I just started my first garden and the bugs, and possible mildew, love it - they are going to town on my garden! I tried some of safers insect killing soap but it is not doing the trick. Since some of the plants have that on it, what else would be safe to apply and actually work?
Here are some pics of the damage:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/moon_owl/
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rainbowgardener
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Some of the pictures, especially the basil at the bottom look like slug damage. The insecticidal soap will not bother slugs. You will never see them in the daytime, only if you come out at night with a flashlight and look.
Diatomaceous earth works against slugs, or just crushing up eggshells and putting it all around your plants. Or coming out at night and hand picking them off and destroying.
Some of pictures show quite minimal damage. You will make yourself crazy if you start worrying about every little hole. It's just the way nature is and you have to share a little!
The plants will not even notice that amount of damage. A plant can generally lose 10% of its leaf surface without being slowed down. Nature functions on multiple redundancies.
An example of that is the lemon balm, which shows a bit more than minimal damage. But lemon balm grows like a weed, is aggressive and invasive. It has become a serious pest in my yard. Generally nothing bothers it too much, but if there were anything that wanted to eat my lemon balm, I would say go for it and bring all your cousins!
Diatomaceous earth works against slugs, or just crushing up eggshells and putting it all around your plants. Or coming out at night and hand picking them off and destroying.
Some of pictures show quite minimal damage. You will make yourself crazy if you start worrying about every little hole. It's just the way nature is and you have to share a little!
The plants will not even notice that amount of damage. A plant can generally lose 10% of its leaf surface without being slowed down. Nature functions on multiple redundancies. An example of that is the lemon balm, which shows a bit more than minimal damage. But lemon balm grows like a weed, is aggressive and invasive. It has become a serious pest in my yard. Generally nothing bothers it too much, but if there were anything that wanted to eat my lemon balm, I would say go for it and bring all your cousins!
I concur with rainbow gardner. I don't see tons of damage. I can't help at all with the honey berry since I am not familiar with it. Your basil has something munching on it but will probably outgrow it. Also the yellowing of the cotyledons on the cucumber in your last photo is normal. Your squash is a little beat up but I do not see any fungus yet. Your eggplant looks fine. Heck, I do not even see any flea beetle damage.
Remember, the photos you see in catalogs and magazines are either the nicest specimen and/or photoshopped. Real plants in gardens like ours are rarely perfect.
Remember, the photos you see in catalogs and magazines are either the nicest specimen and/or photoshopped. Real plants in gardens like ours are rarely perfect.
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jal_ut
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I agree with what the other posters have said.
Do a search on this forum for snail control. It has been covered.
Diatomaceous Earth, Pyrethrins, BT, and Rotenone are some naturally occuring things that some gardeners use to kill insects.
There are also some chemicals like Sevin and Malathion that will kill insects, but most of us prefer to stay away from these chems.
I encourage you to do some research on these things I mention and decide what is suitable and acceptable in your garden. I can't do that for you.
What the label on this product fails to say is that for the soap spray to be effective, it has to actually hit the insects as you apply it. Cover them with soap solution and they will die. However, it has no residual effects after it dries on the plants. So when you use it, actually go insect hunting and spray the bugs, not necessarily the plants, unless that is where the bugs are.I tried some of safers insect killing soap but it is not doing the trick.
Do a search on this forum for snail control. It has been covered.
Diatomaceous Earth, Pyrethrins, BT, and Rotenone are some naturally occuring things that some gardeners use to kill insects.
There are also some chemicals like Sevin and Malathion that will kill insects, but most of us prefer to stay away from these chems.
I encourage you to do some research on these things I mention and decide what is suitable and acceptable in your garden. I can't do that for you.
Last edited by jal_ut on Mon Jun 11, 2012 12:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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luvthesnapper
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I was going to mention Sevin, but I didn't want to be hunted for sport. It doesn't seem like something alot of people here would use. I would probably only use it as a last ditch effort to save my garden. It certainly works, but it kills everything and isn't the healthiest approach, from what I've read.like Sevin
Neem Oil works, but it's not a "knock everything out over night" type product. From what I understand, it stops insects from reproducing and eating, and eventually they die off. I used it last year, and it took care of everything in about 2 weeks.
As some have mentioned above, I would also suggest that you explore the use of products like Neem, Spinosad, and Bt; depending on the insect pest that you're trying to control. {Neem is also used as a fungicide.}
Those three products are approved for organic production. When used properly, they are not harmful to humans, and also do not target beneficial insects.
Those three products are approved for organic production. When used properly, they are not harmful to humans, and also do not target beneficial insects.
Huh, I didn't even consider slugs. I just put some cornmeal out hopefully that I will help for tonight - and it won't encourage any other critter.look like slug damage
I've been meaning to order diatomaceous earth just haven't got around to it. And I actually have some eggshells around my tomato plants - which are doing ok - that should have been a clue. : PDiatomaceous earth works against slugs, or just crushing up eggshells...
Never heard of any of these before - I have to look into them; thanks....Pyrethrins, BT, and Rotenone...Neem Oil...Spinosad
I don't really look at magazines/catalogs and wasn't expecting perfection. I knew bugs were going to snack on my plants but it was still a shock to see. Especially, when my seedlings disappear and my 2nd honeyberry plant is not doing good.I don't see tons of damage...Remember, the photos you see in catalogs and magazines are either the nicest specimen and/or photoshopped. Real plants in gardens like ours are rarely perfect.
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So, the white spots (best viewed in honeyberry plant 1d) are nothing to worry about?
Sluggo is an organic product and the slugs really like it and will leave your plants to eat it and then - well, its their own fault for gobbling it up.
There are several variations of pyrethrins and it does make a difference. For example, Bayer makes one that is much stronger than the others and I'm not sure I would use that. Garden Tech also sells pyrethrins and it is half the strength of the Bayer version and works just fine. However, it has some "natural" ingredients you might not want in your garden such as petroleum distillate.
I have a millipede invasion/infestation and using Pyganic in an effort to get them under control. I have treated the raised beds (2 of six infested) several times but I also squish them now that they are no longer in piles of 300-400. Several times, I have gone out at dusk or dawn and used a trowel to remove the groups of them and put them in plastic bags to die. It is not a satisfying task - any of it - but I am determined to rid those two beds of the infestation.
If you have the time to hunt down the slugs and don't mind squishing them, that will help. I turn over anything that provides dampness or darkness during the day and have found a number of monster size slugs and a zillion babies. My husband walks away when I start squishing them.
There was a day I wouldn't have touched bugs like I do now. If you are going to garden, it's them or your plants.
Good luck.
There are several variations of pyrethrins and it does make a difference. For example, Bayer makes one that is much stronger than the others and I'm not sure I would use that. Garden Tech also sells pyrethrins and it is half the strength of the Bayer version and works just fine. However, it has some "natural" ingredients you might not want in your garden such as petroleum distillate.
I have a millipede invasion/infestation and using Pyganic in an effort to get them under control. I have treated the raised beds (2 of six infested) several times but I also squish them now that they are no longer in piles of 300-400. Several times, I have gone out at dusk or dawn and used a trowel to remove the groups of them and put them in plastic bags to die. It is not a satisfying task - any of it - but I am determined to rid those two beds of the infestation.
If you have the time to hunt down the slugs and don't mind squishing them, that will help. I turn over anything that provides dampness or darkness during the day and have found a number of monster size slugs and a zillion babies. My husband walks away when I start squishing them.
There was a day I wouldn't have touched bugs like I do now. If you are going to garden, it's them or your plants.
Good luck.