Sevin Dust on hop plants?

I've got a mild infestation of worms eating at the leaves on 2 of my hop plants. We know a few of the things that will kill the critters, culprit is a tiny little inch worm about half an inch long. (is that wrong, an inch worm that's half an inch?) Anyway I've only had to fight off aphids in the past with soapy water, but that won't kill these critters. So...

Is Sevin (5%) dust okay to use on hop plants?

Any other pest control advice for other options which might be useful?

Schlante,
Phillip

(is that wrong, an inch worm that's half an inch?)

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Metric worms, get with the program.

Sevin is ok, just don't use it after the flowers start blooming.

david_42 said:

Metric worms, get with the program.

Sevin is ok, just don't use it after the flowers start blooming.

Click to expand...

Metric worms... is that some kind of non-english type of measurin system

Thanks,
Phillip

Yes, this will work. Did you buy the Sevin that was made for fruits and veggies?? That's the one to use. I agree to not use it when buds start forming and use it sparingly. In my experience it is a sharp sword! I like to sprinkle a ring of it around the base of my plants, and the mere presence of it drives off lots o' critters, while not even being on the hops themselves. Try Whatever works for you though! Just read the directions and follow them to a tee, and you'll be fine!! Good Luck!!!

If insecticidal soap doesn't work, you could try a pyrethrin based insecticide or maybe diatomaceous earth. Pyrethrin is a contact insecticide, while diatomaceous earth provides some residual protection.

Sevin is fine for hops, but it wipes out just about everything, so it might be a bit of overkill. In fact, the elimination of predatory insects is an issue with many insecticides. Add to this, studies suggesting that Sevin might actually boost the fertility of spider mites. With no predators to take care of the mites, things can quickly get out of hand. Believe me, I'm no organic, "save the insects," type. I used Sevin last year for Japanese beetles, and while it worked great on the beetles, in no time I was looking at an infestation of spider mites; they moved in fast! I wound up taking care of the mites, and the beetles, by giving the plants a good spray from the hose once or twice a day, making sure to do it at times that would allow the plants to dry out. If you're sure that spider mites won't be a problem, then go for it. Maybe using Sevin around plants will work, but as far as using it on the plants themselves, in my experience, the risks outweigh the benefits.

Chris