On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 12:39:25 GMT, Victor Martinez opined:

We have an infestation of stink bugs in our tomatoes. The usual
insecticidal soap treatment is just not as effectve as I would like.
Does anybody out there have a good organic remedy they would share?

For you fall tomatoes, if you have a heavy infestation of stink bugs, you can
build a barrier cage from simple 1x2 wood, or pvc pipe and use screening or
Remay. Tomatoes are wind pollinated so insects do not have to get in the little
screened area to pollinate.

Pyrethrum is very toxic to pests, lizards, and everything else. It won't be
harmful to you if you wash the fruits, as it is not systemic, but if it have
pipernol butoxide (which is a synergist and toxic) it is not organic.

I would make a nice soup of D.E. and hot sauce or hot pepper spray and get that
out on the foliage. If you want to pump it all up, use garlic also.
Garlic pepper tea recipe:

One entire garlic bulb, three habernero peppers in a blender with some water.
Strain out the solids which can be strewn near the plants. Making sure the
solids are out, add that to a gallon container and fill with water. That is
concentrate. Use one half cup of that into another gallon of water and spray
out in the morning. Dust with D.E. while the foliage is a bit wet so it will
stick. You can always add your horticultural soap as a contact killing device
with the garlic/pepper tea. When you store the tea, make sure there is no tight
lid on it or it will burst in the fridge. It can go bad if not refrigerated.

Victoria


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