Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.
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December 10, 2012 | #16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 614
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Just wanted to say I got the neem oil (the Garden Safe brand) this weekend, and finally had time to get it mixed up with the bit of dish soap (I use Seventh Generation) and water in my spray bottle. I sprayed it at lunchtime today. I think none too soon, as I noticed one of the zucchini leaves was partially munched. I also saw a couple of ants walking inside the cucumber flower. Trellised it up, too, that should help.
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December 10, 2012 | #17 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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Please be careful about spraying at noon, especially if it is a sunny day, because neem, like all oils, will burn the leaves in the heat of the day. Only spray early morning or later afternoon to avoid frying your leaves. Been there and done that! Oh, and neem only works on soft bodied insects such as moths, caterpillars, whiteflies aphids, but ants have a hard chitin exoskeleton and wont be affected by neem. Just thought you should know.... trying to be helpful. -Marsha |
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December 10, 2012 | #18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 614
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Oh, thanks, Marsha! Yes, it was mighty gray and cloudy today, probably getting ready for a light drizzle, so I felt burning would not be an issue. I didn't think I could see well enough in the dark, as I don't get home till late. But, a good reminder.
Good to know about the ants. I thought it might repel them (and the soap) if not kill them, but it also seems that elevating the cucumber stem has discouraged the little fellas also. For now! |
December 10, 2012 | #19 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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February 26, 2013 | #20 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ithaca, NY - USDA 5b
Posts: 241
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I found a great Whitefly Repellent... Neem Meal, also called Neem Cakes or Neem Manure. Neem Oil is a peasant crop, meaning it is the sole source of income for a large population in India. Neem bushes grow wild throughout India, and are never sprayed because it is a natural pesticide. The Neem Seeds are collected and the oil is removed using hand-presses, much like a cider press. The remaining seed casings and residue is pressed into a round cake. Neem is an ideal fertilizer, since it contains ideal balances of NPK and micro-nutrients. The extracted oil is sold as Neem oil, while the Neem byproduct of cakes are sold as a fertilizer. I use the Neem meal as a pesticide, sprinkling it on the soil of my potted plants. It doesn't kill the bugs, but it makes them want to relocate.
http://www.groworganic.com/neem-seed...-6-lb-box.html I use it in my greenhouse for Whitefly and Aphid control, and also sprinkle it around the base of my young cucumber plants to get rid of cucumber beetles in my garden. I had an epidemic of cucumber beetles to the point that I gave up growing Cukes. Then I discovered Neem Meal. A little goes a long way, and it holds up rather well in weather. Unlike Neem Oil, it dissolves slowly when watered or wet. The nice part is that as it dilutes, it feed the plants.
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Give a man a fish and he eats for a day - Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime. |
February 27, 2013 | #21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SW FL
Posts: 152
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Hotwired...thank you! I'd never heard of this. I have good luck with the oil/soap mixture, but it's a constant battle. Take a break and they come back with a vengeance.
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February 27, 2013 | #22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South Florida
Posts: 40
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Last year I had problems with whiteflies nearly killing my plants and didn't have much success with neem oil, especially since it didn't stop raining.
This year I haven't had a problem yet and I don't spray. I know once it gets hotter I'll see many more. Although some of my plants (not my tomatoes) are treated with Imidacloprid soil drench (Bayer Advanced) such as my Angel's Trumpet. It seems the flies go plant to plant and die once they feast on treated ornamentals. |
March 1, 2013 | #23 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SW FL
Posts: 152
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March 7, 2013 | #24 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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I had a really bad infestation of whiteflies a couple of years ago and used neem oil. It was fairly effective if you sprayed every 3 to 4 days but after a while became less effective. I ended up rotating different sprays and had more success. I think the one thing that every successful whitefly control has in common is frequent spraying. I'm sure there are chemicals strong enough to kill them outright; but I would be very hesitant to use them on my tomatoes.
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March 9, 2013 | #25 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Miami, FL.
Posts: 442
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March 9, 2013 | #26 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 148
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Getting this one pronto !
http://www.amazon.com/Solo-420-2-Lit...s=solo+sprayer |
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