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market-farming - Re: trap crop for harlequin bugs?

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  • From: Chris Sawyer <css AT ioa.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: trap crop for harlequin bugs?
  • Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 07:39:27 -0500


Harlequin bugs are very hard if not impossible to control organically.
DE or pyrethrin. Our entomologist recommends hand picking them this time
of year for control. We squish everyone we find asap. I am using my red
kale to distract and concentrate them. It is going to seed but so far
they are leaving my chard alone. My plan is to grow chard throughout the
summer inside. I don't mind nuking my greenhouses, but in the field
these insecticides even though organic, kill every living thing. I can
tolerate that inside but not in the field. We have soldier beetles, lady
bugs, seraphid flies, and a myriad of wasps that are controlling
everything else but the harlequin and they need to continue working for
us.

A small vacuum works wonders and is faster than catching and squishing.
Horseradish is another of their favorite foods. They will eat chard just
as fast. I say leave the kale and kill them, either spray it heavy with
DE or hand pick.

Chris
www.jakesfarm.com
Asheville NC

Allan Balliett wrote:

> >Question...should I leave the kale, etc. in to distract the bugs
> >from my beloved chard...or pull out the kale and hope the bugs just
> >don't like chard....
>
> When I pulled my kale, they went for the chard. Chard is ravaged
> faster than the kale. I'm in Virginia. -Allan
>
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