5/24/2023, 6:01 am
» Hello from Bobcaygeon, Ontario
by Scorpio Rising 5/20/2023, 1:52 pm
» Spring Flowers
by OhioGardener 5/18/2023, 6:23 pm
» My Solar Dehydrator at Work
by sanderson 5/18/2023, 3:10 pm
» French Tarragon
by sanderson 5/18/2023, 12:41 pm
» Birds of the Garden
by sanderson 5/15/2023, 8:49 pm
» New Compost PIle, 2nd attempt
by Chuck d'Argy 5/13/2023, 11:43 am
Google
Organic pest control
+6
SwampCatNana
camprn
AZMom4JC
H_TX_2
UnderTheBlackWalnut
JK
10 posters
Page 1 of 1
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.

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-
Posts : 123
Join date : 2011-12-06
Age : 36
Location : Macon, Georgia
Re: Organic pest control
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! 

UnderTheBlackWalnut-
Posts : 559
Join date : 2011-04-18
Age : 56
Location : Springfield (central), IL, on the line between 5b and 6a
Re: Organic pest control
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-
Posts : 123
Join date : 2011-12-06
Age : 36
Location : Macon, Georgia
Re: Organic pest control
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'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.
H_TX_2-
Posts : 288
Join date : 2011-12-08
Location : Houston, TX
Is this your bug?
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.
AZMom4JC- Posts : 2
Join date : 2012-03-25
Location : Arizona
Re: Organic pest control
OOPS! No photo.... 

43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
There are certain pursuits which, if not wholly poetic and true, do at least suggest a nobler and finer relation to nature than we know. The keeping of bees, for instance. ~ Henry David Thoreau
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
SwampCatNana-
Posts : 237
Join date : 2011-06-28
Age : 85
Location : Boston MA (Z6a)
Re: Organic pest control
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-
Posts : 2605
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Organic pest control
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
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
SwampCatNana-
Posts : 237
Join date : 2011-06-28
Age : 85
Location : Boston MA (Z6a)
Re: Organic pest control
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).
Unmutual
Certified SFG Instructor-
Posts : 396
Join date : 2011-04-23
Age : 51
Location : Greater New Orleans Area Westbank(Zone 9b)
Re: Organic pest control
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-
Posts : 2605
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Organic pest control
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?

SwampCatNana-
Posts : 237
Join date : 2011-06-28
Age : 85
Location : Boston MA (Z6a)
floyd1440-
Posts : 815
Join date : 2011-06-21
Age : 69
Location : Washington, Pa. Zone 6a
Re: Organic pest control
SwampCatNana-
Posts : 237
Join date : 2011-06-28
Age : 85
Location : Boston MA (Z6a)
Re: Organic pest control



"just in case" I might need it sometime. Talk about kismet.

givvmistamps-
Posts : 862
Join date : 2012-04-01
Age : 52
Location : Lake City, (NE) FL; USDA Hardiness Zone 8b, AHS Heat Zone 9, Sunset Zone 28
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|