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conpewter
Well-Known Member
motor oil is not working for me either, put it in a yellow container, hung it up at head height (so the dog couldn't get in it) and nary a beetle has been found in it. I do have a couple on the plants.
Japanese beetle control
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babalu87
Well-Known Member
Mutilated1
Beer Drenched Executioner
treat your yard early in the spring and kill all the Japanese Beetles while they're still grubs and then you won't have to worry about them when they turn to Beetles in the summer
While it's good to kill grubs in your yard for your lawn's sake, you'll still have a beetle problem if none of your neighbors care about their lawns. I've just decided that they can have my Fuggle plant. It's now the sacrificial variety and I have no idea why they prefer Fuggle over Cascade and Chinook.
Or Nuggett over Willamette and Tettnang.
Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
I also have a Nugget that they seem to prefer over my cascade and mt. hood
just discovered them today and so far, they haven't touched my EKG or Fuggles, but they've been munching on the very tops of my nuggets and have made a great mess of my cascades...
One question: I've started to get hop buds everywhere... I've yet to see people discussing weather or not these bastards attack the flowers, or what if any impact on flavor of your beer some of these pesticides you would use have...
I'm a bit depressed, it sounds as if there is no easy answer.
One question: I've started to get hop buds everywhere... I've yet to see people discussing weather or not these bastards attack the flowers, or what if any impact on flavor of your beer some of these pesticides you would use have...
I'm a bit depressed, it sounds as if there is no easy answer.
Suthrncomfrt1884
Well-Known Member
I use garden safe pesticides, so it imparts absolutely no flavor on the plants. I've had to spray it on every other day though, so that bites.
As far as them eating the flowers, I don't think so. Mine have been flowering for about a week now and I have yet to see them eating one. Now, when it turns into a cone that could be a different story.
As far as them eating the flowers, I don't think so. Mine have been flowering for about a week now and I have yet to see them eating one. Now, when it turns into a cone that could be a different story.
I just read that rhubarb leaves are also poisonous and make a natural pesticide...
something is eating the tops off my plants or they are dying? the tops grew over my trellis and hang down 3-4' and the ends are dead and wilted?
but I have baby cones now
something is eating the tops off my plants or they are dying? the tops grew over my trellis and hang down 3-4' and the ends are dead and wilted?
but I have baby cones now
Japanese beetle: 0, Seabee John: 143
I went beetle picking tonight, got a good 30 or so off my hops, but after following the flight of a missed grab, he settled in on my neighbors garden... about a dozen plants covered in the little buggers.... so I grabbed my bucket of soapy water and went picking....
I actually have no idea how many I got.... but it's gotta be in the 100 range.
EDIT: just strained and counted.... 143 of the little buggers
I went beetle picking tonight, got a good 30 or so off my hops, but after following the flight of a missed grab, he settled in on my neighbors garden... about a dozen plants covered in the little buggers.... so I grabbed my bucket of soapy water and went picking....
I actually have no idea how many I got.... but it's gotta be in the 100 range.
EDIT: just strained and counted.... 143 of the little buggers
Grizz
Well-Known Member
Hey guys the solution is simple! All you gotta do is hire a crew of some extremly small japanese beetle killing ninjas and let em loose, does the job every time!
SOB
Well-Known Member
I wouldnt be surprised if the Japanese had created something like it!
jgln
Well-Known Member
We have lots but they don't touch my hops, probably because they prefer our grapes. Maybe plant something else they would rather eat?
msheraw
Well-Known Member
My concern with the motor oil is that when it rains the water would sink and push out the oil on to the ground.
Has anyone used the white powders you can put on the plants. I worry about doing that for obvious hop contamination reasons.
Has anyone used the white powders you can put on the plants. I worry about doing that for obvious hop contamination reasons.
Well, not so worried about the japanese beetles after the hail storm that wrecked havoc on the entire property... Much dissappointment in the brewhaus
Grizz
Well-Known Member
Dude, just had quarter size hail the other day. Only lasted for a few minutes, but I've never seen ice fall from the sky......kinda cool. I bet Glenn the Hopfarmer got hit with some hail too mabey, his farm is only a couple hours away.
SOB
Well-Known Member
You mean like Sevin dust? I know my parents use it on some of their 3000 bushes and trees that get eaten up. Works like a charm! Then again, they aren't consuming them either!
Don't bother with NEEM oil (soap)... put it on one evening... next evening I was still infested
little bastards are eating cones now.... what to do what to do.... I do enjoy picking the beetles by hand and pulling their little heads off... just not enough satisfaction though...
little bastards are eating cones now.... what to do what to do.... I do enjoy picking the beetles by hand and pulling their little heads off... just not enough satisfaction though...
menschmaschine
Well-Known Member
Has anyone else noticed a reduction in the amount of Jap beetles in the mid-atlantic states this year? We hardly had any and at first I attributed it to my milky spore application last fall, but I was talking to someone from Chester Co, PA and he said he also noticed a lot less this year and he's never put milky spore down. Was it the wet spring or something? Do these beetles go through cycles?
Maryland here and we arent really having a big problem. I've only had a few on my hops with minimal damage. Not sure what the deal is this year. They were everywhere 2 years ago and seem to have fallen off last year and this year.
What you're asking is like KFC secret recipe of organic farming..Most will not give up their secrets.
Seven can be used up to mid-July; don't use it after that..This is not organic farming, and wouldn't want to consume that crap after flowering has set in..
They like the hot weather especially after a rain, when foliage is vulnerable.
Neem oil does work..buy the concentrated and increase the ratio and add your wetting agent (soap).
Ahh what the hell..Here’s my ultimate secret weapon...
hxxp://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=8101
Seven can be used up to mid-July; don't use it after that..This is not organic farming, and wouldn't want to consume that crap after flowering has set in..
They like the hot weather especially after a rain, when foliage is vulnerable.
Neem oil does work..buy the concentrated and increase the ratio and add your wetting agent (soap).
Ahh what the hell..Here’s my ultimate secret weapon...
hxxp://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=8101
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conpewter
Well-Known Member
That doesn't look organic either, I'm not sure I want it on the plants if I'm going to use the cones.
Pyola is an insect spray that is made with Canola oil and pyrethrins. These ingredients both come from plants, so this is called a botanical insecticide.
A good read:
hxxp://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-botanical-pesticides-in-your-organic-garden.html
Still way better for you than using seven..
Oh, I see you're in Illinois..what ya growing this year, maybe do a small Hops trade..
A good read:
hxxp://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/using-botanical-pesticides-in-your-organic-garden.html
Still way better for you than using seven..
Oh, I see you're in Illinois..what ya growing this year, maybe do a small Hops trade..
COLObrewer
Well-Known Member
You might try Diatomaceous earth for long term control, And spray them with soap and water in the mornings for the short term.
uechikid
Well-Known Member
I used Orthene twice early in the season and had no problems since.
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conpewter
Well-Known Member
I guess I don't like using pyrethrins since it kills everything including ladybugs etc. that keep the mite problem in check. I had a mite issue after spraying for beetles last year. This year I've just let them munch. I may end up with some sacrificial hop varieties.
I'm growing
Cascade
willamette
nugget
fuggle
goldings
centennial
I'll be getting a harvest from the cascade and fuggle, some willamette. The centennial is first year and the others got moved around the yard and didn't produce as well.
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conpewter
Well-Known Member
Trying to prepare for this year. So far I think I'm going to plant some pole beans or soybeans to distract them. Thinking adding in a systemic pesticide to the bean plants, and making sure to not eat the beans! That way they die when they take a nibble...
My other thought is to be a great guy and give traps to my all my neighbors that are a few houses away.
My other thought is to be a great guy and give traps to my all my neighbors that are a few houses away.
Well, only give them to the people upwind of you!
If you treat lawn areas (where the grubs prefer) and leave the garden areas alone you can probably still sleep at night...
And treat your deciduous non-fruit trees with the Bayer tree stuff that gets sucked up into the leaves.
jgln
Well-Known Member
We have no problem at all with them on our hops, but our grape vines get attacked big time. Since we planted two peach trees they pick on them now too, especially the fruit. We would pick them off the leaves and feed them to our chickens. Now that the chickens are mature and free roam the yard I wonder if they will find them themselves, at least on the lower leaves of the grapes. That would be a big plus.
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conpewter
Well-Known Member
Well, only give them to the people upwind of you!
If you treat lawn areas (where the grubs prefer) and leave the garden areas alone you can probably still sleep at night...
And treat your deciduous non-fruit trees with the Bayer tree stuff that gets sucked up into the leaves.
Thought about that second part, but my only trees are Red Maple that they don't touch. Pretty much everything else that grows in my yard either doesn't get eaten by them, or is growing something I'd planned to eat. That is unless I go the poisoned pole bean route. (Bayer stuff on pole beans, don't eat!)
Interesting. I have a maple that I didn't think they were attacking but when I applied some topical pesticide via hose-attached spray bottle to the foliage a swarm of them flew out of that damn tree. I had no idea they were even on it.
bierhaus15
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Whatever you do, DO NOT use those yellow-lawn japanese beetle traps!!! All those things are doing is sending out pheromones that lure every japanese beetle in your neighborhood to the vicinity of those traps. And while the trap might kill 2% of those it attracts, the ones it doesn't are going to have one hell of a time feasting on all those plants you were trying to protect. As someone who owns a landscape/garden buisness, it drives me to holy hell when some ignoramus puts up three of those things in their 1 acre yard and then b*tches to me why japanese beetles are eating up all their plants. And if your neighbor is stupid enough to use those things up, then sorry but you now know why you have a japanese beetle problem.
//end rant//
//end rant//
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conpewter
Well-Known Member
...thus giving them to neighbors several doors down... I'm not evil enough to actually do that though.
Optimal
Well-Known Member
this might sound a little out there but has anyone tried building a bat box? I don't know about where you are but if you look up around here at night bats are all over the place.
I agree that pheremone traps ATTRACT Japanese Beetles. However I had great success using them to SAVE MY HOPS! In the course of two days the Japanese Beetles eating my hops moved to the traps and died a slow humiliating death. I think the key issue is placement. Imagine an "L". My hops are the vertical part of the L. The horizontal line was 10' North of my hop beds. GREAT SUCCESS. Plan to use them this year again because the saved my hops!
Sorry to counter. I can see how they could screw things up, but not for me.
bierhaus15
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Yep. Placement is key. Neighbors yard, abandoned field, community hippie garden....
Though in all seriousness, I still wouldn't stick one of those things within 1000 feet of any of my plants. Save a hop plant, kill your shrubbery. Yet, some people do say they work for them. I don't doubt that entirely, it's just that there are far better ways of dealing with japanese beetles then using those things. Also, geography has a lot to do with it. Here in the NE we get a LOT more insect activity then elsewhere, as we usually get lots of rain early in the spring followed by hot summers. And months of lush greenery. Makes for one hell of a japanese beetle breeding ground.
pawtucketpatriot
Member
I've been using nicotine: I take my cigar ends and my girlfriends cigarette ends and soak them in a gallon of water. I leave the jug out in the sun and let it brew like sun tea. After a day or 2 I filter it into a sprayer and spray my plants. Been working pretty good. Going to put down the oil by my plants this year as well after reading about it!
jgln
Well-Known Member
Can you make a list of pests this has been effective on?
pawtucketpatriot
Member
I'm guessing just about any pest from ants to aphids to japanese beetles. I noticed that my plants where starting to be the main course in the yard and a friend told me about the concoction: started using it and whatever was eating my plants stopped (never did get a visual on the bastards!).
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