help with a bug problem...

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by thewad88, Jul 14, 2008.

  1. thewad88

    thewad88 Active Member

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    i recently joined this forums, every post has been very helpful to me. i'm 26 and just begining to start gardening. i recently moved my two hot peper plants outdoors into more sunlite (about 2 weeks ago) and the leaves on both plants have been eaten by bugs, almost every leaf has some sort of it missing, and some are very badly eaten. i have recently seen earwigs on the plant at night with my flashlight, and at first i saw beatles on it.

    i know that bugs need to eat, but it is depressing to see the leaves eaten.

    recently i've sprayed the plants w/ a "soap spray" but the label says that i need to spray the bugs themselves. the bugs are eating at night so i'm missing them when there in action. is there any other way to deter the bugs from eating my plants? they were so beautiful when they were in my window but the ligth wasnt enough for them, they had to go outside.

    any help guys???
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    you could use something systemic...that would affect the ability to eat the peppers though, i'd think, so that wouldn't be an option.

    i really wouldn't worry about it unless the leaves are disappearing completley. it's just how nature works...everything is part of one food chain or another.
     
  3. monkeydog

    monkeydog Active Member

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    thewad88- Hi, got a few you ideas you may or may not like. You could go with the approach of plant enough for you and the wildlife (wich I don't do) but it's depressing watching your plants get eat up.

    You could dust your plants with sevin dust, wich is very popular around my neck of the woods and it works. I use it when I have a bad bug problem. However, it's not organic...so it's not an option if you have an aversion to chemicals.

    I also use a product called "Garden Safe" wich is a combination insecticide, fungicide, and miticide. It is 70% neem oil (active ingredient) wich is organic. (made from a tree that grows in Asia). Neem oil is not effective on all insects, and it takes just a bit longer to start acting on them than sevin dust. But, I have pretty good luck with it. You might search the web for info on neem.

    Hope That helped a bit, perhaps some more people will have some good ideas or opinions on your three options...share, chemical, or organic products.
     
  4. thewad88

    thewad88 Active Member

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    thanks for the help and advice guys! i think i'm just going to have to live w/ the fact that the bugs are only trying to live...

    lately i've been going out at night and spraying the earwigs and beatles w/ a incescidal soap. hope i can cut down on the little buggers!
     

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