# A "green" garden spray that actually works?



## horseman09

I hate to sound so cynical, but I've tried dozens of "green" concoctions to keep stripped beatles off my sweet corn, aphids off my maters, worms off my brocolli..........it's all crap so far. The bugs just give me the finger and keep on eating. Anyone have any recipees that actually WORK?


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## maggie

Diatomaceous earth: works


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## horseman09

Maggie, thanks for the reply. DE was a topic on another thread here, but I thought that was for soil infestations. Can I use it to kill those damnable little stripped beatles that eat all the silk right off the top of the cob? How is it applied? Can I just dust it on? Same with the broccoli and other plants? How often would I need to apply it? How expensive is it? Sorry, I don't mean to overwhelm you with questions, but I'd rather get the info from someone like you who actually uses it rather than from some greenie site that's all wishful thinking and no results.


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## bunkerbob

horseman09 said:


> I hate to sound so cynical, but I've tried dozens of "green" concoctions to keep stripped beatles off my sweet corn, aphids off my maters, worms off my brocolli..........it's all crap so far. The bugs just give me the finger and keep on eating. Anyone have any recipees that actually WORK?


I grow Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium, Pyrethrum daisy, nice flower, cut them and leaves finely, immerse in water over night, use mixture as a contact spray for most insect pests. Works great!!
One drop of mineral oil on corn silk will deter bettles and worms.


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## UncleJoe

maggie said:


> Diatomaceous earth: works


I'll second that. :2thumb:


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## horseman09

bunkerbob said:


> I grow Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium, Pyrethrum daisy, nice flower, cut them and leaves finely, immerse in water over night, use mixture as a contact spray for most insect pests. Works great!!
> One drop of mineral oil on corn silk will deter bettles and worms.


Thanks, bunkerbob, I'll try to find some Cc daisy seeds and stick them in our greenhouse. The mineral oil would be a bit time consuming on 3/4 acre of sweet corn, but I'd rather do that than spray pesticide. Pesticide would be the last resort.

I had so many of those darned striped beatles in years past that if you'd bump the corn stalk, they would fly out in a swarm. Ate the silk off right down to the ear. Little ba$tards.


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## horseman09

bunkerbob said:


> I grow Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium, Pyrethrum daisy, nice flower, cut them and leaves finely, immerse in water over night, use mixture as a contact spray for most insect pests. Works great!!
> One drop of mineral oil on corn silk will deter bettles and worms.


Thanks, bunkerbob, I'll try to find some Cc daisy seeds and stick them in our greenhouse. The mineral oil would be a bit time consuming on 3/4 acre of sweet corn, but I'd rather do that than spray pesticide. Pesticide would be the last resort.

I had so many of those darned striped beatles in years past that if you'd bump the corn stalk, they would fly out in a swarm. Ate the silk off right down to the ear. Little ba$tards.

Does anyone know if DE sprnkled on the silk would get rid on those little critters?


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## Woody

I’ve been using Pyola, from Garden’s Alive, for a few years now and love it. It is a concentrated pyrethrin and canola oil that you dilute in the sprayer. Sure it doesn’t drop ‘em dead on the spot but does work.


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## *Andi

horseman09 said:


> I hate to sound so cynical, but I've tried dozens of "green" concoctions to keep stripped beatles off my sweet corn, aphids off my maters, worms off my brocolli..........it's all crap so far. The bugs just give me the finger and keep on eating. Anyone have any recipees that actually WORK?


What is Companion Planting?...


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## Woody

Companion planting is pairing plants that will mutually benefit each other. Some plants repel the pests of others so should be planted together. Some plants help the soil and that benefits another plant, these should be planted together.


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## bunkerbob

Some gardeners plant a row of marigold flowers around their garden to repel pest insects. Plants that Repel Insects - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com


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## sewserious

Insectisidal soap works well. You can make your own with Colgate Octagon bar soap.


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## *Andi

*Andi said:


> What is Companion Planting?...


:booboo: I forgot the link ...Thanks Woody

http://www.preparedsociety.com/forum/f14/companion-planting-2381/


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## UncleJoe

bunkerbob said:


> Some gardeners plant a row of marigold flowers around their garden to repel pest insects.


I'm one of them.  I also put a few here and there around the plants. :2thumb:


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## dawnwinds58

*bugs *shivers**

Guess I'm just weird, but I let the ducks loose on them. Geese are grazers and will eat the veggies, chickens peck the fire out of the short stuff, but ducks are real bug hunters. Add the advantage of eating them later in the year. Why waste a high protein bug when you can send em' down the food chain into your freezer later? Once corn is high though I do let the geese in ,with supervision, to weed the corn.


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## horseman09

dawnwinds58 said:


> Guess I'm just weird, but I let the ducks loose on them. Geese are grazers and will eat the veggies, chickens peck the fire out of the short stuff, but ducks are real bug hunters. Add the advantage of eating them later in the year. Why waste a high protein bug when you can send em' down the food chain into your freezer later? Once corn is high though I do let the geese in ,with supervision, to weed the corn.


dawnwinds, what do you mean, "With supervision?"


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