new2gardening
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Can anyone give me a suggestion on what to spray my garden to keep the bugs from eating all my plants? Whatever it is, it's eating round holes in all the plants.
eating holes in my plants
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Dilly Girl
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I am not certain but I hope someone will come on and say that it is safe to spray or sprinkly DE (Diatamacious earth) human grade directly on the plants.
ANyone know for sure?
What about sprinkling it driectly on the soil as well, any benefits?
Dilly Girl
ANyone know for sure?
What about sprinkling it driectly on the soil as well, any benefits?
Dilly Girl
Rosalind
Deeply Rooted
No, don't use DE in the garden at ALL if you wanted to grow, you know, anything. It will kill off all your soil worms, pollinators, all the predators that eat aphids, lots of things that you want to keep. DE is fine indoors, when you don't really want insects of any type in your house, but outdoors, not so much.
Eating round holes? In all your plants, or just one particular kind? Do the trees and bushes also have round holes, or just tender new veggies? Do you ever catch them doing this, or is it something that occurs under cover of darkness? Are the holes in the leaves, the fruit, the flowers? How old are these plants, are they very young or older or what?
If I had to hazard a guess at what sort of critter eats perfectly round holes in leaves, I would say some sort of caterpillar. But unless I was absolutely certain it WAS a caterpillar, I would not spray anything. If indeed you do find a caterpillar or larval-type insect eating your fruits and veggies to the point where your whole garden will be a wash, then an application of VirosoftCP4 pesticide might be in order--this is a very specific biological pesticide for crop-eating caterpillars that does not harm beneficial insects. It's hard to find, but really good stuff. Peaceful Valley used to have it, doesn't look like they carry it anymore though.
Eating round holes? In all your plants, or just one particular kind? Do the trees and bushes also have round holes, or just tender new veggies? Do you ever catch them doing this, or is it something that occurs under cover of darkness? Are the holes in the leaves, the fruit, the flowers? How old are these plants, are they very young or older or what?
If I had to hazard a guess at what sort of critter eats perfectly round holes in leaves, I would say some sort of caterpillar. But unless I was absolutely certain it WAS a caterpillar, I would not spray anything. If indeed you do find a caterpillar or larval-type insect eating your fruits and veggies to the point where your whole garden will be a wash, then an application of VirosoftCP4 pesticide might be in order--this is a very specific biological pesticide for crop-eating caterpillars that does not harm beneficial insects. It's hard to find, but really good stuff. Peaceful Valley used to have it, doesn't look like they carry it anymore though.
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new2gardening
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My husband did in fact see a caterpillar in the garden, I have yet to see one. It is eating holes in the leaves of brocolli and my pepper plants, which were all planted a couple of weeks ago. Wuld a simple spray of soap and water on the plants deter the caterpillar or any other insects?
Rosalind
Deeply Rooted
OK, this makes sense. Yes, likely caterpillars, and soap and water will probably do the trick if they are not too badly infested. Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap, two good squirts, plus garlic and cayenne to taste, in one spray bottle's worth, usually takes care of 'em. The plants are too young, otherwise I'd say let the chickens have at 'em. When the plants are bigger, take some plastic roll fencing, staple it to stakes, and make a sort of temporary pen around the garden, then add chickens. But if you do that now, the chickens will eat the plants and dig them all up and make a mudpile.
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new2gardening
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Thank you, I will defintely try and eventually let some chickens loose in there to have a field day.
Dilly Girl
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Okay then what should I be applying to keep the catapillars from eating my plants?
I heard the DE was a great soil enhancer and for blooms. So is it okay to apply just to the soil aorund the plants to keep the nasty bugs off?
I heard the DE was a great soil enhancer and for blooms. So is it okay to apply just to the soil aorund the plants to keep the nasty bugs off?
Rosalind
Deeply Rooted
Where'd you hear that? I'm just saying, I've never heard anything but the exact opposite.
poppycat
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Round holes could be slugs or caterpillars.
If it's a cabbage family plant it's probably cabbage looper caterpillars.
You can spray Bt to get rid of them, it's bacterium that kills them.
If it's slugs you can sprinkle Sluggo around the base of your plants.
If it's a cabbage family plant it's probably cabbage looper caterpillars.
You can spray Bt to get rid of them, it's bacterium that kills them.
If it's slugs you can sprinkle Sluggo around the base of your plants.
OaklandCityFarmer
Deeply Rooted
Definitely identifying the culprit would be the best thing.
If you can't seem to do so, then a general safe soap spray might do the trick. Or (and I just suggested this for gophers too) make a bottle of pepper spray using a bunch of dried hot peppers boiled in a couple of gallons of water or if you don't want your house to smell like peppers you can steep them overnight in hot water (if steeping then chop the peppers up). Put it in a spray bottle and spray away. This is usually safe for most seedlings and plants. I've never had an issue using it.
You can also used chopped onions and garlic or mix them.
DE does kill any soft bodied creature including beneficials by drying them out. These does devastate any beneficial nematodes/bacterias in the garden which help breakdown compost and heavy soils. I think it hurts earthworms as well. If you do use for pest control then use it around foundations and other non garden areas.
If you can't seem to do so, then a general safe soap spray might do the trick. Or (and I just suggested this for gophers too) make a bottle of pepper spray using a bunch of dried hot peppers boiled in a couple of gallons of water or if you don't want your house to smell like peppers you can steep them overnight in hot water (if steeping then chop the peppers up). Put it in a spray bottle and spray away. This is usually safe for most seedlings and plants. I've never had an issue using it.
You can also used chopped onions and garlic or mix them.
DE does kill any soft bodied creature including beneficials by drying them out. These does devastate any beneficial nematodes/bacterias in the garden which help breakdown compost and heavy soils. I think it hurts earthworms as well. If you do use for pest control then use it around foundations and other non garden areas.
