keeping bugs away from seedlings in garden

11 years ago

I'm looking for some suggestions to keep insects away from my new seedlings when I plant then out in the garden. I've always used Sevin (trying to get away from that). Mostly I've got cole crops, lettuce, kohlrabi. Toward the end of the hardening off process I sat the flats out in the yard so they would get plenty of sun and they did fine. But I noticed the bugs have already been nibbling a bit. I've noticed some people use a hot pepper spray--I've got some habernero peppers I could use, but does hot pepper spray effect the taste of the veggies? These peppers are so hot no one can eat them. Are there some plants you wouldn't use hot pepper sprays on--like lettuce for instance. I've also saw where some folks use cornmeal or soap solutions? Would love to know how cornameal works--do you just sprinkle it around the plant or what--how much? also, on soaps--can you use any soap/dish detergent or do you have to be selective? Or murphy's oil? So anynow, what's your favorite bug solution? This is just for a general spraying--no specific bugs yet.

thanks for any advice up front--I love learning from you folks. i hope everyone has a wonderful Saturday--as for me I'm heading out to work in the garden today--can't wait:-)

Comments (5)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
11 years ago
Most of your pests fly in, and can be kept out with row covers, either floating or supported. Al
nil13
11 years ago
I'll second row covers. I also like imidacloprid and beta-cyflurin depending on what I need to do, but I'm guessing that's not the answer you want to hear.
love2garden-nc
Original Author
11 years ago
I appreciate the info--I've looked at row covers in some of the gardening catalogs, but never used them. I noticed there are different weights. what's the best to use? supplier? any tricks to putting them on? Would something like this work http://parkseed.com/parks-plant-protector-6-feet-wide-30-feet-long/p/09240/?
bugbite
11 years ago
I realize my answer only applies to crawling insects; in the spring my seedlings can get wiped out by crawling insects. This last spring I placed each flat on a brick that had duct tape dangling all the way around the 4 edges. The bugs got trapped in the sticky tape and never made it to the seedlings. Of course the sticky part is facing towards the ground.
If available stack two bricks under the flat to raise the tape high off the ground. I just planted 4 flats and will do the brick/tape trick tomorrow.
For a lot of flats there are a lot of ways to raise the flats as a group (I use plastic grids/grills) then only put the bricks with tape under the entire system at 4 or 6 points.
That doesn't address your flying insect issue. I started spraying this year for the first time for the ones that fly. I mainly do flowers.
Bob
japus
11 years ago
why don't you look into kaolin spray ?
It's primarily an organic physical barrier insects do not like
I used it last year, looks like plants full of snow, however not harmful at all...