Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

gwl-g - [gwl-g] Thrips control methods

gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: gardenwriters-on-gardening

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Melanie <melaniev@optonline.net>
  • To: gardenwriters-on-gardening <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [gwl-g] Thrips control methods
  • Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 10:08:28 -0400

Melanie Vassallo, Long Island NY zone 6b
 
The long dry spells we had over the spring has caused the thrips population to skyrocket here. Thrips have always been a problem for daylily growers but one that up until now I've been able to ignore.
 
In a normal year they mar a few blooms, the earliest to open and maybe add a few brown spots on the foliage and scapes. This year the damage is so severe that many scapes have completely aborted and buds turn brown and drop off before even maturing.
 
Normally I'd just wait things out and let mother nature run her course but next year my garden is one of the tour gardens for the American Hemerocallis Society's national convention. With 600 daylilies in total, over 200 of the newest ($100 value and up a piece), I can't have this kind of damage in the garden. Many of the daylilies here were sent by the hybridizer as guests for the visitors to see.
 
If you know of any organic methods to rid my garden of these pests please let me know. I don't have a monoculture, there is also an amazing collection of perennials here. I've always grown plants that would invite the minute pirate bug (orius insidiosus?) into the garden but need more help than that. The worst infestation is in my herb garden and there's no way I can spray something as lethal as malathion there.
 
Thanks in advance for suggestions,
Melanie Vassallo



Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page