Flea Beetles attacking!!!!!Help!

[April Manier]

So the flea beetles are bad in the Mid field. They are sorta our nemesis around here. We used Safer soap and sprayed everything. I have now sprayed with neem. Any ORGANIC ideas for flea beetles. Any thoughts on how often to re-coat? How about Piganic?

 

[897tgigvib]

Have you tried putting Diatomaceous Earth all around the area?

It really is effective, but takes a few days, and works best when it is dry. At Tractor supply, a brand called Red Lake, food grade, costs 13 clams for 25 pounds.

I'd put it all around, including the areas around that do not get water, and right to near the plants. Not sure, but I think it works for a long long time, but reduced effectiveness after plowing it back in. It's still there after working the soil, just diluted. So more may be needed each year for a few years.

It may be like clay, so more organic material would help in following years.

Yea, bad bugs require multiple efforts. I think they call it integrated p[est management.

Suffocating them with neem oil, giving them a bad day with safer's, and dehydrating them. I think that'd do the trick. Too bad it might get some of the beneficial bugs too, but maybe not the ones that don't go onto the greound. They might breathe it...im thinking too much...

 

[lesa]

You could try some eggplant. The flea beetles love it. I call it my sacrificial lamb...Good luck!

 

[digitS']

The pyrethrins in Pyganic should kill what it hits as well as the beetles hiding under debris on the soil surface. If they show up later, I don't know how effective it will be, April. Maybe the company has information on how long you can hope it will stop them. I used to get the pyrethrin/rotenone for flea beetles and it worked.

Last year was the 1st time for me to try Spinosad. It seems to work just fine on flea beetles.

Today, I will be spraying some brassicas with the stuff. I haven't gotten the warm-season veggies out so the eggplant & tomato aren't in danger but the beetles are very, very busy nonetheless!

Steve

 

[April Manier]

I just got Spinosad! Glad to hear it works. They outlawed rotenone for Organic production (ridiculous!).

 

[vfem]

I like DE Marshall, but it has no staying effort after a rain. We've had a REALLY wet season so the DE is of no use for me right now. I keep sprinkling, and it keeps washing away. I don't think we've gone more then 2 days without rain all this month.

Putting spinosad on my list now!

 

[April Manier]

We use DE for slugs. Apparently its like crawling over broken glass to them. Also Gypsum seems to dry them up.

 

[catjac1975]

Pyrethrum will work.

 

[897tgigvib]

There is always my favorite weapon that works against a lot of bad bugs:

NICOTINE TEA

That's my fallback strategy. Have not had to make any for, since I moved back to California.

To make it:

Get a large handful of cigarette butts. Filters are ok.
Place them in a bowl of hot water.
Let them soak 10 minutes at least.
Squish and mix it all up.
Run it through a fine sieve to filter it a few times.
Pour it in a spray jar.
Add a teaspoon of Shampoo.
Shake to mix.

To use it:

Test spraying a small amount on plants you will use it near or on, and rinse in 15 minutes for the test to find if it hurts your plants.
If it hurts your plants by the next day, do not use.
Spray it directly on the bad bugs.
Rinse it off the plants within 10 minutes.
Repeat daily.


This also cleans the plants.
It kills whiteflies and some other bad guys instantly on contact. Whiteflies drop like ultraminiature fighter jets shot down.
This is one of the integrated pest management weapons to use on spider mites which require multiple weapons and redundantly repeated tactics. Repeatedly. Again.

Not recommended for the faint hearted, but as a last resort in INTEGRATED pest management organic systems, this stuff is unparalleled.

It takes some practice to know how well your plants can take it.

Some things I made note of using it:

Use it before the hot sun of day, or after the sun sets.
Never fail to quickly rinse it off the plants.
Most plants actually look better after this treatment, especially tomatoes.
Some plants are too touchy for it. Do the test first with it left on extra time.
This treatment helps to kill mites if they are spotted in time.
This treatment is not sudden death for aphids, but really gives them a bad day, also makes it easier to brush the ones off that don't spray off.
Ground gnats will stop hanging around if you use this, especially important for melon growers. Oh yes, Cantaloupe plants look good after rinsing too.

Another thing,
NICOTINE SPRAY IS CONTROVERSIAL.

I will not jump up and down defending its use. It is up to the individual to decide.
But I repeat,

TEST ON A SMALL PORTION OF A PLANT BEFORE USING.

 

[momofdrew]

never use nicotine spray on tomatoes...if you smoke do not touch tomatoes unless you wash your hands first...


I use Diamatous Earth first before I reach for anything stronger... it does have to be applied in dry weather and reaplied after a rain but it is safe for everyone except the bugs that crawl around on it...