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THE WAR HAS BEGUN!!!

RedtailForester

RedtailForester

The flea beetles have begun with a preempted attack on my seedlings. There have been some casualties but the counter-offensive has just begun. I started off by putting diatomeaous earth around all plants and just ordered some beneficial nematodes (thanks for the suggestion Smokemaster). The battle for my gardens has just begun!!!

If anyone has any other suggestions for ridding my raised beds of these little bastids, just let me know.
 
remember, with Bene-nemetodes you have to keep the ground/plants watered on a schedule. They don't like dry soil/earth. They will die or go deep and never return to the upper 8" of soil where you want them.
 
@ Tigahb8 - I had very limited success with Neem oil last season or as I liked to call it. . . . .death from above.

@ McCutie-Pie - Thank you darlin' for the good vibes. I hope your swimming pool gardens are finally drying out.
 
What is cool about Nematodes is when you pot up or re pot they spread around for several seasons.
Some wash out into the soil in the yard too.
Depending on what kind you get they kill tons of other nasties that are around too.
You do have to keep your pots from getting too dry as stated above.

I used the nematode mix rather than any specific one.
Since last year the mites killed all my plants I let the pots dry out and for the first time in years I see termites swarming at night outside.
Before I used nematodes I used to see the Termites all the time.
They dissapeared after I used nematodes.

Now they are back.
So nematodes are a cool thing to have around.
They chow down on a lot of different soil dwellers.
I see cutworms too in the pots this year too.
Gotta get some more nematodes.

I like the idea of a nematode crawling inside of a grub or whatever and slowly eating it from the inside out too.
Punishment fits the crime...
Talk about a nasty case of hemeroids. :)
 
The flea beetles usually leave my peppers alone, but they are hell on legs after the eggplant's. I wonder if its a different critter? The ones on the eggplants dissappear after a neem application, of course they will be back in 2 weeks, wanting some more neem :mouthonfire: lol
 
RedtailForester said:
The flea beetles have begun with a preempted attack on my seedlings. There have been some casualties but the counter-offensive has just begun. I started off by putting diatomeaous earth around all plants and just ordered some beneficial nematodes (thanks for the suggestion Smokemaster). The battle for my gardens has just begun!!!

If anyone has any other suggestions for ridding my raised beds of these little bastids, just let me know.
Click to expand...

Hi, RedtailForester - I'm having the same problem (already!) on all of my edible garden plants! Aphids are out already, too! ACK! I want to get a jump on it this year, so I was doing some research. Here's a link to an organic gardening site that lists lots of natural insect control (if you're into that kind of thing, like me)options, and flea beetles are on the list! I'm going to try a couple TODAY! Happy gardening!

http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html#Flea beetle:
 
First round of diatomaceous earth has had little effect on the wave of flea beetle soldiers. Beneficial nematode assassins have been deployed to quell the next generation of fighters. May need to resort to chemical warfare...
 
please try the biologicals or at least omri stuffs first
i think your results and recoveries are best (if you try them) from
the "soft" weapons before nuclear holocost(sp?) needed? :crazy:

{i am fighting aphids and cabbage loopers with neem and thuringiensis}
i have not started the flea beetles war as of yet
and was hoping you would get a good result and let us know before i need to know

edited for bacteria spell
 
I'm not claiming victory yet, but after the use of a couple diatomaceous earth strikes and beneficial nematode assassins, I haven't been seeing any enemy combatants. It is possible they enemy is in hiding, but we will stay diligent.
 
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