Pest question (of course)

[BradTheGeek]

Seems the japanese beetles have moved in. At first it was a ccouple and I knocked them away, but they are finding the way in and really starting to eat the leaves in greater numbers.

I don't want to use pesticides if I can, but I know I will now have grubs in the ground under the plants for next year I will trat the grubs with milky spore if I can time it right.

My question now is getting on a ladder and dusting with DE going to be enough, or should I bite the bullet and break out the sevin. I am not a commercial grower of course, but I try to keep as organic and natural as I can with fertilizers and pesticides in my gardens.


Thanks

 

[Dland]

There are a lot of more environemtally responsible pesticides than Sevin. Any garden place should have one based on pyrethrin, which is toxic, but has fast breakdown and no residual effect.https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai...hUKEwji_ZbykpDcAhVsm-AKHQiFCjoQ9aACCC4&adurl=

A bio based insecticide I use that controls a broad spectrum of insect pests: Captain Jack's deadbug; https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...UKEwj1l_q7k5DcAhVNGt8KHVHzCWQQ9aACCOwB&adurl=

When you get to it, do use the milky spore too. It can rid your yard of Japanese beetles for years.

 

[BradTheGeek]

There are a lot of more environemtally responsible pesticides than Sevin. Any garden place should have one based on pyrethrin, which is toxic, but has fast breakdown and no residual effect.https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai...hUKEwji_ZbykpDcAhVsm-AKHQiFCjoQ9aACCC4&adurl=

A bio based insecticide I use that controls a broad spectrum of insect pests: Captain Jack's deadbug; https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...UKEwj1l_q7k5DcAhVNGt8KHVHzCWQQ9aACCOwB&adurl=

When you get to it, do use the milky spore too. It can rid your yard of Japanese beetles for years.

Thanks, I do not want to use sevin. I did dust the plants with diatomaceaous earth today. If they persist, I will get pyrethrin.

 

[Dland]

Thanks, I do not want to use sevin. I did dust the plants with diatomaceaous earth today. If they persist, I will get pyrethrin.

DE might work OK if you get a good dose on the insects, but not if you just put on the plant. Those beetles are pretty tough, as you know.

If you spread milky spore on ground, and water in, it will gt any current generation grubs and those for years to come. No need to time it perfectly. Worst case is you miss current generation.

 

[Wesmando]

I used milky spore last fall, and want to reapply again, i wish i would have done it in may/april. I been spraying with Pyganic 5%, its a natural pyrethrtin but is $150/qt. So far i have discovered it is a contact killer, kills what you spray but in 3 days a new hatching or wandering swarm reinfest and you have to reapply. The DT didnt seem to work for me.

 

[BradTheGeek]

DE might work OK if you get a good dose on the insects, but not if you just put on the plant. Those beetles are pretty tough, as you know.

If you spread milky spore on ground, and water in, it will gt any current generation grubs and those for years to come. No need to time it perfectly. Worst case is you miss current generation.

I got the DE right on the feeding bugs, they wil get cut up. Most of the leaves have a fair dusting, especially ones where they were feeding/mating and left pheromones. Gonna check them today, and do milky spore near the end of the month.

 

[BradTheGeek]

You can see some of the damage here.