Can anything be done about this? The heatwave has definitely not helped. And yes I need to weed these better.
Potatoes lost their flowers and are riddled with holes
- Thread starter someone_random
- Start date
roadrunner
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2017
- Messages
- 1,836
- Reaction score
- 1,550
- Location
- Atlantic Beach, Fl
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
What does the rest of your yard look like? I ask that, because I'm wondering what other possible food source(s) you have for those insects. I'm also wondering if you have ID'ed the insect(s) doing the damage?
I also would not "weed" that bed, rather I'd heavily mulch it with something like leaves and/or whatever you can find.
I had a similar problem during last winter where a bunch of harlequin bugs were demolishing my broccoli plants, but only the ones that were planted in not-so-great soil, all the others they left alone, even only being in very close proximity.
I added kitchen scraps around the base and heavily mulched that plant and not long after they harlequin bugs left the broccoli and jumped on a volunteer Florida Broadleaf mustard plant that was only a foot away and the broccoli plant fully recovered -- I didn't expect such a quick turn around.
I still, as of right now, have tons of harlequin bugs in my yard, but they seem to be concentrating on my 4o'clock plants, which is fine by me, since those plants reseed themselves all over the place.
Working with nature works.
I also would not "weed" that bed, rather I'd heavily mulch it with something like leaves and/or whatever you can find.
I had a similar problem during last winter where a bunch of harlequin bugs were demolishing my broccoli plants, but only the ones that were planted in not-so-great soil, all the others they left alone, even only being in very close proximity.
I added kitchen scraps around the base and heavily mulched that plant and not long after they harlequin bugs left the broccoli and jumped on a volunteer Florida Broadleaf mustard plant that was only a foot away and the broccoli plant fully recovered -- I didn't expect such a quick turn around.
I still, as of right now, have tons of harlequin bugs in my yard, but they seem to be concentrating on my 4o'clock plants, which is fine by me, since those plants reseed themselves all over the place.
Working with nature works.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2019
- Messages
- 6,351
- Reaction score
- 6,511
- Location
- East Texas
- Hardiness Zone
- old zone 8b/new zone 9a
- Country
The simplest way arguably is to just pick off the bugs and dispose of them. From the photo it looks like this could be very easily accomplished. It will be difficult for the plant to recover the foliage this late, but little harm is done if you get them off immediately. The tubers will grow just fine.
If you want to spray, this Spinosad product should work for you just fine.
If you want to spray, this Spinosad product should work for you just fine.
They're Japanese beetles. They've been a pain in the ass in my yard before.
As a stopgap solution I've installed a Japanese beetle trap nearby. Will update y'all with the results.
roadrunner
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2017
- Messages
- 1,836
- Reaction score
- 1,550
- Location
- Atlantic Beach, Fl
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
Yeah, we get those beetles around here and I suspect many of my neighbors grass yards with large brown spots are from the larvae -- it's definitely not from lack of watering.
I see tons of beetles every year and I think the only way to fight them is by encouraging biodiversity. There are other plants they'd rather feed on, that's why I asked what other plants do you have around?
I attract a lot of birds that eat the beetles, especially the mockingbird. I allow plants (AKA weeds), such as pokeweed to grow, the flowers of which attract wasps, including parasitic wasps and the berries attract the birds, especially the mockingbird.
I've never used a beetle trap, but I have read that they seem to attract many more beetles to your yard --- much more than they kill.
I see tons of beetles every year and I think the only way to fight them is by encouraging biodiversity. There are other plants they'd rather feed on, that's why I asked what other plants do you have around?
I attract a lot of birds that eat the beetles, especially the mockingbird. I allow plants (AKA weeds), such as pokeweed to grow, the flowers of which attract wasps, including parasitic wasps and the berries attract the birds, especially the mockingbird.
I've never used a beetle trap, but I have read that they seem to attract many more beetles to your yard --- much more than they kill.