Organic Bug control?

[LaniB]

My bell pepper plants seem to be being eaten by bugs.

I didn't really see any bugs on them but the leaves are clearly being eaten and the undersides of some of the leaves (the ones that have been munched on) have black spots (maybe the bugs?) and small webs.

I went to the gardening store hoping to get lady bugs, but supposedly Lady Bug season is over and it's too late to get them.

They recommended some sort of pesticides to me but I don't want to use pesticides - that's part of why I'm gardening in the first place. What can I do to get the bugs to go away?

Is there a receipe for some sort of organic non-toxic solution I can apply?

Appreciate any help you can provide. :)

[MysticTree]

Are we talking about aphids? I think your best bet would be to grow nasturtiums or a plant they like the taste of better than the bell peppers.

You can "blast" the plants with a jet from the hose and that will remove a lot. I have an issue with aphids at the moment on my peppers and also on the cucumbers. It's a annoying.

I am assuming you don't want to kill the aphids? You can use dilute washing up liquid if you don't mind killing them.

[LaniB]

I don't mind killing them. I'd prefer they don't go after any of my other plants. So just any liquid soap will work?

Thanks so much!!

[MysticTree]

try to get a really cheap one that doesn't have all the extra grease-busting, anti-bac stuff in it. You should be able to buy a ready-made-up one at a garden centre that stocks organic controls. I have killed plants by using too strong a solution so the ready-made is a good idea. Check the instructions on the pack also.

[LaniB]

Thank you so much!! I'm going to run by the garden center tonight.

[canna]

Thripes and Caterpillers.
Stay away from spinosad even though its organic. Bacterial Nerve agent. Bad stuff.

I would put bird houses and flowers that attract birds throughout your gardens, We have hundreds of wild birds that take care of the cats.

I would emerse your garden in lady bugs. We use this company, she bills us and the bugs are always good. Release at nite. Look into permiculture, biointensive and biodynamic gardening and companion planting. Afids hate onions. Tomatoes dislike Fennil. ect.

http://www.a-1unique.com/

Composting teas solve all pathogen, mold and mildue probs. 5 Gallon bucket, aquarium pump and stone and poop. We use lots of oak, manzanita compost, chicken, deer, duck and bat guano. Green sand also helps. Brewing yours in summer shorter and winter longer. I do 5 days in winter and 3 in summer. Coffee grounds promotes positive fungi enviornment also great nitrogen. Food grade hydrogen peroxide reduced to 3% into good water makes a great tonic that also assists with aireating more worm bore holes.

:)

My bell pepper plants seem to be being eaten by bugs.

I didn't really see any bugs on them but the leaves are clearly being eaten and the undersides of some of the leaves (the ones that have been munched on) have black spots (maybe the bugs?) and small webs.

I went to the gardening store hoping to get lady bugs, but supposedly Lady Bug season is over and it's too late to get them.

They recommended some sort of pesticides to me but I don't want to use pesticides - that's part of why I'm gardening in the first place. What can I do to get the bugs to go away?

Is there a receipe for some sort of organic non-toxic solution I can apply?

Appreciate any help you can provide. :)

[MysticTree]

I never want to get rid of cats as the butterflies and moths are so lovely.

[streetsurfer]

Organocide (organic laboratories inc.) is a sesame oil product. I was recently having aphid problems on datil pepper plants and japanese yews. They feed, leave a sticky honeydew behind, ants feed on it, sooty mold grows on it blackening the leaves. You sometimes have to make repeated treatments to get each life cycle knocked out -adults, nymphs, eggs. I found mine Organicide at Lowe's.

If you have whole sections of leaves eaten off it could be a worm of some sort, cut worm, army worm, tomatoe worm, or other caterpillar. Check under your plants, in the saucers, in the soil surface, and hand pick any you find. Treatments can be of Diatomaceous earth for soft bodied bugs. It will scarify their skin or cuticle and they become dessicated as a result and die.

Safer brand makes a safe insecticidal soap that works well. Found mine at Home Depot.

Alcohol on a q tip or small rag can be used to wipe away some bugs like wooly adelgids, white flies, or cottony scaly, if my memory serves me right. You can also mix water, insecticidal soap and alcohol and spray. googling shoujld find you a recipe with proportions to use.

Permethrins have a very short half life and are safe to use up to harvest. (made from plants).

Cedar oil is available as a pesticide. I forget the name of the product I have that is cedar, I'm sorry. Look up Cedarcide. That may be it. It has worked well on spider mites for me.

Fungus gnats: Bacillus Thurengiensis Israelensis or Bti, is a relatively safe bacterial insecticide that gets watered into the soil where the gnats lay their eggs.This is a safer product that many mosquito abatement services treat ditches with, and what you would find placed in home fish ponds-as tablets or granules.

If you have any Brew and Grow type stores around you or Hydroponics shops, I think you will get better help there than from most nurseries/garden centers that focus on landscape and garden plants. They specialize in the growing of plants that will be consumed in one way or another (eating, smoking, brewing) and thus have a wide variety of natural safe products. If you want to shop online one place you can look up is Alternative Garden Supply, Roselle Illinois.

I've used each of these products on the plants that I grow and consume.

When bugs lay eggs on your plants they are usually on the underside of the leaves so check and treat there as well as top surfaces.

[michigan roman]

powdered red / cayene pepper in water sprayed on is used for some pests