Bugs and Heat
Continuing the bug control thread a bit......
You growers in hot areas, what do you use for pest control that stands up
to the daily rain we apply by misting. I'm in Southern Cal and do not have
a pesticide licence so I'm pretty much restricted to products like Sevin
and Bug-B-Gone. They do a good job of killing our local pests of choice
(cuke beetles, white flies and cabbage moths), however, these products are
effectively washed off the plant the next time the misters come on and the
bugs are back a day or so later. As it is, I'm spraying Sevin at about
2/3 strength on a weekly basis, but I'm concerned about soil build up and
plant damage from spraying so often. Should I be concerned? Are there
stickers I can add to extend the effectiveness of these products? Are
there systemics I should use instead? Bugs are much more active this year
and I'm seeing a lot more early damage despite weekly spraying.
I suppose there is an upside to this problem. If I don't beat the bugs
now, there won't be any plants left to support a decent outbreak of powdery
mildew in August!
Thanks all,
Doug Parker
Sierra Madre, CA
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