Effing bugs are eating my hops!!!

Displaced MassHole · 05-05-2009, 10:38 PM

I have one cascade plant (first year) growing in rubbermaid container that seems to be getting eaten by these little gnat looking flies. From the pictures I've found on the web they don't appear to be mites, but I'm not really sure what they are. When I get near the plant to see it up close they all fly away, a few are always on the leave and a bunch hide out in the mulch I have at the base of the plant.

Any suggestions on what I can do to get rid of them, I'd rather not use chemicals if possible. I'll post some pics when I find the damn camera battery charger.

**culaslucas** · 05-05-2009, 10:50 PM

There's a liquid that is extracted from fish oils that keeps these nasties away. I've never used them on hops but I had a buddy who used it all of the time on a plant in the same genus and it worked wonders. I'll see if I can find the name of it for you....

EDIT: Organocide - http://www.gchydro.com/Organocide+Insecticide+and+Fungicide++-+Quart.html

CatchinZs · 05-06-2009, 01:20 PM

Neem Oil works great. It recommended for all kinds of vegetables and consider food safe within days of spraying.

You can get it at Lowe's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_oil

**GilaMinumBeer** · 05-06-2009, 01:24 PM

Plain old dishsoap (edit: and water) works too. Only problem with the insecticidal soaps and oils is that you have to spray the actual bug for them to be most effective. They work to clog the airways (gills specifically) and suffocate the bug.