OT - Budworms

[toeps]

HELP! I've got 5 window boxes full of blooming petunias and recently I've been noticing holes eaten in the flowers and a couple of days ago I pulled off 2 green catepillars. HMMMM. So I go online to investigate and I learn they are budworms and are the reason a couple of my plants are no longer blooming! GRRRRR! I also learned they are not the easiest to get rid of, in fact one gardener said just dump the whole box don't wanna! and that they are very distructive. They also are known to attack geraniums. I figured I could come to my friends here, who are the smartest on the planet, and ask you what to use to spray them with.

[cutiepiepmu]

ok - there is an easy way to deal with this - it will mean cutting your petunias back a bit - take off the ends about half way up(this will actually encourage blooming!) THEN, use a HARD water spray and spray the dickens out of them.... this will blast the initial bugs off. THEN - hit home depot or lows. Get a product in a BLUE bottle that is liquid. It is made by BAYER and is a systemic Rose and Flower food/Treatment. It is soaked up from the roots and will not only fertilize your flowers but keeps the icky bugs away!

I am an avid gardener(although, a houseplant is doomed!) and I swear to you that this is the best product EVER made. i use it on all of my roses and flowers and have not had a single afid or other bug this year - AND haven't had to spray for black spot or other fungal stuff at all. i apply every 3-4 weeks. it is systemic so it is soaked up through the roots and taken into the plant- I am not exactly what is in it that keeps all the bugs and whatnot away - i just know it works - and works WELL!

Also - sprinkle earwig bait around in the planters and at the base of the planters. These types of buggers will eat that bait and it will kill them a little faster AND - remember, where you see these little green buggers it is a sure sign that you have slugs - so, make sure to sprinkle slug bait often

Hope that helps - you can always go to King5.com and go to ASK CISCO! he always has answers!!! LOL

Sara

[cutiepiepmu]

ohhh and i know - i am not organic...... lol. I am the queen of garden chemicals as long as it is not something I am going to eat!

Sara

[wildwoman]

I would have to concur with Sara on the systemic by Bayer-go for the liquid as it will be absorbed by the plants faster. Bayer has a 3 in 1 -fungicide, insecticide and fert.
Would also hit with a topical for immediate attack.

(go to the orange box-not the blue one-we are nicer :-) )

also a quick google result;
Controlling the budworms
You can control the budworm by a bi-weekly spraying of the unopened geranium buds, nearby stems and leaves with Orthenex, a systemic insecticide. When spraying petunias cover the entire plant. The spray will protect a plant for about two weeks.

If you prefer a natural method, spray the geraniums or petunias thoroughly with Bt,(Bacillus thuringiensis), a bacteria that attacks the worm. As soon as the worm eats the flower, leaf or bud sprayed with Bt it stops eating, but it takes a few days for it to die. Be aware that Bt has little residual effect and must be used frequently and regularly to control the worms. You have to keep a sharp eye for the young worms and spray the plant immediately.

[toeps]

Sara, my dear, is there anything you don't know? ;D Thanks! To you also Tash!

I had thought it was slugs at first and then thought maybe that box wasn't getting enough sun until I found the caterpillars. So do I just enjoy what is left and mark it down for next year since the season is so close to being over or is there enough time to pinch them back and still get new blooms? I always dead head and pinch back my petunia's! My kids know if they see a spent bloom to pick it off. They look just gorgeous this year save for the one that isn't blooming right now!

mta - Thanks wildwoman, you posted before I did

[cutiepiepmu]

LOL - I would make sure to treat before winter if you plan to use the boxes again - I know that they can lay larva in the soil and then POOf if you use that box again you will have problems again.

Trust me - LOTS I don't know! lolol.

Sara

[wildwoman]

I might also suggest triazicide-or something meant to kill grubs and insects in the soil/lawn/garden- kill everything in the soil-or change out the soil entirely after season's end-they nest down about 6-8 inches through winter. Also they can go through 7 generations in one growing season.

[toeps]

Thanks girls, I appreciate it!

I LOVE this extended summer we are getting! I get to do more yard work this weekend!

I have another question. Is perennial ryegrass the best to overseed with? From what I've read it germinates fast and is really hardy. I want to get the bare spots in front of the barn planted before the mud hits. What about for in the pasture? There are a few spots that could use a boost.

[beckybee]

Sept 11, 2008 14:49:25 GMT -5 toeps said:

TI LOVE this extended summer we are getting!

extended summer?!?!? not here! I think we had a week of summer back in May then just moved into fall.

[cutiepiepmu]

Well - what you should seed with depends alot on the type of soil you have. BUT - in general - I like to do a good mix that contains some Tall fescue(endocyte free) perinal rye, white clover, a little blue grass and some timothy. I like it to have at least 10 percent clover. Clover is GREAT - nothign to fear. It adds nitrogen back to the soil and it is extremely hardy - so areas that tend to burn out in the sun or get trampled, alot of times clover will fill in nicely AND - it is good to have a variety in your pastures. Remember - when you get ready to overseed you need to use a spike drag and rough up the surface - drop the seed, then smooth back over. Keeps the seed fromblowing away and the birds from going crazy!

Sara