What attract insects (rose slugs, aphids, mites) to plants?
In 2 decades growing roses in previous acidic clay, and in my present alkaline heavy clay ... the only time I got RRD (rose rosette disease) was when I used too much acidic high-nitrogen fertilizer NPK 10-5-4 on Easy Elegance Grandma's Blessing rose.
That rose was pale in my pH 7.7 clay, so I put acidic, high-nitrogen fertilizer to green that up. That caused fast growth spurt, plus the acidic sulfate caused thinner leaves, which become more susceptible to mite-invasion. For the next 3 years, none of my 50+ roses have RRD.
The below link explains why organic fertilizer is better than chemical. Here are some excerpts from below link:
"synthetic iron chelates cause a manganese deficiency and lower zinc and copper levels; EDTA grabs calcium ions and thus upsets the calcium-potassium balance. September 1981, Acres U.S.A., p. 32-33"
"Blood meal contains about 15% Nitrogen, Bonemeal contains about 21% Phosphorus, and wood ashes contain about 7% Potassium. Mix one part blood meal, one part bonemeal and 2 parts wood ashes and you get an organic fertilizer supplying nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the ratio 5-6-4."
"The University of California at Berkeley has found that broccoli and other vegetables fertilized with organic fertilizers attracted less pests (aphids and flea beetles) than those with chemical fertilizers."
"Grass clippings contain 4% nitrogen, 0.5% phosphorous, 2% potassium and many essential minor elements (Texas A & M University)."
"USDA studies indicate that raw manure lost 50-75% of its nitrogen in storage and application."
"Plants grown with ammonia- based synthetic fertilizers actually attract pest insects (Earth Kind Gardening, 1993). Many studies since then have confirmed that insects and diseases are attracted to plants that have had artificial fertilizers applied."
"If a soil contains 4% organic matter...then up to 55Kg (120lbs) of ammonium could be released each year per acre (USDA)."
**** From Straw: Agree with the last statement, my most lush & healthy & full foliage roses have either alfalfa or rotted leaves in the planting hole to supply slow-released nitrogen for years. See picture below of Annie L. McDowell in its 3rd year August, was planted with lots of alfalfa meal and fall-leaves in the planting hole.
Here is a link that might be useful: Why organics over chemicals for plants?
Comments (22)
jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Attracting beneficial insects
Comments (17)I've grown large numbers of peppers, both sweet and hot for years both indoors, in a greenhouse, and outside. Hot peppers are a passion, so I am continually starting new seedlings, and removing older plants. I've never used pesticides in any of my plantings, but have been tempted to on occasion. Generally once or twice a year I get a very heavy bloom of aphids on the peppers and several other plants I grow (especially the roses). For about a week the plants look terrible, covered with the aphids, some leaves falling, and honeydew dripping on the soil. Then the beneficial insects I introduced just one time come up to speed, and control the aphids. It is really amazing to see how quickly they cut the number of aphids, and what a thorough job they do. I have introduced parasitic wasps, green lacewings, and ladybugs. While all seem to maintain some presence in the plantings, it is the parasitic wasps that seem to do almost all the work. I plant a few plants to feed the beneficial insects some pollen, and provide shelter. My best plantings for this purpose are fennel, dill, alyssum, and cilantro. Since I can eat most of these plantings as well, they are not too much of a problem to maintain. Since it is the flowers that provide the most benefit, I allow all to flower freely; they all readily reseed in pots. I introduced the beneficial insects mostly about 16 years ago. Some other beneficial insects have joined the group over the years, particularly syrphid flies, some true bugs, and some predatory beetles. Together, these critters control all my bug issues. I have rarely lost a plant, and I grow quite a few hundred a year. It takes very few extra plants to keep the beneficials happy and fed. By the way, I find that the beneficials mostly stay where there is food, with the exception of ladybugs which will wander, even in the house. Renais...See MorePlants to attract beneficial insects
Comments (21)Remember also, the young of most beneficials eat plants so, you cannot panic when beneficial wasp larva (rose slugs) appear. You'll have to wear blinders to avoid the damaged leaves caused by them. I respectfully, but firmly disagree with this particular information. The young of most beneficials also eat insects, and often it is only the eating that the young do that is beneficial at all. The adults of many beneficials, especially the little ones, either don't eat anything or eat nectar and pollen. That's why planting a variety of flowers, especially including small flowers such as sweet alyssum, dill, fennel, and yarrow, is useful. It attracts into your garden those little, tiny, just 2 millimeter long wasps you don't even see that are also looking to lay eggs on the aphids and rose slugs eating your flowers. The wasps that are beneficials . They're so tiny you don't generally even realize they're around. They can't even sting because they don't have stingers. . Sawfiles are in the same insect order as wasps (& so adult sawflies do bear a resemblance to wasps), but so also are bees and ants (which also bear a resemblance to wasps). Adult sawflies aren't predatory (& so aren't beneficial), and as immatures (such as rose slugs) they're plant eating pests....See MoreSpider Mites, Aphids, Rose Slugs, Ants.
Comments (10)The following statement was made: "Most of the neem oil products are probably no more effective than salad oil." --------------------------------------- I agree, but how can one tell which Neem products are not part of this "most"? Answer: Look at the active ingredient. The active insecticidal component of neem oil is a chemical called azadirachtin. If the label states azadirachtin (in at least a 1.5 % concentration), the product should be effective against common rose insects when applied as directed on the label. However, if the label only states: "clarified hydrophobic extract"; then the product will probably only work by smothering and you might as well be spraying salad oil. Here is an example of a scientific study concerning the two-spotted spider mite : Title: Uptake, translocation, persistence and fate of azadirachtin in aspen plants (Populus tremuloides Michx.) and its effect on pestiferous two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) Authors: K. M. S. Sundaram, R. Campbell, L. Sloane and J. Studens Authors affiliation: Forest Pest Management Institute, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 1219 Queen Street East, Box 490, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada P6A 5M7 Published in: Crop Protection, Volume 14, Issue 5, August 1995, Pages 415-421 Abstract: "A commercial neem formulation containing azadirachtin-A (AZ-A) was applied to the soil around the root system of potted aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) plants. The uptake, translocation, persistence and dissipation of the chemical in the plants were studied. The effect of foliar residues of AZ-A on two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) populations was also evaluated. The compound was taken up by the root system within 3 h and translocated in the stem and foliage within 3 days, confirming that AZ-A is systemic. The peak concentrations (/g, fresh weight) of AZ-A occurred at 10 days post-treatment, and were distributed in roots, stem and foliage in the ratio of 8.1:1.0:2.3, respectively. The rate of dissipation of AZ-A from the matrices was moderately rapid, and the residual concentrations on the last day of sampling (50 days post-treatment) in roots, stem and foliage were in the ratio 2.7:1.0:1.2, respectively. Control of mites by AZ-A residues in foliage was statistically significant, and the bioactivity declined within 30 days. The final residue of AZ-A in the soil after 50 days was about 25% of the initial value, with a half-life of dissipation of about 26 days." ----------------------------------------------- The following link leads to a 2005 Ph.D. Thesis: http://deposit.ddb.de/cgi-bin/dokserv?idn=979446007&dok_var=d1&dok_ext=pdf&filename=979446007.pdf Here is a link that might be useful: link for Sundaram et.al. abstract...See MoreAn organic spray for Aphids and other insects on roses
Comments (17)Hi cuped..., That is the coolest mix I have heard of in my 50 something years. neem oil is great. It is a vegetable oil and used as a medicinal by itself. By itself it is just a repellent. It can be placed into pesticides and that changes the effects. It is highly useful by itself in a mix of 32 oz. of water with two small cupfulls of the neem and a teaspoon of Ivory liquid. I have had nothing but good luck with this and the organic gardener/garden nursery here in the area swears by it as i do also. I have checked many websites and it is said to be non-toxic to animals, people, bees etc. My bees thrive and so do my lady bugs. Thanks for the tip, Happy growing, Rosa...See Morejim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoHere's an excerpt from below link, which lists the type of plants and what insects they repel:
"African marigold - nematodes Anise - Aphids, fleas, cabbage worms Borage - Japanese beetles, tomato horn worms Caper spurge - moles Catnip - ants, aphids, colorado beetles, darkling beetles, japanese beetles, squash bugs, weevils Celery - cabbage butterflies Chives - japanese beetles Clover - cabbage root flies Dill - aphids, spider mites Fennel - aphids French Marigold - mexican bean beetles, nematodes Garlic - good as an all round insect repellant Hyssop - flea beetles, cabbage butterflies Leek - carrot root flies Marigold - nematodes and good next to cabbage as it deters many cabbage pests Mustard - aphids Nasturtium - aphids, cabbage worms, colorado beetles, squash bugs, whiteflies Onion - carrot root flies Radish - cucumber beetles, root flies, vine borers Rosemary - bean beetles, cabbage moths, carrot root flies Rye - nematodes Tansy - ants, aphids, cabbage worms, colorado beetles, squash bugs, japanese beetles Wormwood - Mice, slugs, snails, a good general insect repellant and also rodents.
Below is a picture of Mexican marigold (they come in yellow poms-poms also):
Here is a link that might be useful: Plants that repel pests
This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 22:42
jim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoThat's a great idea, Jim ... Marigolds are known as spider-mites magnets, but we don't have spider-mites in our wet & rainy weather. The only time I had spider-mite was FROM a band shipped from a nursery in DRY UTAH, I chopped it off, and no more spider-mites.
eHow has excellent info, see below link: "Some French and African marigolds are cultivated in rows between crops or densely planted as cover crops because their roots contain a substance toxic to certain nematodes, root-damaging roundworms especially problematic in sandy soils. Marigolds may also repel cabbage moths and French marigolds are able to protect adjacent tomato plants from whiteflies. Mexican marigolds (Tagetes minuta) are so potent that they may repel rabbits and the Mexican bean beetle as well as persistent weeds like bind weed."
*** From Straw: I like the French Marigolds the most, see pic. below. It's good to know that they protect plants from whiteflies & bean beetles, nematodes (round worms).
My neighbor near the lake, has zero Japanese Beetles for the past decade ... she has 50+ roses. She plants a field of catnip, plus chives (the type with pretty purple flowers) that separate her garden from the lake. Both catnip and chives repel Japanese Beetles. I counted only 5 Japanese Beetle on my roses this year, they are far away from my Chinese Chives.
My 5+ pots topped with chopped up chives are healthy, no black spots, no aphids ... but I still see sawflies, so I sprinkled curry-powder .... I SHOULD HAD used Brewer's Yeast, but I want to get rid of that cheap curry-powder. Brewer's yeast is very effective in repelling fleas from dogs. I use chopped up chives as a source of nitrogen, plus aphids hate that stuff.
Here is a link that might be useful: eHow on plants that attract beneficial insects
This post was edited by Strawberryhill on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 22:39
strawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agojim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agojim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agojim1961 / Central Pennsylvania / Zone 6
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agostrawchicago z5
8 years agostrawchicago z5
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoI tried a new ORGANIC soluble fertilizer, made from soy bean, kelp, and sulfate of potash. Very impressed, really dark-green leaves. It contains billions of 'Archaea', the beneficial microorganisms that aggressively break down organic materials for faster result. I use that along with alfalfa pellets to break down the pellets faster. No rose-slugs infestation like previous years, despite weeks of rain. It's JOBE's organic SOLUBLE fertilizer, only once dose per 2 weeks.
I used that 2 weeks ago, and leaves are still very dark-green, I don't think it's the kelp .. that's too small of a dose, plus many days of all day rain. I think it's the Archae bacteria that's working on the alfalfa pellets. No aphids, no rose-slugs. The organic slow release nitrogen of soy bean and alfalfa help NOT to attract insects like fast-release chemical nitrogen which I tested previous years. The yellowish stuff is Standlee alfalfa pellets, zero salt, zero molasses. I had to order that from a Feed store a week in advance.
Any pellets bought from pet-store would contain molasses, plus salt, which attract flies. Sawfly which produce rose-slugs (sawfly larvae) is a type of fly, and flies like sugar and yeast. Below is the base of Dee-lish rose in a pot, 100% healthy despite weeks of rain. No aphids, no rose slugs in partial shade.
http://easygardener.com/index.cfm/category/295/water-soluble-all-purpose.cfm
Below is Betty White in the ground in April, after a harsh winter -30 below zero, mulched with alfalfa hay over the winter. It's 3 times bigger now, lots of basal break.
ValRose PNW Wa 8a
7 years agostrawchicago z5
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoKhalid wrote in another thread: "Then I stopped spraying even any organic matter. I gave more calcium to my roses which made the soft branches and leaves harder thus making it relatively unattractive for the pests. This reduced the affected bushes / leaves to a good extent."
Agree with Khalid, folks in rainy climate lime their soil, either in late fall or early spring, depending on how many inches of rain they get. Rain is acidic at pH 5.6, as the pH drops, less calcium and potassium are available.
The best lime to use is Espoma Garden Lime (sold at Walmart for $10 per 5 lb.). It has 20% calcium and 10% magnesium ... both are essential in keeping leaves thick so pests cannot invade.
From the above chart, around pH 5.6 (rain water), less molybdenum, less magnesium, less calcium are available. Next nutrients that are less: phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen.
I already posted in Organic Rose my experiment that I did with 2 identical Thai basil: I lowered the pH of one with acidic cracked corn (pH 4), plus gypsum (17% sulfur) .. that Thai basil' leaves became pale, plus THINNER due to less calcium and magnesium available. Then I saw blackspots on a Thai basil for the 1st time !!
The other basil I planted in my alkaline clay (pH near 8), and it's twice taller plus really thick & glossy leaves (more available nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium). But leaves were just a bit pale due to less iron at high pH, so I gave it blood meal, has chelated iron, and leaves became dark green.
I once planted a bok-choy vegetable next to my patio with a limestone base, so the soil is very alkaline, pH 8. The leaves were dark-green, but its so tough that I boiled it for one hour, and it's STILL so fibrous that my teeth can't handle, let alone some tiny pests like aphids, rose slugs, or midge.
Rose slugs (sawfly larvae) are very rare in my alkaline clay, unless I lower the pH with my experiments:
- Put acidic cracked corn (pH 4) in potting soil, and roses got rose-slugs from THINNER LEAVES in acidic rain (calcium, magnesium, and potassium drops when pH drops).
- Mirandy rose got a big-fat rose-slug on it for the 1st time. Why? It's next to a tree, and the tree robs the soil of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Plus tree roots secret acid, so the soil became even more acidic with rain (pH of rain is 5.6).
- Used molasses, plus vinegar, plus sulfate of potash (21% sulfur), plus gypsum (17% sulfur) ... such acidic solution made leaves thinner, plus the stinky molasses really attract sawfly which give birth to rose-slugs.
CONCLUSION: The best solution for pests is to raise soil pH by using dolomitic lime such as Espoma Garden lime (20% calcium and 10% magnesium).
My soil is dolomitic clay, so I don't have midge, rose-slugs (sawfly larvae), nor aphids, unless I use acidic fertilizer. When there's tons of acidic rain, I throw pea-gravel on top of roses that like it alkaline, pea-gravel has many alkaline minerals to make leaves thick, glossy, and to prevent pests.
strawchicago z5
7 years ago
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