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Organic Gardening

Organic pesticide?

11 years ago

I tried using hot pepper and soap spray on my organic cucumbers but something is eating them. I never see it and it does some major damage. It looks like it eats the top layer then slowly eats the whole leaf. Would anybody have any idea on what it might be and how can I get rid of it?

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Comments (8)

Raw_Nature
11 years ago
There are tons of organic sprays out there, but as you mentioned, you have to know the problem to fix the problem.. It could be several things.. I personally don't feel comfortable buying even organic sprays, I like the make my own..

I would try:

-Aerated aerobic compost tea

-Fermented garlic: crush a few gloves, throw then in a jug of water, strain/filter into spray bottle, spray on plants... Works great for me..

Good luck,
Joep
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
It's SO helpful when someone posts a magic elixer but doesn't disclose the recipe. The "fermented " garlic is especially (not) helpful. Lol

Seriously, if recommending a home remedy, it is essential that some directions for making the stuff is offered, as well as directions for use. "Works great for me" is entirely insufficient.

Such recommendations should include details about how to make the brew...with measurements for cryin ' out loud. Guidelines for use and warnings should also be included.

No one should be comfortable with unknown recipes. Commercial products come tested and reliable.....AND with a very valuable label. It's a lot easier to damage a plant with a wackydoodle home remedy than a labeled, commercial product.

There are some great home remedies out there. We should try to contribute to that knowledge bank in a thoughtful way.
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Interesting. From Wiki centipede article: " Centipedes are found in an array of terrestrial habitats from tropical rainforests to deserts. Within these habitats, centipedes require a moist micro-habitat because they lack the waxy cuticle of insects and arachnids, and so lose water rapidly through the skin." Doubtful the soil of your plant is also housing enough critters to sustain centipedes, though possible. I wonder if they just find it a convenient place to stay when not hunting? If that is the case, repotting may or may not help if they are generally in the building and just hanging out in the pot. Keeping the soil less moist should make the pot a less habitable environment. Elevating the pot so air reaches the drain holes well (and are a bit harder to find if you're a bug crawling around on the floor could also help, if the pot is sitting on the floor (an assumption that a $50 tree is that big?) Some centipedes do eat organic matter, so if excess moisture is causing roots to rot, that could be attracting them as well. SM's are usually on the bottom of leaves, so any spray should be aimed there as much as possible. Are the leaves of this plant smooth (without hairs?) If so, wiping them with a cotton ball that is damp (not dripping) with rubbing alcohol can remove them. SM's can also be rinsed, if it's warm enough to take it outside and hose it down. If the soil/root ball is not 'shifty,' you can also lay it on its' side and do that in the shower. Try to avoid getting the soil soppy wet, I usually put the pot at the other end from the drain. For plants that get SM's while inside, it's usually an ongoing battle to keep them at bay until plants can go back outside. They can show up from nowhere, so prophylactic systemic treatment before bring in does not ensure your plants will not get SM's later.
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Yes, you can successfully treat for pests on fruit trees. But the best bet is to select varieties that are resistant and only treat with organic pesticides when there is a problem. Common organic pesticides are Neem Oil, Rotenone, Pyrethrins and Nicotine Sulfate.
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Toxicity is a measure of how detrimental a substance is to something. All pesticides are toxic to the wee critters they are meant to control and may be, in varying degrees toxic to animals and humans as well. Since Insecticidal Soaps do kill some insects they are toxic to those insects. Pyrethrins are toxic to more insects a broader spectrum of them and includes many beneficial insects. Toxicity is relative and the dose that kills an insect may not do much harm to a human while others have been found to be toxic to humans in fairly small doses. Many of the substances we use today are being found in our drinking water, Nitrates, from high Nitrogen fertilizers, in our drinking water is one of many and some believe those come from "farms" while many homeowners contribute by applying to much fertilizer. Neem is toxic to some insects but is not, in normal amounts used, toxic to humans and has been used in India for centuries by humans for many things including tooth cleaning. A basic premise of organic growing is that plants growing in a good healthy soil will be less susceptible to attack and harm from insect pests and plant diseases so the soil plants are growing in is the most important part of the garden to an organic grower. Then an organic grower may take actions that limit the need for using pesticides, using plant protectors (Floating Row Covers, inter cropping, etc.), not growing plants that are very susceptible to insect pest attack. kimmq is kimmsr
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albert_135 　 39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
11 years ago
Is nicotine from tobacco on the organic forbidden list?

My grandmother grew her own chewing tobacco, expectorated in an old coffee can, diluted up this dreadful spittal and sprinkled it on something in the garden. 70 years ago I could have given you more information. Perhaps something else in the tobacco is insecticidal.
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
11 years ago
Before anything can be suggested, the pest needs to be ID'd. Have you gone out at night and checked the plants?

tj
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
11 years ago
Nicotine is considered an organic pesticide but it is still one of the most toxic substances you can use in your garden. I would never consider using it with any sort of edibles. It can also spread tobacco mosaic virus, to which most, if not all, solanceaous plants are susceptible.

As others have said, you must know what to treat in order to know how to treat. In many cases, prevention rather than treatment is the way to go - netting/harvest cloth, collaring for cutworms, baiting for slugs or snails. But you need to identify what the pest is first.

One product I really like for crawling insects/larvae/cutworms of all manner is diatomaceous earth. It is pretty harmless to benefical insects but deadly to things like aphids, whiteflies, loopers, cutworms, hornworms. And fleas, roaches and bedbugs, if you have indoor pest issues :-) Completely organic and totally safe around kids or pets (food grade only and be sure to use mask when applying - small, sharp particles can be harmful if inhaled). It is what some call a "near perfect organic pesticide" :-)
plaidbird
11 years ago
Looks suspiciously like slug damage to me, but then I'm in the PNW, home of amazing slugs and lots of them, so my view is warped.

The suggestion to go out at night and check for activity is a good one. You might also look during the day, best when the light is at an angle, for potential slug slime trails left in the area. I found a link that has a decent picture of the trails, but keep in mind, baby slugs make smaller trails. That's IF it might be slugs. Are they common here you are ?

Here is a link that might be useful: Ewww...slugs
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Gardengal, gotta disagree with you about the DE. If it's an arthropod it will be susceptible to the kind of damage the DE can do. That includes ladybug adults and larvae, lacewing larvae, spiders, any of the assassin bugs, tiger beetles, predatory lightning bug larvae, bees of all kinds and other pollinators, etc. I never recommend it for outdoor use at all because it can be so deadly to beneficials.

I use it in the dark corners of my garage and shed where black widows are prone to hang out for a game of bridge or something. I do recommend its use in container plants to help control fungus gnat larvae.

This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Fri, Apr 12, 13 at 23:44
Kimmsr
11 years ago
Nicotene was once considered an acceptable organic pesticide but is no longer and has not been for about 25 years.
Hot pepper sprays are more of a deterent then a pesticide and the Insecticidal Soaps are contact poisons that must hit the target insect. Soaps have no residual affect.
Slugs and/or snails come to mind and I have used cold caffienated coffee to deter them.

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