Cucumber Beetles..The program I Use
Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2004
by Phil and Laura on July 04, 2004 04:31 PM
The approach to control of the cuke beetle and many OTHER Critters I use is an Integrated system! Now Timing means alot, and as I told Meg, if you are Infested you probably should use a Non-Organic spray, to bring them back into a manageable level, I have before and will again...I will not loose a crop!. That being said...
Now you all have probably heard of Neem and Karanja oil Neem is available almost everywhere and is used by a whole buncha companies in organic garden pest controls, it is in Very Dilute amounts; however, in most of these sprays. It is also sold as the primary ingredient in 'safe' Fungicides, again DILUTED. The Oil I use is, 100% cold pressed oil I will provide my email later so questions can be answered and I can give you more info. First we will discuss :.....
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
His life cycle, his eating habits.Striped cucumber beetle adults over winter in protected locations such as in woodland lifter and under soil. Early in the spring they feed on blossoms and leaves of cultivated and wild host plants.
For this I use a two-step approach: Traps,see the thread: cucumber beetle traps
And Neem Cake (the name is mis-leading, it's a graulated brown,garlicky smellin' substance) I till this in at a rate of 1 pound per 150 sq. feet of soil, when preparing the garden in the spring. I also use it as a side-dressing...It worked WONDERS for the sweetcorn! Neem Cake is the residue from the seed they extract the neem oil from.Residual amounts of the oil help control the larvae and the burrowing adults It also provides a N.P.K. of 4-1-1 My traps collected 12 in the first 4 days, in early June, then it rained and rained...I will continue with the rest here very soon, got to have statistics...and I need some BREAKFAST....Oh LAURA !![[grin]](im/graemlins/grinnnn.gif)
Now you all have probably heard of Neem and Karanja oil Neem is available almost everywhere and is used by a whole buncha companies in organic garden pest controls, it is in Very Dilute amounts; however, in most of these sprays. It is also sold as the primary ingredient in 'safe' Fungicides, again DILUTED. The Oil I use is, 100% cold pressed oil I will provide my email later so questions can be answered and I can give you more info. First we will discuss :.....
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
His life cycle, his eating habits.Striped cucumber beetle adults over winter in protected locations such as in woodland lifter and under soil. Early in the spring they feed on blossoms and leaves of cultivated and wild host plants.
For this I use a two-step approach: Traps,see the thread: cucumber beetle traps
And Neem Cake (the name is mis-leading, it's a graulated brown,garlicky smellin' substance) I till this in at a rate of 1 pound per 150 sq. feet of soil, when preparing the garden in the spring. I also use it as a side-dressing...It worked WONDERS for the sweetcorn! Neem Cake is the residue from the seed they extract the neem oil from.Residual amounts of the oil help control the larvae and the burrowing adults It also provides a N.P.K. of 4-1-1 My traps collected 12 in the first 4 days, in early June, then it rained and rained...I will continue with the rest here very soon, got to have statistics...and I need some BREAKFAST....Oh LAURA !
by Phil and Laura on July 04, 2004 07:31 PM
As with any insect,Timing of applications, is important! Striped cucumber beetles appear to be most active between dusk and dawn, suggesting that insecticides (contact sprays) applied in the evening may be more effective against this pest.NEVER SPRAY ANY SOLUTION..ORGANIC OR CHEMICAL IN THE SUNLIGHT,NEAR DAYLIGHT OR WITH A CLOUD COVER, THE SUN CAN ALWAYS FOOL YOU...AND YOU WILL "SCORCH" YOUR PLANTS! ALSO..."ORGANIC" DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CAN BE CARELESS, ALWAYS FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS AND WARNINGS.
Ok, Now they spray I use: I add I teaspoon of an emulsifier(any dish soap,DO NOT USE ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP), to a quart of WARM Water. Add 1 and 1/3 ounce of Neem Oil, 2/3 ounce of Karanja oil, and MIX WELL!!!, it will look milky.Add this to 1 and 3/4 gallons of water,MIX.You Know have 2 gallons of spray solution. This is poured into a sprayer of any type and sprayed on the plants(the undersides Too!, stems and the fround, IT MAY ALSO BE USED AS A SOIL DRENCH. use at 7-11 day intervels, 4-5 times a season. Using Neem Oil alone WILL NOT be as effective, but can be used mixed to a 0.5 percent solution. This ratio is also the rate for FUNGICIDAL APPLICATION
I WILL GO INTO THIS FURTHER,LATER, BUT I HAVE 200 FOOT OF GREEN BEAN ROWS NEEDING PICKED...AND "YES" I SIDE DRESSED WITH THE NEEM CAKE!
Next post I will recite the spray dates and times and the BODY COUNT![[shocked]](im/graemlins/shock.gif)
Again, further info and questions on where you may Purchase these products can be directed to me at my e-mail. wwd479@netscape.net
Time to Bat skeeters and Pick Beans!
Ok, Now they spray I use: I add I teaspoon of an emulsifier(any dish soap,DO NOT USE ANTI-BACTERIAL SOAP), to a quart of WARM Water. Add 1 and 1/3 ounce of Neem Oil, 2/3 ounce of Karanja oil, and MIX WELL!!!, it will look milky.Add this to 1 and 3/4 gallons of water,MIX.You Know have 2 gallons of spray solution. This is poured into a sprayer of any type and sprayed on the plants(the undersides Too!, stems and the fround, IT MAY ALSO BE USED AS A SOIL DRENCH. use at 7-11 day intervels, 4-5 times a season. Using Neem Oil alone WILL NOT be as effective, but can be used mixed to a 0.5 percent solution. This ratio is also the rate for FUNGICIDAL APPLICATION
I WILL GO INTO THIS FURTHER,LATER, BUT I HAVE 200 FOOT OF GREEN BEAN ROWS NEEDING PICKED...AND "YES" I SIDE DRESSED WITH THE NEEM CAKE!
Next post I will recite the spray dates and times and the BODY COUNT
Again, further info and questions on where you may Purchase these products can be directed to me at my e-mail. wwd479@netscape.net
Time to Bat skeeters and Pick Beans!
by Phil and Laura on July 05, 2004 04:19 PM
Ok, Now after the initial "flush", I applied the Neem/Karanja oil as a SOIL DRENCH, and followed two days later with a FOLIAR spraying.That was in response to a population that I consider "small" (total...20-25) The Weather has warmed and NOW, with a few SUMMER DAYS under our belts, So Far...the Total Count, is ..5, five cuke beetles on All the targeted crops! This is GREAT, considering...5 Giant pumpkin plants,each between 12 and 20 ft. in length(Think of all those secondaries and flowers Meg!) 20 cucumber plants, 12 different varieties of squash,not including a half dozen Zuke plants, and of course..6 field pumpkin plants! The numbers will fluctuate of course, and I suspect that the numbers will Rise, but the above count was taken from the traps AND a total(got our A$$'S ate by SKEETERS) leaf,stem and Flower examination!
I may Have mis-lead You...You MAY ask Questions...HOWEVER, If you want to know Details about where I get the Supplies, Price I pay etc. You will Have to e-mail me...I PROMISED BILL
I may Have mis-lead You...You MAY ask Questions...HOWEVER, If you want to know Details about where I get the Supplies, Price I pay etc. You will Have to e-mail me...I PROMISED BILL
by Meg on July 05, 2004 04:40 PM
You have mail. 
* * * *
I reject your reality, and substitue my own!
My favorite digital camera photos that I took.
My family, garden, and a bunch of misc. photos!
* * * *
I reject your reality, and substitue my own!
My favorite digital camera photos that I took.
My family, garden, and a bunch of misc. photos!
by Phil and Laura on July 05, 2004 05:05 PM
Okey Dokey Meg, I'll check it out...as soon as We Hit the 1000 Mark! ![[wayey]](im/graemlins/wavey.gif)
Search The Garden Helper:
Now that I've entertained you, I will let you Ohhhh and Ahhhh, and I suppose CURSE SOME, and prepare my Diatribe!!