Something is eating my leaves

[AXJ]

Hello again. I searched every where for a pyrethrum based insecticide, local chemist just for the raw chemical etc. Sadly could not find one, well not one that was still on the shelves.

I went to my local nursury supplier (people round here either have a window box, or they have a house in the mountains with a small holding attached, there seems to be no half measures, often the more wealthy or established families have both).

Anyway, having stood in the queue of old ladies, I explained my problem, much nodding, apparently it is a terrible year for bitchos (bugs). Some put it down to the warm winter not kiloing enough of them off, which seems reasonable to me.

Pyrethrum based product was now at least a possibility, but no, all gone! So in an effort to preserve my herbs and toms I plumped for a product locally called Provado Jardin mad eby Bayer. The active ingredient is Imidacloprid, which apparently is a chlorate of nicotine.

Here's a link to wikipedia for any one interested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imidacloprid.

The maggot acctivity does seem to have diminished, and I am happy to note that this chemical has a very low toxitiy to most mamals. Also for the uber greens amongst us, I am with you all the way, I just have an appartment investing in bio-friendly wasps or other natural enemies is simply not an option, I don't get visited by bees ever that I have noticed, and the water table is definately not being affected by my contamination.

Imidacloprid breaks down pretty fast, I will keep you posted if it is actually as effective as I would like. The herbs look a bit taken a back by the experience, following previous good advice I let the pots dry out so that when I hit them with the pesticide it would get taken up by the plants quickly and would reach all parts of the soil, which is where the problem lies with these Fungus Gnats.


My outdoor plants don't seem to be affected, although high winds and rain have beaten my happy tomato vines to the ground, this weekend means working out a way to support them all....

[AXJ]

One dose did the job, All the herbs are potted and in a quarentine room, inside window ledge, I have not had any further problems with pests, and as advised by MKG I have reduced their water rations. I repotted some of them and can find no evedence of the bugs living in the soil. The pesticide has a 20 day breakdown period, so hopefully it will all be gone by the time the herbs go in the food, and nothing will get into the environment.

Thanks for your help.

[AXJ]

The on going saga of the crammed window boxes.

I have little flies or almosh tiny moths on my toms now. I assume these are the dreaded white fly.

I have a few baby toms and plenty of flowers on the go, should I be concerned? Is there an organic solution, other than biological warfare with nemotodes of similar?

I thank you in advance.

[AXJ]

LoL... just as I was about to post the solutions as found here as well as else where on the web, power blackout, spot on midnight. Glad I have a UPS to keep the puta going, by the ADSL is not connected to the UPS so couldn't finish my post. Transpired that the outage was schedualed, but I thought the notice on the entrance doors refered to the gas (doh!!) Just as well I was not on a deadline (phew!!)

Anyway, back to whitefly varmits:

Here is the thread I should have found before I posted my request for help:

http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/ ... 3&p=104534

and here is some advice I found on another website.

Organic
Hang up yellow sticky traps to catch flying adults. Grow strong-smelling plants, such as French marigolds, alongside your tomatoes as a deterent. Every two to three days spray the underside of leaves with a soap-based spray containing fatty acids to kill emerging adults. When the temperature remains above 10 celsius in the greenhouse you can use a biological control, such as the parasitic wasp, Encarsia formosa, which attacks the juvenile forms of whitefly.

Chemical
Repeated sprays with products containing bifenthrin, though some strains of whitefly can become resistant. Also try those containing imidacloprid and thiacloprid, which are absorbed by the plants (causing no damage) to be taken up by the sap-sucking whiteflies.