The Bug Battle

[Sylvia Bernstein]

How are people tackling the bugs that find our systems?  I've been using a combination of beneficial insects (mainly ladybugs) and spraying with insecticidal soap when I have to...but I worry about the effect that using too much of that might have on the fish.  If a plant is pretty small (lettuces, greens, beans, peppers) and is pretty bug infested I'll take it out of the media and let it soak in the fish tank for about 15 minutes. the bugs drown, and the fish seem to love them.

I know some people use neem oil with success.  What are the downsides?  What else do you guys use?

Also, my most buggy plants are salad greens and peppers.  They've stayed totally off my herbs, broccoli, and tomatoes.  What have other's experience been with this?  Any hypothesis as to why?  Travis thinks it has something to do with nitrogen levels...

[TCLynx]

Ohh that sounds really interesting.  Do you have any info about the plant?  Can we grow it here?

[Green Acre Aquaponics]

Interestingly, they said it grows naturally here and up the East coast, but it is so labor intensive to harvest, it isn't farmed here.  But for home production could be awesome.  I will have to take a look at the literature I received and will let you know. 

[TCLynx]

Cool thanks

[Selene' Griffith]

Here in Hawaii we have to deal with a lot of aphids and ants. We have been using seaweed spray to help keep control of the aphids on our lettuce. It seems to work good. The only time I noticed it not working is when my husband stopped using it for a few months. I didn't know he stopped and was wondering why we were getting so many aphids again! Needless to say we started back up and haven't had a problem on the lettuce again.

The other two plants that get a lot of aphids are our eggplants and tomatoes. We have been spraying with neem oil for over a year now and have not seen any negative effects to the system. I first sprayed our plants only once a week because we were worried about the fish. However, I didn't see it affecting the bugs much. We now spray twice a week and hardly ever see any aphids or other pest like beetles.

And for our ant problem we have been using cinnamon mixed with honey. I know some people use borax and honey around the ground of their grow beds. But we have raised beds and have to deal with them on the rafts. I did not want to take a chance of getting this in the system water. So we are trying cinnamon with honey. It is supposed to have the same effects as the other treatment. The ants take it back to the colony and it will affect them all! The cinnamon burns them. (hope there aren't any pest advocates out there!)

I love the idea of just soaking the plants in the water. I will try that if we get a problem again!

[Allisyn Wood]

So, there's a lot of mention about aphids.  I have red spider mites.  Are these in the same category with the same solution? Please help!

[TCLynx]

I think spider mites are worse.  Sorry to hear of your trouble.  I tended to get spider mites bad on my out of season tomatoes when I had a greenhouse.  Now that I'm growing completely outdoors and sticking more with seasonally appropriate plants, I haven't seen them again.

[Allisyn Wood]

I have an outdoor system with tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, basil... You must have a good build up of beneficials.  I'm reading lady bugs are good for these problems.  Can I introduce them now as we're a quarter of the way through summer in FL? Otherwise, sprays as described above??

TCLynx said:

I think spider mites are worse.  Sorry to hear of your trouble.  I tended to get spider mites bad on my out of season tomatoes when I had a greenhouse.  Now that I'm growing completely outdoors and sticking more with seasonally appropriate plants, I haven't seen them again.

[TCLynx]

Lady bugs could probably be introduced almost any time here in FL as far as I know.  Also you might look at the plants and see if some foliar feeding might provide something the plants might be missing to help them fight off the pests themselves.  Of course foliar feeding here this time of year is a challenge since it's too hot to spray just about anytime except dawn.

[Allisyn Wood]

I'm picking up my maxicrop with iron tomorrow.  Should I foliar that or just add to the water? I am heavily shaded so I'm not too worried about rapid evaporation, but will spray during feedings (morning and evening) as I'm out there anyway... I was thinking, my fish are wee still.  Could this be part of my problem (not enough pee therefore not enough nutrients)? I am thinking this might be my problem with the iron deficiency...  In the meantime, I'll be looking for some lady bugs... How bad should I allow it to get before beginning to yank plants for infestation?

 

Thanks for all the input.  I've read many of your posts and I'm with you... I don't want to have to do too much.  It's too hot outside... I just wanna eat some veggies already...

TCLynx said:

Lady bugs could probably be introduced almost any time here in FL as far as I know.  Also you might look at the plants and see if some foliar feeding might provide something the plants might be missing to help them fight off the pests themselves.  Of course foliar feeding here this time of year is a challenge since it's too hot to spray just about anytime except dawn.

[TCLynx]

A foliar feed will probably help your plants fast and then you could probably still add a cap full to the water for an extra boost here in the beginning.

 

I'm not sure where the line should be drawn as to when to yank plants.  I think I've heard if you see webs with spider mites then it may be time to pull the plants.

[Allisyn Wood]

Ooh.  Might be time to yank a few... :/

TCLynx said:

A foliar feed will probably help your plants fast and then you could probably still add a cap full to the water for an extra boost here in the beginning.

 

I'm not sure where the line should be drawn as to when to yank plants.  I think I've heard if you see webs with spider mites then it may be time to pull the plants.

[ayeshaaakter]

Bugs
Bugs include stink bugs, leaffooted bugs, and squash bugs that have piercing mouthparts used to ‘suck’ nutrients from plant leaves, stems, and fruit. They often are KEY PESTS that feed on tomatoes, beans, and squash causing discolored spotting, pimples or desiccation. The adults are excellent fliers and can move long distances into and among gardens. There are few natural controls limiting their numbers and damaging
populations must be treated with insecticides.

Recommended Control: Use row covers to prevent bugs from feeding on young plantings, but remove at first flower. Kill nymphs and adults with cyfluthrin, diazinon, dimethoate, or endosulfan. ORGANIC control methods include the use of row covers, hand picking, traps, and spraying with neem or pyrethrum. Nymphs can be killed with insecticidal soap. Spray applications must be directed towards the feeding sites under the leaves and under the plant canopy. The SQUASH BUG is a perennial pest, primarily of squash and pumpkin, which should be controlled by initiating insecticide applications or hand picking when adults or egg masses are first noted on plants.

For more information, click here,

pest control