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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Aphid's in strawberries

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  • From: "Nan Johnson" <nan AT olemiss.edu>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Aphid's in strawberries
  • Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2006 09:59:23 -0500

Phil.......We have some serious aphid infestation in our greenhouse (all medicinal plant species, no vegetables). We just ordered ladybugs ( Hippodamia convergens) from The Green Spot - and they need to be released every 3-4 days for six times (total of 18-24 days time span).  Otherwise, we are told that they will be ineffective.  This involves a total of about 18,000 ladybugs, so if The Green Spot is correct, I don't know if you could get that many just going outside one's house.
 
Under DRAWBACKS, The Green Spot catalog cautions: "First and foremost, they are flighty.  If not released properly, ladybugs can disperse completely within 24 hours.  Even when they are released properly, 90-95% will bolt anyway; it is expected, it is their nature.  We know of this phenomenon and our release rates take this intot consideration."
 
You should know that the size of our greenhouse is 30 x 60 with hundreds of plants, so that is a big area. But not all plants are infested (say about 40).  We have been spraying with commercial pyrethrin product and it was doing an OK job; we just were curious how well the ladybugs would do, since this is a new greenhouse and haven't tried it in here before.
nan at dancing goats farm, n.mississippi &
Univ of MS Medicinal Plant Garden



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