Posted on 03/08/2012 8:10:03 AM PST by US Navy Vet
Has anyone EVER used nemotodes or Milky Spore to control Japanese Beetles and/or Flea Larva?
You'll get some better answers here before long, but don't forget the county extension of your state's land grant university. They'll have authoritative info on all subjects horticultural as they pertain to your locale.
Sevin dust.
I use Talstar One. It kills everything.
Nematodes kill darn near every vegetable we put in the ground.
Yes. Works very well, but it is not a quick fix. It took me about two years before those critters were gone. Got rid of the moles as well, when their food sourse was gone.
If you don’t want to use chemicals,
look into “diatomaceous earth”.
Kills anything with an exoskeleton.
Excellent results. Will definitely use again.
Try putting up a picture of Helen Thomas. That would keep anything away.
I have 2 Hives of Honey Bees(anyone want Honey this year ;-)) and cannot use ANY Chemicals on my land. So I am Looking to Lady Bugs, Milky Spore and Nemetodes to do the trick. Japanese Beetles ATE my Garden Last year AND My POOR Doggys were in FLEA agony!
I garden the way my grandparents did, which was organic because you used what was available on the farm. I find liquid soap (not detergent) spread on leaves, sometimes, you might have to dip the leaves in the suds, works wonders for a bunch of nasty critters, including aphids.
I also plant extra for the birds, encourage swallows to build nests.
Sevin does work. Nemotodes are dangerous, will eat everything.
Then there’s paying the neighborhood kids a nickel per beetle, which works until they get old enough to say “that’s SO GROSS!”
This year I'm planning to try Milky Spore. I know it's a multi-year proposition.
Let’s nuke ‘em from space — it’s the only way to be sure.
BALONEY! Like most “organic” pest control remedies, DE is way over-hyped. (I've got bugs that LIVE in my bags of DE!) Most will work somewhat, never thoroughly, and usually for a very short period of time.
Despite all the hippie-talk about it, there's a very good reason why man-made fertilizers and pesticides were invented and became popular—the old ways didn't work as well!
timing is the key and you have to water the crap out of it to wash it in
http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/homegrnd/htms/37lpests.htm
I don’t think I’ve seen a Japanese Beetle around here in years. We were absolutely overrun with them in the 80’s. Something in nature has obviously adjusted and is controlling their population numbers.
Never used it; we spritz with diesel. It kills practically any and all pests and quite efficiently.
Plant a castor bean plant in your garden and the moles will leave.
“I use Talstar One. It kills everything.”
Second that! And sticks around for months continuing to kill all insects—not plants. Get the good stuff on eBay.
The milky spore takes time to take effect and it does prove effective, however, my poor plum tree immediately succumbed to a severe black knot infection.
Don't know if the beetles had anything to do with the black knot, but I miss the annual harvest of tart plums which I used for hungarian plum dumplings (Szilvás Gombóc) .
For consideration for the gardening ping list.
Milky spore works better in warmer climes. It is virtually useless in the northern tier. Nematodes would likely work most anywhere.
I live in the North. I use a mason jar containing a couple inches of water and a few drops of detergent to catch the beetles I knock off the leaves. The detergent reduces the surface tension so the beetles sink. The practice seems to keep the population at manageable numbers. Hope this helps. sd
I tried a napalm airstrike once. Not recommended.
Last summer I tried a mix of dish soup, water, and hot sauce in a spray bottle. I was pleased with the results.
That's good to hear! I have a large bag of the stuff and I suppose I should get started. Did you just follow the basic instructions on the bag?
For Japanese Beetles, go buy one of those yellow bags, bait and metal stick you jam in the ground. Next, go plant it somewhere in your neighbor’s yard he’s not likely to notice.
I LOVE diatomaceous earth and use it everywhere: wood pile, crawl space, attic, storage boxes, under pet beds and behind any new construction.
Did you know that diatomaceous earth, milky spores and snail bait are the exact same stuff, just in different sizes for different uses.
I believe the Dirt Doctor knows his stuff. If you use chemicals to kill everything, more than likely something harmful will move in to take over the niche. You’re better off promoting beneficial organisms that crowd out the harmful ones.
This link describes the difference between beneficial nematodes and the harmful ones.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Beneficial-Nematodes_vq2139.htm
Back in the 50s, Admiral Byrd, who was my parents’ landlord, used to hang up empty milk bottles that had a slick funnel stuck in their mouths. The funnels contained a japanese beetle phermone. The admiral was protecting the roses in his garden (Anapolis, MD). I used to get a half dollar a week to empty the bottles, most of which were at least half full of beetles each time I emptied them.
I have no idea if these things are still available, but they worked like a marvel.
Dynamite works well for me..........
yes. I bought a dispenser that puts down the right amount of the Milky Spores in a pattern accross the lawn. It is not immediate, but after 3 years I am june bug free,
And mole free.
Thanks for the info. I’m encouraged. We have so many moles in our yard it’s hazardous to walk around; the earth sinks under the pressure of almost every step!
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