Cucumber Beetles-Stopping Infestation Before it Starts

[Logan]

Background: I have a biodynamic container garden on my roof deck. I mix my soils, fermentation and herbals, and collect goat and sheep manure monthly from my buddy's farm and bring it back for my garden. I layer my plants to create the best possible canopy in a completely unnatural setting. I have an amazingly explosive miniature farm that yeilds a lot and allows me to introduce the idea of biodynamics to those who have never heard of the concept/ideology before.

I am really dedicated to organics across the board-my food, regimental gardens, and orchid are all organically raised. I am being besieged by cucumber beetles, and I am not really sure what to do. I have been using Neem, and I am not having much luck, especially with the fuzzy leaved plants, like cucs and squashes. I heard that you can do a folliar spray with copper, but I was under the impression that that would be best for an issue like WPM/other fungi, not pests.

I am looking for any proven organic methods to kill and repel future cucumber beetles.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

Cucumber beetles ( both spotted and stripped) and squash bugs were the bain of my existance Since the frogs and toads moved in, I have noticed a tremendous decrease in their numbers. I also hand pick them very shortly after I water. I have noticed that squashbugs especially like to move to the tops of the leaves(I'm guessing to dry out) right after I water the plants. The cucumber beetles do the same thing. I water the row then get the soap water cup and go back down the row, tossing them in as I go! It's like a little squashbug/ cucumber beetle massacre Frogs might be hard to do on a roof top. I would be quite an interesting experiment

[engineeredgarden]

I hand pick them, although it is quite labor intensive.

EG

[applestar]

Frogs and toads, eh? That's good to know since I saw a tree frog hanging out in the melon patch the other day.

Logan if you don't have one, why don't you start a 1/2 barrel (or stock tank) water garden? Maybe grow edibles like water chestnuts, lotus, taro roots. You can even grow rice, though you'll need several to grow any kind of yield. Check out my rice threads in the Permaculture Forum.

Eta -- I was going to add that my main cuke beetle predators are spiders, did a quick search, and found this article: https://www.attra.org/attra-pub/cucumberbeetle.html#predators

[Logan]

1/2 barrel (or stock tank) water garden? Maybe grow edibles like water chestnuts, lotus, taro roots.

I would be very interested in doing so, also I'm dying to do some kind of aquaponic set up. I have a couple questions though and a couple barriers:

1: How would I set this up
2: How much do you think this would weigh?
3: Will this attract mosquitoes?

My biggest barrier would be my HOA. They watch us like hawks, to the point where we have recieved emails asking why we don't have the correct elevation off the deck on one container. They note EVERYTHING new coming off and on my deck. They don't like the idea of urban farming, apparently. They told us we are lowering property values. I told them the 2 forecloses that have lowered our comps by $150K since I bought lowered property values. My vegetables feed my family. Feh.

[Logan]

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Here is my set up. I have 6 different types of tomatoes, 3 different types of cucumbers, kabocha squash, acorn squash, watermelon, cantalope, spinach, eggplant, quinoa,red sunflowers, elf sunflowers, corn(not really working out), carrots, and a bunch of herbs-rosemary, basil, a couple types of mint, oregano, etc. Everything is from seed, and everything is an heirloom variety.

The stupid beetles are really massively going after the potato tops, and next going after the sunflowers. I have been pulling them off whenever I find them, and then I smash them. But smashing them is probably the least effective method.

[Logan]

Frogs might be hard to do on a roof top. I would be quite an interesting experiment

Where did you bring them in from? Did you just purchase from a vivarium? I am in CA, in zone 9b. The roof deck is a full sun area, with both northern and western exposures. How would I find appropriate species for this locale? Do you have links that I could start researching? Did you have to build a frog or toad habitat or did your garden become the habitat? How do you control the amphibious population or do they breed relentlessly? How long have you been using frogs and toads to maintain pest pop? Maybe you've seen my other threads on the rat issues I've had in my first floor rear ornamental garden, where I also house my worm bin (formerly bins, until the wormpocalypse happened?) If not the gist is-d/t a rat explosion at my housing development nasty ass rats began to wage a war against me, destroying 2 worm bins and many pounds of beautiful compost that was supposed to be this season's soil amendment. After bringing this to the HOA with other residents that have had terrible rat problems this year, they finally took action and put loads of traps out and about the property. My remaining bin remains unscathed, but I have also rigged it with additional security measures. I loathe rats and don't want them coming back here. I don't know that they could get up to the roof deck, but I don't want to find out? Do you think rats would be attracted to toads and frogs? Also is it true that TOADS are land dwelling and FROGS are both water/land creatures?[/quote]

[Toil]

for the cuke beetles: timing and water

every day, the cuke beetles will go to bed around the same part of the day. Come by after they are down (mid afternoon where I am), and spray the ground with water. They will pop out, obvious and groggy. Just start crunching. It's a good time to wear gloves.


granted, I only have striped beetles. and this does nothing for squash beetles or squash bugs.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

Frogs might be hard to do on a roof top. I would be quite an interesting experiment

Where did you bring them in from? Did you just purchase from a vivarium? I am in CA, in zone 9b. The roof deck is a full sun area, with both northern and western exposures. How would I find appropriate species for this locale? Do you have links that I could start researching? Did you have to build a frog or toad habitat or did your garden become the habitat? How do you control the amphibious population or do they breed relentlessly? How long have you been using frogs and toads to maintain pest pop? Maybe you've seen my other threads on the rat issues I've had in my first floor rear ornamental garden, where I also house my worm bin (formerly bins, until the wormpocalypse happened?) If not the gist is-d/t a rat explosion at my housing development nasty EDITED rats began to wage a war against me, destroying 2 worm bins and many pounds of beautiful compost that was supposed to be this season's soil amendment. After bringing this to the HOA with other residents that have had terrible rat problems this year, they finally took action and put loads of traps out and about the property. My remaining bin remains unscathed, but I have also rigged it with additional security measures. I loathe rats and don't want them coming back here. I don't know that they could get up to the roof deck, but I don't want to find out? Do you think rats would be attracted to toads and frogs? Also is it true that TOADS are I and dwelling and FROGS are both water/land creatures?

[/quote]

Well...I didn't buy them, they just kinda showed up I guess I accidentally made a hospitable home for them. I don't have pots or dishes of water. My neighbor 3 doors down has a pool, maybe that contributes. There are tons and TONS of beneficials in the garden along with the pests. I'm sure that's the most attractive. That and all the crab grass

I just pulled the rest of my cukes up this past weekend...they were done... But I did have two writing spiders on the dried up pea side of their trellis! They are so beautiful! I bought two different kinds of cukes to replace them. Yard long Armenian and an Asian cucumber! I can't wait to try them

[garden5]

There are traps that are made for them, as well, though hand-picking can be effective. Squish them or dunk them in soapy water.