Last summer realized too little too late had the caterpillars from H. Taking up housekeeping in thyme, oregano, savory. I cut out hunks of stems, and when the light went on used Bt. All helped. It was too late in season to replace, and I let everything go down for their winter rest. Some being compromised didn't make it through the harsh winter.
Now some things coming back out looking OK or pretty. I was up close and personal today picking for the market. Bingo, a couple of oregano pots and the savory playing host to these things. Grrrh! As we have several days of rain coming up, will do the BT after, along with discarding obvious problems.
Not only are they back but more than ever. I sprayed several webs on my peach and apple trees with garden raid and it killed the cluster. I am planning on putting foil around the trunks of the trees! Painting with lime may also help at the bottom before the foil! They will destroy a small fruit tree fast!
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Plan A, or is that B or C....
Saw problem things are back. It is hard to pick of the caterpillar, as you don't see it until bigger (up to 1") and then somewhat encased in webby stuff. These are single, not like tent caterpillars. Clipping out whole sprigs works to a point, and that's where my feeble efforts went south last summer.
The pot of winter savory has it, and I picked for market today (sprigs picked without extras!) That one will get Bt soon, but we have rain scattered for a couple of days. The oregano pot that has it will be in oregano heaven soon. That one, perhaps location, never been a producer. So plants, roots, dirt down a few inches will be bagged and to the curb. Bye-Bye!
Saw problem things are back. It is hard to pick of the caterpillar, as you don't see it until bigger (up to 1") and then somewhat encased in webby stuff. These are single, not like tent caterpillars. Clipping out whole sprigs works to a point, and that's where my feeble efforts went south last summer.
The pot of winter savory has it, and I picked for market today (sprigs picked without extras!) That one will get Bt soon, but we have rain scattered for a couple of days. The oregano pot that has it will be in oregano heaven soon. That one, perhaps location, never been a producer. So plants, roots, dirt down a few inches will be bagged and to the curb. Bye-Bye!
Have you tried planting lavender, mugwort, sage and pepeprmint around your tree or garden? Many insects don't like their scents. Even though you got rid of them, depending on your location (ie the Rockies for instance) they will still come back so better start doing preventative measures now.
Otherwise I agree with everyone that you should be using B.T. Kurstaki, just make sure it is OMRI listed and compliant. The other organic solution to try would be BioNEEM. I hope this year you have better luck!
Otherwise I agree with everyone that you should be using B.T. Kurstaki, just make sure it is OMRI listed and compliant. The other organic solution to try would be BioNEEM. I hope this year you have better luck!
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pepperhead212
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- Location: Woodbury NJ Zone 7a/7b
Fortunately, for my garden this has been a fairly pest free year (KOW), but over where I work, about a week and a half ago, gypsy moth caterpillars were covering a VERY large parking lot in the tens of thousands - maybe more - and they had to have come from the woods on just two sides of the lot. I don't know how they could have covered the lot like that! Even in the center of the lot there didn't seem to be a square foot w/o at least one, and closer to the woods, they were all over. If this is a sign of how they are on crops this year, it is not a good thing.