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market-farming - [Market-farming] Re: Market-farming Digest, Eggplant vs. Flea Beetles

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  • From: Erling Rosholdt <rosholdt AT erols.com>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Market-farming] Re: Market-farming Digest, Eggplant vs. Flea Beetles
  • Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 01:41:18 -0000

> > You might want to try beneficial nematodes. I have heard several people
> speak about their effectiveness. They can be sprayed on moist soil in the
> evening, or delivered with the irrigation water. Dr. Richard McDonald -
> http://www.drmcbug.com/ - has used them to protect salad greens from flea
> beetles in heavily infested areas. It might well be worth the effort for
> you.
>
> And, I have to add, his presentations are riveting. If anyone is looking
> for an entomologist who can capture and keep a crowd's interest for a
> conference, he is terrific. We went to 2 of his presentations in 2002 and
> were VERY impressed.
>
> Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm
> >
> What I have done for the past 6 years or so has worked well with 95% to
> 100% survival rate. You will need #9 gauge wire hoops and 30 wgt row
> cover and plastic bottles (2 litre bottles tend to fall over but the 16
> oz water bottles work great) filled with water, capped and covered with
> Tanglefoot.
>
> Transplant the seedlings and than get the hoops up than place the sticky
> traps between plants (you'll need one bottle per 15' or so) and finally
> put the covers over top. the water in the bottles warms during the day
> and at dark when the air cooled off the warm bottles attract the flea
> beetles and they go to them and stick and die. usually within 4 days you
> will see next to no FB's. Remove the covers when the eggplants start to
> flower.
>
> Lucy Goodman
> New Paris, OH

Wow that Tanglefoot trap might just do the trick. Once the beetles are
in the soil, the row covers don't help. And the reference to Dr. McBug
reminds of his talk at the VA Biological Farmers conference last year.
He said whatever you do, plant a 5X5 area every so often throughout
your outdoor areas with something like Peaceful Valley's Good Bug Blend,
and give the insect predators a foothold in your
field/garden/orchard/yard. In essence he said that you can't hope to
have a balanced system without inviting "all the relatives" in to help.
Say, I think I remember something about guinea hens eating flea
beetles. Anybody heard that?

Barbara Rosholdt
The Dome Farm




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