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Pennsylvania

Can you get away with using no pestacide as long as I use compost tea and blackstrap molasses foliar? The compost tea can help breed this microbe (whose name escapes me at the moment) that gets into insects' stomachs and kills them. The molasses will jack up the plant's brix level (dissolved sugar going through its system) thus killing insects (as insects have no liver, they can't digest sugars like we can, thus causing it to ferment into alcohol in their stomachs and kill them). It also deters them because the brix level shows up I'm pretty sure in the UV spectrum which bugs can see in, thus causing them to not eat the plant or die trying. It will also help feed the microbes mentioned earlier. Anyhow, do you guys think this will work?

5/21/2009 3:19:06 PM

no

5/21/2009 3:24:08 PM

milford, CT,

Sam...Cuke Beetles,squash bugs and Svbs must be eradicated...guaranteed end of season if either one is allowed to live....If you are looking to use less aggressive pesticides ..neem oil, Sevin, Ortho Garden...,
If you don't have a plan the Cuke Beetles bring Bacterial wilt and other diseases with them...the SVB will just destroy the vascular system of your plant and make it unable to produce enough for the fruit to reach any reasonable size...Mark

5/21/2009 3:28:29 PM

Pennsylvania

Yeah, maybe I was just thinking out loud. I forgot to mention though, we don't get SVB's around here, if that affects anything.

5/21/2009 3:39:07 PM

Long Island,New York

not a chance.

5/21/2009 4:10:11 PM

[email protected]

Kids cannot apply pesticides. Their bodies won't tolerate it.

If you are a youth grower, find an old-timer to help with this.

5/21/2009 4:22:50 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Sam,
I don't know the pest pressure you put up with there. I've never noticed any SVB damage here so far...maybe I'm fortunate. Cuke beetles can be a problem here. I've been using Garlic Barrier here the last couple of years...no chemical pesticides. I'm not saying natural repellents are as effective as chemicals, but it's something to consider if you want to avoid pesticides. I've had two diseased plants out of six, the past two years.

5/21/2009 5:42:13 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

Here in Ontario, There is a Province-wide ban on the use of pesticides. Some growers are trying to use other methods of pest control, however, many will still be applying chemicals "secretly"
I believe diatamacious earth or fullers earth as it is known is very effective against a lot of pests. It is completely natural and looks like shards of glass on a microscopic level. As the little buggers come in contact, they actually get shredded.

5/21/2009 6:18:13 PM

Pennsylvania

Yeah, but how likely is it thata squash bug or cucumber beetle is going to fly onto the ring of it that you put around your plant?

5/21/2009 9:56:24 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

We've used Neem Oil on the cucumber beetles and it works well. We've even watched how it works under a microscope to see how it affects them. They definitely die. We also squish the cucumber beetles with our hands. One night we got 120 of them. The beetles tend to group in the flowers and under the leaves. If you go at dusk every night, the numbers really start to come down. This year we have our plants in hoop houses with agibon covering the ribs. This really helps protect the plants since it is very difficult for the bugs to make their way into the structure. Hope this helps.

5/22/2009 12:14:28 AM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

Very few people have tried the no chemical approach fully in the past but due to regulations in some areas some people are forced to or choose to now. If your ok with the fact that you probably won't grow a world record then stay away from the chemicals as most growers don't follow proper safety procedures when spraying and eventually it will catch up with you and cause health issues. When done pollinating cut off all male flowers as they attract the cuc beetles and if there is nothing for them to sit down and have a rest then they might move on. Good luck either way.

Kirk

5/22/2009 5:34:10 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Sam, I can assure you that we do get SVBs in Pennsylvania

5/22/2009 2:10:10 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Kirk,
I leave the male flowers on, thinking it prevents them from eating the leaves. I pick the male flowers and squish the beetles. If there are no male flowers will the beetles leave, or focus on the leaves?

5/22/2009 2:29:47 PM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

Good question Doug14, the other main reason I take flowers off is to not have many places the plant is using energy which is not going to the pumpkin, I would prefer my big sink to fill rather my many little ones. Can't answer your question for sure but might have some feedback at years end.

Kirk

5/23/2009 6:52:50 AM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

Sam D,

You actually dust the whole plant and the soil around the plant. It does no harm except to the buggers.

5/24/2009 1:00:43 AM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

Depends where you live,I can get away with no pesticides easily here.

5/24/2009 3:44:50 AM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

Garlic powder is a good natural repellant for cucumber beetles and is the only "pesticide" I allow my son to apply. I apply all of the real pesticides and he repays me with a little more of the physical labor that my arthritic joints won't tolerate.

5/24/2009 12:09:12 PM