THE “HOLEY” WAR
Most of the phone calls lately are concerns about holes in the leaves of a wide assortment of plants in the garden. These holes are caused by a number of insects such as grasshoppers, worms, slugs and snails and Japanese beetles. There are many insecticides on the market but picking the right one for the right insect is very important, as one insecticide may not do any harm to the wrong insect.
For example, if worms are making the holes then you must use DiPel, the worm killer. If your hosta has holes then your problem is probably slugs-get slug and snail bait. Grasshoppers and beetles are larger insects so you must spray or dust with an insecticide for beetles. The problem with spraying insecticides is that they are a contact killer so they only work on the insect that is present today. Tomorrows insects would need to be sprayed again. Dusts would probably last longer than sprays.
When picking out a spray you must consider many factors such as, is this a food item, will the chemical last for any length of time, which insect will this spray kill and how long will it last. Also, will this spray damage the plant and at what time of day should it be applied? Most watering is done early in the day while chemicals should be applied very late in the evening. Dormant oil should not be used until the plants are dormant (late fall) but summer oils can be used during the summer months. Triple action spray is great because it kills the eggs, larvae and the adults while most insecticides only kill the adults. Read the label to see if your chemical is safe for food plants, usually it reads “Safe for Vegetables.”
Fungus is “Amungus” at this time of year with all of the heat and humidity so I strongly recommend the use of a fungicide. Examples of fungicides include dusting sulfur, captan, Bordeaux and copper. Again, get the right one for the job but with fungicides, it’s all about prevention, not cure. Fungicides should be applied before the problems start.
> Read More Information About Us
> More Articles Written By Our Staff
- Community Invited To Paint Rocks For Urban League Project - April 26, 2024
- The “Bad Guys” In Your Garden & What To Do About Them - April 26, 2024
- Why Voting In The Primary Election Matters - April 26, 2024