I got a late start this year and my bush beans are just coming up, as well as carrots, peppers, bunch onions lettuce etc... the only real sufferers are my bush beans. Some bug has decided to eat the young leaves on some right down to the nub. I'm not thinking it's snails or slugs as around here they leave a pretty obvious trail. I was thinking it might be a soil worm or somesuch and bought some BT. Do you think that will work or do I have to grab the flashlight this evening?
my beans are an insect buffet
Slugs? I have the same problem with squash and some of the beans. I'm guessing mine are cutworms -- and they're getting some of the baby squash sprouts and cukes -- but I'm not sure if cutworms are prolific in the NW? You may want to do a combo, slug bait, DE & BT until they're big enough to fend for themselves. You can dig in the soil around the plant to look for cutworms -- they're usually right below the surface not to far from the plant. They look like a fat, hairless catepillar and are brown or stripey.
thanks so much. I have about 4 that seem to be big enough to fight off the hordes, it's just so hard figuring out who's doing the damage. I have BT but have been hesitant to use it if it's beetles doing it. What is DE?
DE = Diatomaceous Earth http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomite - seems to help with hard shelled insects like ants & beetles;
BT should kill cutworms.
Neem http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_oil ,
Pyrethrin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethrin and
Rotenone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotenone
are broad spectrum that will also kill bees . . .
that's fantastic. I think I'll get some DE. The broad spectrums I'll stay away from, we have bees hanging around and they seem to be minding their own business.
With a little help from the DE and the other stuff I can get excited again about the garden.
Since DE is non toxic I guess that is what to use. Is it all the same? I thought I heard somewhere there were different grades. Deanna
Don't know. I guess the garden shop that sells it would know. I have to find one around here that carries it at all. Maybe Home Depot.