David Hare-Scott wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
David Hare-Scott wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote:
While checking things out in the garden yesterday , I found 2
kinds of bugs on some of my tomato leaves . The small pear-shaped
green ones are aphids , but I can't find any info on the other one
. At first glance they look like tiny pieces of white thread about
1/16" long . Under a magnifier they're tiny little bugs that
kinda-sorta have a resemblance to a praying mantis . I powdered
the entire tomato patch with DiPel , a BT based product , making
sure I covered both top and bottom of the leaves . Hopefully this
will control whatever it is . If it's a predator bug , it
shouldn't be harmed since it won't be eating the leaves ...

I think this was a waste of time as BT specifically attacks the
lining if the gut of insect larvae (grubs and caterpillars) who eat
it. This is why it is generally safe for predatory insect and
miscellaneous other living things as either it doesn't attack their
gut or they don't eat it. Aphids don't eat the leaves as they are
sap-suckers, the BT is non-systemic so it sits on the outside and
doesn't get into the sap. For aphids you can hose them off, they
cannot climb back up to the top of the plant where the soft shoots
and buds are. Or use one of the milder contact sprays like
pyrethrum.
D

Thanks , I'll check out the pyrethrum . I have to be very careful
now about what I use and when . We have a new bee hive out in the
orchard , and we don't want to poison Our Ladies of the Hive .

Pyrethrum is strictly contact, if the bees don't get sprayed they are
not harmed. Do it by moonlight when they are all in bed.

D

I've been reading up ... was just out in the garden , noticed that there
are a lot of yellow leaves on some of the tomatoes and pole beans , some
with black spots . Also have a black mold-like substance on the stems of
some of my tomatoes . Some tomato leaves are curled some and have black
edges .
Ideas anyone ? I'm still really kinda new to gardening , and the related
pests and various diseases .
--
Snag