Lilies: Lily beetles, 0 by cathy166

cathy166 wrote:
I've still found the best way to get rid of lily beetles (and japanese beetles and aphids) is the nontoxic bitter spray. It keeps away the rabbits too. They rabbits and deer only want the tasty buds. Bitter apple spray from the pet store works well. When I give container plants of lilies, I also give a small bottle of bitter apple spray. My sister sprays it on indoor flowers because her cat otherwise eats them. Now when she gets flowers and sprays them, she can hear the cat going "ptooeey." Most pet stores will carry some form of bad tasting stuff to keep animals from chewing on an irritation.

Also, the nursery has this stuff in a big pink sprayer called "super repellant." You can also buy super repellant in the concentrate form and mix it yourself. It is a mixture of essential oils and smells of clove. Two caveats: you must shake it to keep it emulsified during the spray process; and if you buy the concentrate, you MUST dilute it appropriately and remember to shake it. If it is too concentrated, it will burn the leaves within a couple of hours. (We tend to learn the hard way.) However, it works well, and you will only need to spray for new growth. The oil is not affected by rains. I would not use anything toxic or systemic as we also grow tomatoes and additional above ground veggies like squash and cucumbers as well as herbs.

This is my first lily, a hymenocallis, and the first time ever planted (also called a peruvian daffodil). No beetles, on these at all since they are not true lilies, but members of the amaryllis family.