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Old May 6, 2009   #1
Fert1
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Default Does mulching reduce flea beetle problems?

I wanted to ask if mulching eggplants helps to prevent flea beetle problems? The reason I ask is I think that is what I'm seeing. Every year it's a battle to keep the flea beetles from eating little "buckshot" holes in plants, but I've been lazy about mulching ... until this year.

This year I had my act together and mulched everything really well with newspaper and straw over that. And voila, no "buckshot" holes this year. My plants look ... pristine. I'm thinking it's got to be the mulch. Anyone else had any comparable experiences?
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Old May 7, 2009   #2
Polar_Lace
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Flea beetle

Adults are attracted to your plants.
Feed on the foliage then lay eggs in the soil.
Their eggs hatch in the soil, feed on the roots of plants.
When they're adults, they eat the foliage, lay eggs in the soil.
The Life cycle is then continually repeated.

So protecting your soil from invasion by mulching is doing an additional job.

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Old May 7, 2009   #3
sfmathews
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I have not found it helpful, as far as my tomatoes were concerned. I fight them every year as well.
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Old May 7, 2009   #4
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On a tour of organic veg gardens last year, I noticed eggplants in a large container without flea-beetle holes and asked how she did it. The gardener said she *catches* the flea beetles! After a year or two of that, she said, no more flea beetles in her garden! I was astounded.
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Old May 7, 2009   #5
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I had a flea beetle problem untill i started feeding the birds.The birds do a good job keeping bugs out of my garden.
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Old May 7, 2009   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfmathews View Post
I have not found it helpful, as far as my tomatoes were concerned. I fight them every year as well.

Now, the flea beetles don't mess with my tomatoes all that much, but they love Eggplants. Are you sure it's flea beetles going after your tomatoes? I know there are number of differnt types of flea beetles too. Maybe some like tomatoes. The ones I have just seem to like Eggplants, (and tomatillos), but they never bother my tomatoes.

Either the mulch has helped or something else has. The eggplants are still untouched. I'm amazed! Not complaining though. What Polar-Lace said makes a lot of sense to me. I think you're onto something there.
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Old May 8, 2009   #7
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Oh, yea, cause I've caught and squished a few and watched 'em jump. They also have gone after my eggplant. But the maters I've got in pots or different beds don't have them. I'm thinking maybe beneficial nematodes might be in order?
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Old May 8, 2009   #8
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I used some Pyola the last two years and it works very well.
I just keep a squirt bottle of it diluted with water and use it on my tomatoes to stop the few aphids I have anymore (thanks to silver reflective mulch!), and the asparagus and flea beetles.
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Old May 14, 2009   #9
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I'm starting to see some flea beetle damage, but still very minor compared to what I usually see. I do think the mulch is helping.
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Old May 15, 2009   #10
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Last year the flea beetles did not hit until I mulched with grass clippings. The tomatoes had been sitting in the yard for weeks, and then planted for a week before I mulched.

This year I am planting radishes around all of my tomatoes and peppers as a trap crop.
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Old May 27, 2009   #11
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Anybody ever try rotenone? It works for me. Just askin'..........
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Old June 17, 2009   #12
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Still no major flea beetle problems, but something else is eating the heck out of my eggplants now. I think it's japanese beetles since I've found a few on the plants. The damage is bigger and more severe than what you generally see with flea beetles. Guess I won't complain so much about the flea beetles anymore!
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Old June 17, 2009   #13
nctomatoman
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I find mulching doesn't help all that much. Eggplant are the only thing in my yard that gets sprayed - I use a dilute solution of Sevin just a few times early on and it does the trick.
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Old June 18, 2009   #14
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Yeah, I do likewise, a little Seven until the plants get large enough to not be bothered by the flea beetles. This year, the Japanese beetles are tearing them up something fierce though! With it raining every day, it's tough to keep anything on them.
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Old June 24, 2009   #15
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I mulch and have flea beetle issues so I don't think it helps all that much if at all. In my garden flea beetles are most attracted to eggplants. Then in order of preference next potatoes, then tomatoes, peppers, and anything else. Some years are worse than others (weather? population cycle?). This is a pretty bad year for flea beetles.


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