Does mulching reduce flea beetle problems?

Fert1 · May 6, 2009

I wanted to ask if mulching eggplants helps to prevent flea beetle problems? The reason I ask is I think that is what I'm seeing. Every year it's a battle to keep the flea beetles from eating little "buckshot" holes in plants, but I've been lazy about mulching ... until this year.

This year I had my act together and mulched everything really well with newspaper and straw over that. And voila, no "buckshot" holes this year. My plants look ... pristine. I'm thinking it's got to be the mulch. Anyone else had any comparable experiences?

Polar_Lace · May 7, 2009

Flea beetle

Adults are attracted to your plants.
Feed on the foliage then lay eggs in the soil.
Their eggs hatch in the soil, feed on the roots of plants.
When they're adults, they eat the foliage, lay eggs in the soil.
The Life cycle is then continually repeated.

So protecting your soil from invasion by mulching is doing an additional job.

~* Robin

sfmathews · May 7, 2009

I have not found it helpful, as far as my tomatoes were concerned. I fight them every year as well.

habitat_gardener · May 7, 2009

On a tour of organic veg gardens last year, I noticed eggplants in a large container without flea-beetle holes and asked how she did it. The gardener said she *catches* the flea beetles! After a year or two of that, she said, no more flea beetles in her garden! I was astounded.

wolfwalkerpa · May 7, 2009

I had a flea beetle problem untill i started feeding the birds.The birds do a good job keeping bugs out of my garden.

Fert1 · May 7, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by sfmathews

I have not found it helpful, as far as my tomatoes were concerned. I fight them every year as well.

Now, the flea beetles don't mess with my tomatoes all that much, but they love Eggplants. Are you sure it's flea beetles going after your tomatoes? I know there are number of differnt types of flea beetles too. Maybe some like tomatoes. The ones I have just seem to like Eggplants, (and tomatillos), but they never bother my tomatoes.

Either the mulch has helped or something else has. The eggplants are still untouched. I'm amazed! Not complaining though. What Polar-Lace said makes a lot of sense to me. I think you're onto something there.

sfmathews · May 8, 2009

Oh, yea, cause I've caught and squished a few and watched 'em jump. They also have gone after my eggplant. But the maters I've got in pots or different beds don't have them. I'm thinking maybe beneficial nematodes might be in order?

huntoften · May 8, 2009

I used some Pyola the last two years and it works very well.
I just keep a squirt bottle of it diluted with water and use it on my tomatoes to stop the few aphids I have anymore (thanks to silver reflective mulch!), and the asparagus and flea beetles.

Fert1 · May 14, 2009

I'm starting to see some flea beetle damage, but still very minor compared to what I usually see. I do think the mulch is helping.

TZ-OH6 · May 15, 2009

Last year the flea beetles did not hit until I mulched with grass clippings. The tomatoes had been sitting in the yard for weeks, and then planted for a week before I mulched.

This year I am planting radishes around all of my tomatoes and peppers as a trap crop.

bboomer · May 27, 2009

Anybody ever try rotenone? It works for me. Just askin'..........

Fert1 · June 17, 2009

Still no major flea beetle problems, but something else is eating the heck out of my eggplants now. I think it's japanese beetles since I've found a few on the plants. The damage is bigger and more severe than what you generally see with flea beetles. Guess I won't complain so much about the flea beetles anymore!

**nctomatoman** · June 17, 2009

I find mulching doesn't help all that much. Eggplant are the only thing in my yard that gets sprayed - I use a dilute solution of Sevin just a few times early on and it does the trick.

Fert1 · June 18, 2009

Yeah, I do likewise, a little Seven until the plants get large enough to not be bothered by the flea beetles. This year, the Japanese beetles are tearing them up something fierce though! With it raining every day, it's tough to keep anything on them.

WVTomatoMan · June 24, 2009

I mulch and have flea beetle issues so I don't think it helps all that much if at all. In my garden flea beetles are most attracted to eggplants. Then in order of preference next potatoes, then tomatoes, peppers, and anything else. Some years are worse than others (weather? population cycle?). This is a pretty bad year for flea beetles.

Randy

May 6, 2009	#1
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	Does mulching reduce flea beetle problems? I wanted to ask if mulching eggplants helps to prevent flea beetle problems? The reason I ask is I think that is what I'm seeing. Every year it's a battle to keep the flea beetles from eating little "buckshot" holes in plants, but I've been lazy about mulching ... until this year. This year I had my act together and mulched everything really well with newspaper and straw over that. And voila, no "buckshot" holes this year. My plants look ... pristine. I'm thinking it's got to be the mulch. Anyone else had any comparable experiences? __________________ Holly

May 7, 2009	#2
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	Flea beetle Adults are attracted to your plants. Feed on the foliage then lay eggs in the soil. Their eggs hatch in the soil, feed on the roots of plants. When they're adults, they eat the foliage, lay eggs in the soil. The Life cycle is then continually repeated. So protecting your soil from invasion by mulching is doing an additional job. ~* Robin __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.

May 8, 2009	#8
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	I used some Pyola the last two years and it works very well. I just keep a squirt bottle of it diluted with water and use it on my tomatoes to stop the few aphids I have anymore (thanks to silver reflective mulch!), and the asparagus and flea beetles. __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

May 14, 2009	#9
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	I'm starting to see some flea beetle damage, but still very minor compared to what I usually see. I do think the mulch is helping. __________________ Holly

June 17, 2009	#12
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	Still no major flea beetle problems, but something else is eating the heck out of my eggplants now. I think it's japanese beetles since I've found a few on the plants. The damage is bigger and more severe than what you generally see with flea beetles. Guess I won't complain so much about the flea beetles anymore! __________________ Holly

May 7, 2009	#3
sfmathews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 398	I have not found it helpful, as far as my tomatoes were concerned. I fight them every year as well.

May 7, 2009	#4
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	On a tour of organic veg gardens last year, I noticed eggplants in a large container without flea-beetle holes and asked how she did it. The gardener said she catches the flea beetles! After a year or two of that, she said, no more flea beetles in her garden! I was astounded.

May 7, 2009	#5
wolfwalkerpa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pa. USA Posts: 9	I had a flea beetle problem untill i started feeding the birds.The birds do a good job keeping bugs out of my garden.

May 15, 2009	#10
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 847	Last year the flea beetles did not hit until I mulched with grass clippings. The tomatoes had been sitting in the yard for weeks, and then planted for a week before I mulched. This year I am planting radishes around all of my tomatoes and peppers as a trap crop.

May 27, 2009	#11
bboomer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 67	Anybody ever try rotenone? It works for me. Just askin'..........

June 17, 2009	#13
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I find mulching doesn't help all that much. Eggplant are the only thing in my yard that gets sprayed - I use a dilute solution of Sevin just a few times early on and it does the trick. __________________ Craig

June 18, 2009	#14
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	Yeah, I do likewise, a little Seven until the plants get large enough to not be bothered by the flea beetles. This year, the Japanese beetles are tearing them up something fierce though! With it raining every day, it's tough to keep anything on them. __________________ Holly

June 24, 2009	#15
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	I mulch and have flea beetle issues so I don't think it helps all that much if at all. In my garden flea beetles are most attracted to eggplants. Then in order of preference next potatoes, then tomatoes, peppers, and anything else. Some years are worse than others (weather? population cycle?). This is a pretty bad year for flea beetles. Randy