Bugs- Flea Beetle

Durgan · March 1, 2013

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SKUYI 15 May 2012 Radish replanting.
The diatomaceous earth/boric acid dust did not prevent flea beetle damage.The dusting was done very carefully almost daily. I saw few beetles, nothing to justify the amount of damage. My impression is that the dust kills the beetles after they feed. My solution is to plant anther row of radishes alongside the previous row and try to determine if the damage is lessoned. My Pak Choy plants were also seriously damaged. My solution to this problems was to buy seedlings and keep in the greenhouse until too large to attract flea beetles. Time will tell if these efforts are effective. The other choice is to use one of the many pesticides, which I want to avoid.The dusting tool works flawlessly. http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FCWDO 6 January 2012 Garden Dust Sprayer.

Tracydr · March 1, 2013

Try some nastaturiums or eggplants as s trap.

b54red · March 2, 2013

I put down a rather heavy dense mulch right after planting most things that flea beetles damage; but you might not want to do that way up there where the mulch will keep the soil cooler. Down here I need that cooling most of the time. I have had success with controlling flea beetles with a couple of very mild pesticides pyrethrum and permethrin. I add a bit of soap to the solution and make sure to hit the undersides of the lower leaves and the surrounding soil.

Durgan · March 2, 2013

In the good old days I use to control insects with a shot of DDT, but now we are civilized and effective non chemical control is a constant battle. Avoiding any type of chemical is desirable, but one must use restraint when plants are being destroyed by bugs. Flea beetles cause me much trouble certainly on radishes and pak choy. My beautiful seedling literally destroyed in one or two days.

Durgan · March 2, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Try some nastaturiums or eggplants as s trap.

I grow both and never see flea beetles on either, In fact my nasturtiums are absolutely insect free. The egg plants (4) get devastated by the Colorado potato beetle unless I control by picking. I eat the flowers of the nasturtiums and like to look at the vegetation. They grow well for me

noinwi · March 2, 2013

I'll second using a trap crop. I've used nasturtiums and when they were covered in FBs quickly covered the plants with small trash bags and pulled the entire plants up along with the FBs, tied the bags then tossed them in the garbage.

March 1, 2013	#1
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	Bugs- Flea Beetle http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SKUYI 15 May 2012 Radish replanting. The diatomaceous earth/boric acid dust did not prevent flea beetle damage.The dusting was done very carefully almost daily. I saw few beetles, nothing to justify the amount of damage. My impression is that the dust kills the beetles after they feed. My solution is to plant anther row of radishes alongside the previous row and try to determine if the damage is lessoned. My Pak Choy plants were also seriously damaged. My solution to this problems was to buy seedlings and keep in the greenhouse until too large to attract flea beetles. Time will tell if these efforts are effective. The other choice is to use one of the many pesticides, which I want to avoid.The dusting tool works flawlessly. http://www.durgan.org/URL/?FCWDO 6 January 2012 Garden Dust Sprayer.

March 1, 2013	#2
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Try some nastaturiums or eggplants as s trap.

March 2, 2013	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I put down a rather heavy dense mulch right after planting most things that flea beetles damage; but you might not want to do that way up there where the mulch will keep the soil cooler. Down here I need that cooling most of the time. I have had success with controlling flea beetles with a couple of very mild pesticides pyrethrum and permethrin. I add a bit of soap to the solution and make sure to hit the undersides of the lower leaves and the surrounding soil.

March 2, 2013	#6
noinwi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: PNW Posts: 486	I'll second using a trap crop. I've used nasturtiums and when they were covered in FBs quickly covered the plants with small trash bags and pulled the entire plants up along with the FBs, tied the bags then tossed them in the garbage.