Biological Control for Cucumber Beetles & Bacterial Wilt

[Dutch]

Thanks Ray for sharing your biological control knowledge. Roots BioPak definitely has some PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria). Below is a screen capture from the Roots BioPak label. $8.99 for 4oz. of Roots BioPak isn’t a bad price to do some testing. Thank you again Ray!
Dutch

[rockyonekc]

I found Fox farms kangaroots root drench at a local garden center. It was the 3rd garden center I visited during my search. Looks pretty promising. I have been using it for plant out. 1 quart makes 98 gallons of drench for about $25.

[Wi-sunflower]

As far as Diva being cuc beetle ristant -- that must be location specific.

I planted Diva mainly due to all the raves about it here. I had a row each of a pickler, a long cuc, Diva and a beit alpha. The Cuc beetles went to the Diva more than the others combined. The Divas were so scarred up that they were un-sellable.

Carol

[Dutch]

Rocky the problem I have with Fox Farms Kangaroots and many other products like it, is that it is loaded with Trichoderma and from what I have read Trichoderma will dominate and take over many of the other species.
Dutch

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Dutch

Rocky the problem I have with Fox Farms Kangaroots and many other products like it, is that it is loaded with Trichoderma and from what I have read Trichoderma will dominate and take over many of the other species.
Dutch

This debate over Trichoderma and its effect on other organisms (mycorrhizal fungi in particular) will probably never end, at least because there is some truth to it, but the interactions between different organisms is so complex that nobody really understands it all.
Trichoderma are opportunists and are able to get food from many different sources. They can degrade cellulose, they can degrade chitin from insect exoskeletons or by parasitism of the mycelium of other fungi (good or bad). They also feed on the root exudates of plants. In turn Trichoderma can be inhibited by antifungal compound produced by different specie of bacteria. Competition for food sources and real estate is normal among all soil organisms.
There was one study I read that showed that the presence of Trichoderma near mycorrhizal fungi caused a stress reaction in the mycorrhizal fungi where they increased their uptake of phosphorous to the plant.
I think if you have good soil with plenty of organic matter and roots in the ground then there will be plenty of food sources for all and nature will find a balance.

[Dutch]

Thank you Ray for your well written reply. There is no doubt in my mind that when it comes to, mycorrhizal fungi and soil bacterium, you have done extensive research and are quite knowledgeable on the subject. Thanks for your input.
Dutch

[Lindalana]

Ray, thanks for write up on thrichoderma!
yeah, just in case I do not want to add any.
Am contacting Grenview company now- my order can not be processed as due to state limitation- as in not shipping to IL?

[RayR]

Haven't even seen one!

How did everybody else's PGPR experiment go?

[hiker_]

Got sick in fall '15 and didn't report back. Turns out I have a chronic illness (hiking days mostly behind me but oh well) but it seems under control now.

So here's my belated report:

In '15 I grew Sumter cukes (picklers, but we like them fresh as well). Started them indoors in newspaper pots because the soil takes forever to dry out here. Planted them with Bio-Tone.

I saw 2 cucumber beetles the whole season. The cukes lived till frost. We got 25 pints of pickles and relish, plus all the fresh cukes the four of us wanted, out of six plants.

[RayR]

Thanks for the belated report hiker, glad you're doing better. I know how it is when life and illness get in the way of things you like to do.

I don't know what everybody else's results have been but I still haven't seen a cuke beetle and no bacterial wilt.

[clkeiper]

I ordered bio tone just now. this will be on my cukes and zukes and melons when I plant. anything. anything! I will try for the beetles. thank you thank you thank you!

[Lindalana]

I have def seen difference between planting cukes with myco/ I used BioOrganics from Smiling Gardener/ and without in a year with significant infestation. Not that they did not get it completely but infestation was subdued and about two weeks later which gave me time to get a decent crop.

[rockyonekc]

Just wanted to report back on my results this year. This year I used ROOTS Biopack per recommendations earlier in this thread. I drenched the soil at planting, and every 3-4 weeks since. It has been a tough year gardening here in KC due to unusually high temps early, and lack of rainfall.

My cucumbers have been the most productive since I moved into this house 16 years ago. By far. Just yesterday I harvested the cucumbers in the picture below. Previously that many cucumbers would be a good total for the season. This year I got this much in 1 picking in early august. Normally I would be pulling wilted plants in late June. I have only seen 2-3 cucumber beetles. I call it success.

The cucumbers pictured are China Hybrid from Burgess. This is the 1st year growing them myself, but I have watched my Dad grow them for years with great success. Great mild flavor, and crisp texture. I don't see me growing anything else.

[Labradors2]

In the past I haven't had any really bad infestations of cucumber beetles, although I have lost the odd plant to bacterial wilt. My friend down the road has had her crops devastated by them. I thought it was due to the fact that I grew coriander and peas in close proximity to my cukes, so that perhaps the smell was "masked". I also sprinkled DE on the ground around my cuke plants.

This year I started all my cukes and melons in Pro-mix with Espoma BioTone added. I rotated my crops this year, and thought it would be a great season, but oh no! Although they started off really well, I had the worst cuke beetle season ever. They chewed up the fruits and ruined them. They devoured the flowers and killed any new cukes that were forming. The only good news is that (so far) the plants have not died from disease, and appear to be making a comeback .

Linda

[rockyonekc]

Originally Posted by rockyonekc

Just wanted to report back on my results this year. This year I used ROOTS Biopack per recommendations earlier in this thread. I drenched the soil at planting, and every 3-4 weeks since. It has been a tough year gardening here in KC due to unusually high temps early, and lack of rainfall.

My cucumbers have been the most productive since I moved into this house 16 years ago. By far. Just yesterday I harvested the cucumbers in the picture below. Previously that many cucumbers would be a good total for the season. This year I got this much in 1 picking in early august. Normally I would be pulling wilted plants in late June. I have only seen 2-3 cucumber beetles. I call it succes.

I continue to have great success growing cucumbers using the roots biopak containing pgpr. I went to reorder the biopak today and found it has been discontinued. The biopak plus is available from the same manufacturer but it doesn't seem to be labeled for use in the garden. It lists flower beds and turf grass.

Any recommendations on another source for prgr?