bug control

Aloha,

I was wondering how all of you deal with the considerable insect problems that come with the tropics?

I have an awful problem with spider mites and whitefly and constantly spray with an oil concoction every three days or so - I just can't seem to keep up!

We also have large snails and tons of slugs. I have put down sluggo and beer. The sluggo works, but expensive. The slugs just thanked me for the stale beer while staggering home. I don't like to use the beer too much because I have a dog, Candy, who I swear is a raging alcoholic.

Any tips or tricks? Especially for plants that are way over my head. Systemic don't seem to last for me despite claims on the bottle that it was a once a year treatment.

I have heard that worm castings help with the bug problem, but with a garden my size I would need my own worm farm, and I would consider that except my mother is deathly afraid of worms and would never go into the garden again if she knew I was growing them in the bottom 40.

Very interested to hear how you all deal with these problems if you have them....

A Hui Hou, and Yokwe
Jenny

Jenny - I think that the pests are here as a test of our fortitude. A permenant test. An irritating, aggravating and sometimes heartwrenching test! I have a soap/oil/alcohol concoction that was recommended by the San Francisco Botanical Gardens....it works, but only temporarily and only on some things. My biggest problem is scale on my hibs....my neighbors laugh when they see me out there with my q-tips and alcohol wiping down the stems of my hibs! I lost a beautiful pink hib to a scale infestation before I figured out what was going on. I'm sure others here will give their solutions, and you have my best wishes for good luck!

Jenny,

Slugs and snails will not cross over copper. Copper wire or copper foil (stained glass people use it) cause some kind of reaction to their slime. I have used it to keep them out of pots, but, I don't think it would be practical to use it on a large scale. There is a snail that eats other snails and slugs, but, when it runs out of them as food it turns on the plants and eats them.

http://www.buglogical.com/decollateSnails_control_snailsSlugs/decollateSnails.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decollate_snail
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/gastro/snail_eating_snails.htm

Nice plant. What is it?

Pepper, it is Crinum http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/93830/index.html

Not hardy, swamp plant, but, will grow under dry conditions, just not as big. A flower>

Won't stand a chance with me. I have a hard enough time with the gardenia. lol

It is one step above weed here. Doesn't like shade.

Thanks for the info, Dale. Ran out this evening and bought a strip of copper. Hopefully it will keep the little beasties off all my baby brugs.

We are off to the bay tomorrow, hopefully to swim with the dolphin if they come in. Usually we run into the ranger so I am going to pick his brains about the predatory snails. If they are not indiginous we don't have a prayer of importing them in. Hawaii is rightfully scared to death of alien species. We have really messed up big time with things like cane toads, mongeese and miconia, to name a few.

The crinum is very pretty, looks very much like something called a peruvian daffodil which I planted for the first time this year, unhappily I was off island when they bloomed so I haven't seen them in real life.

A Hui Hou,

Jenny

Jenny.... I am told that coffee grounds work for slugs...they don't like to crawl over them....crushed egg shells too. I cut strips from aluminum pop cans and put them around the base of plants with tall stems I am trying to ward the slugs off of. The aluminum strips have sharp edges and the slugs won't go over them...cheaper than copper, too.

Unless the infestation of a bug is mowing down my plants, I ignore them. With 12 acres it is just too hard to keep my finger in all of the pies. I did have a spider mite problem on the brugs and I stripped all the leaves off, pruned and burned the waste. Then I sprayed with Avid and an ovicide. It was an expensive battle. Now I just cut the plants back and they seem strong enough to resist most everything. when the aphids get too numerous on the citrus trees, I sprinkle a heavy dose of powdered Sevin around the base of the trees: the ants go into the soil at night and carry the powder down to the nest. Pau! No Mo' Ant !!! The only things I really go after are the slugs and the mealybugs...usually treat for ants and Neem oil as a sufficant!!!

I try, first, to let the preditory insects try to handle everything...

There are bugs to go around, aren't there????

A hui hou
Carol

12 acres - My Lord! I am having a terrible time with my 1/2 acre and I am only presently gardening in half of that because we have to have the other half ripped up for the new law regarding ohanas having their own septic system.

Thanks for the info, will try your suggestions.

Tell us all what you grow on such a large piece of land, I think you are on the windward side are you not? Near Hilo? If it's anything like the road to Hana it must be beautiful....

A hui hou,
Jenny

We have orchards of fruit trees, lots of coffee trees, bananas, over 200 species of palm, timber bamboo, brugmansias, heliconias, gingers...anything I can get my hands on!!!! We have 6 acres of our house and gardens (VEEEEeeery rustic) and then another 6 acres with a road and a housepad we have planted like a park. When we need the $$$ to go to a nursing home (never I hope) we will sell. Until then...round-up/fertilizer on alternate sunny days.

We are between Keaau and Pahoa up at about 900'. Check this out:

http://tux.wr.usgs.gov/Quakes/quakes0.html

(earthquakes)

Aloha,
Carol

I too suffer with bug problems here in Bermuda ( Zone 11 with very alkaline, sandy soil; and hurricanes at ever increasing frequency.) I have tried a concoction of tobacco juice (!) baby shampoo and Listerine, believe it or not, and it frequently works. To make spray solution:
Soak 1 handful of chewing tobacco or shreds of cigarette tobacco in 2 quarts of boiling water. Let stand overnight. Strain tobacco out of liquids. Use 5 parts tobacco liquids, 3 parts Listerine and about 1 teaspoon baby shampoo for each quart of mixture that you concoct. Put into sprayer and spray until plant surfaces are soaked, preferably outdoors.
Can be used on even very delicate plants, like fine ferns. Works well for mealy bugs and scale insects, but doesn't work every time. Good luck!

Mahalo for all the tips - I am going to try them all!

Jasen, would you spray your concoction in the evening, or does it matter?

Carol, your place sounds lovely. I have some coffee trees too, but I just keep them for the lovely smelling flowers and the pretty red berries - do you acually make yours into coffee? I looked it up once and it seemed way too much trouble to try for a family that drinks tea!

I have been so busy with the mangos, cutting them up and freezing them for the winter. It's been a poor year for us for the mangos, which is acually a relief as we have 6 trees which produce at different times. Someone told me that the winter rains came at the wrong time this year and ruined the blossom.

We just picked our first litchi, the tree was not loaded, but enough for my mother who loves them. They were very small, nothing like the ones you get in a can, but much more flowery tasting.

Off to pull weeds, a never ending task....

A hui hou.

BHM - I would trade all the coffee trees for a producing mango tree!!! We get too much rain here...and ALWAYS when the tree (a supposed hybrid for this area...NOT) is blooming. Anthracnose sets in. I am told to spray the blooms with Salt Peter if any fruit is set and the anthracnose will be killed.

DH is the master mind behind this planting/gardening madness. When we moved here I was planning on a smaller house and gardening in containers on a deck.

Guess what?

OH yes...and I am a tea drinker too!!

You can use the anti-bug concoction at any time. Works on houseplants,too.

Thanks Jasen!
Carol you just have to get on Go! airlines and come and pick some mangos for yourself!

Our daughter lives in Haiku....so I may just see you!!!

Cool Carol!

Do call when you get on island, would love to meet you and pick your brains, perhaps you could pick up some brug cuttings too if there are some I have that you don't...

....and I could bring brugs over to YOU!!! I have some terrific seedlings from Eclipse....

We are so close!! Edited to say that BHM and I are so close!!!!

This message was edited Jul 2, 2007 6:24 AM

And I am so jealous!!!

Happy to share with you too, Shari!

Any restrictions with regard to mailing plant material to your neck of the woods?

Yes, Shari...how difficult is it to ship plant material to you??? (and in keeping with the name of this thread...) Shipped without bugs of course!!

Not that difficult - just takes a lot of time from the states. From HI, it may be different. Carol, did you ever get a chance to ask at your PO about the Hoya I wanted? Just wondering. And btw....I was jealous of you two being able to talk face to face....not about sharing plants!

Sorry...senior moment here. Talk to the PO about the hoya you wanted? Help!!!! Please......

I'll send you a d-mail hon....not to worry.

BHM, AlohaHoya, Islandshari, I too am jealous....only jealous of all of you who are able to live in the islands! I am new to Dave's garden. And even tho it's been 41 years since we left Oahu, it seems like yesterday! I've never been able to get back there but hope to someday!!!!!!!!!! So I've had to bring the tropics to me with my plants. Fortunately our Texas weather does allow alot of tropicals to live here.

I have plumerias, hibiscus, ferns....anything that can remind me of the islands.
I have pictures, music, muumuu's to wear. I loved being there so much!
My son even made me a hut!

I am so sorry that you have bugs!!!!!!!!!!!! Something ate my ginseng....any clues?

Other than that we don't have too many bug problems. My Mom has used alot of organic stuff on her daylilies. It does work!

Thanks for listening! I love to read about your day in the islands. Wish I were there!

Texasgal77 for 30 years now.

Well Texasgal, when you do come back for a visit you will have friends on different islands to visit with!
I don't know what might have eaten your ginseng, but I expect it's a very health bug now!
Jenny

BHM, thanks! That would be great! Same back atcha if you ever come to Texas!

My poor little ginseng. It was just a baby! But you're right....probably the bug is really healthy! Better keep an eye out for him now that he's been fortified!

Oh FYI ...to get rid of mosquitos....take a small bottle of garlic powder (2 oz) and put it in a miracle grow cannister with a cup or two of water. Shake well. Attach to the hose, and spray the yard with it. Our dollar stores have the garlic powder cheap. Mosquitos will leave, so will the lizards. (Didn't mean to offend the lizards.)

We experimented with it for daylily rust (didn't get rid of it) but a side benefit was that the mosquitos went away. Then read online later that garlic is used to get rid of mosquitos. Of course this is only useful if you like garlic!