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| Have you ever wanted to catch a bug in action, devastating your trees but never found it?
That is exactly how I have felt. Because I DO NOT have any way of regularly spraying my pants with FE, I KNEW that my trees were destined to destruction from some sort of pest. It is a guarantee! I have been scoping my plants for a while at just about every possible hour looking for any pest that might be cutting of my new growth at the pass, and have finally caught it! I have even spent a night there looking with a flashlight. JUST TWO NIGHTS DAMAGE later on one particular tree. My Orange tree. This am, at the 6am hour when I am usually in bed, I decided to see the goings on outside. What to my surprise did I see? THRIPS, yup that is right, THRIPS all over my orange tree, sitting there, hunkered down soon after their party trying to elude my presence, but I got them suckers! Their poop and all washed away by a torrent of Fish spray like no tomorrow. I was so ticked, that I didn't even give them time for a photo opt and there were no last words. I even squashed a few.
If you have even had destruction like the one I am going to show you, then take heart in knowing what It might be THRIPS! Good luck in your fight against pests, because I will tell you, for NEW baby growth to be left alone from any sort of invader is like finding gold in your back yard. Virtually impossible unless you are vigilant in this fight in hours when you least expect it...This could be a reason why your trees are not getting taller as quickly as one would like:-( Earwig damage and poop! GOOD GROWTH ON MY ORANGE TREE
EARWIG DAMAGE. Notice the very new growth CUT OFF at the tips while the fresh growth has been bitten?
NOTICE THE POO!
THE PLANT AFTER BEING SPRAYED WITH EMULSION.
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| good catch, Mike I have all kinds of critters eating my trees, too. Especially my mangos. I've been fighting slugs all summer. I'll have killed them all by the time it's time to bring them in! mgk |
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- Posted by hoosierquilt z10a/23 Vista Calif (My Page) on Sun, Aug 21, 11 at 11:22
| My gosh, thrips. Fortunately, I don't think we have that here, but instead, we have industrial amounts of snails and slugs. And some folks really have a problem with earwigs. Our next door neighbors do, but we don't. Which is very weird because we have everything mulched, and they have zero mulch in their yard. And I've seen a few grasshoppers, too. There's a new product called Sluggo Plus with is effective against both snails/slugs and earwigs. It's not so cheap, but it's safe. It is iron phosphate for the snails and Spinosad for the earwigs and works very well. Patty S. |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Sun, Aug 21, 11 at 12:18
| No! No!!!! Lol I meant to say EARWIGS, not thrips! Can you tell my brain was still on sleep mode when I wrote that? lol That is all EARWIG damage. Thank God not thrip.L.oololol Patty: Good catch. No kidding Mike. All I have to say is good riddance to slugs! Nothing can rid those completely except maybe a few glasses of bear..lol MIke |
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- Posted by greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a (My Page) on Sun, Aug 21, 11 at 14:23
| Earwigs and slugs early in the season are what I deal with mostly. Great catch, Mike! I treated all my citrus (Desert Rose and Gardenia, too) with Fish Emulsion several days ago. I think I'll hit 'em again...just to be sure. Of course, Spider Mites are the main pest at this point, and they're an ongoing thing.
Josh |
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| Hey all: What Fish Emulsion do you all use? Thanks, Peter |
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- Posted by greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a (My Page) on Tue, Aug 23, 11 at 10:14
| I use Alaska brand and Master Nursery brand. Josh |
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- Posted by littleluey Zone 9 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 23, 11 at 14:42
| Hello guys, i have a couple of questions, does the fish emulsion help kill the earwigs then or does it just help the plant repair itself? how do you apply it on the leaves? i have a few citrus trees at home but i have never really look that close to them to see any bugs on them. I do know they don't look the best but i kind of blame it on the heat in my area. I think i need to check on them a little closer. |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Tue, Aug 23, 11 at 15:29
| Hi little guy. I personally wouldn't say that it kills earwigs, but I will tell you that is sure discourages them. It could be all in my head, but every time I use it faithfully, I have no issues with them What I can tell you is that it will smother sucking insects that decide to make your trees a permanent home. It does not repair my trees sadly, but helps keep the good flawless growth looking that way. FYI. You can barely ever see spider mites with the naked eye ,and thrips are very good evaders of the eye. I wish you luck. Josh: Good job on keeping up with yours. I can only imagine what they would look like if you did not. I use Neptune's Harvest cold pressed made right here in Mass! Mike |
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- Posted by littleluey Zone 9 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 23, 11 at 15:56
| thanks Mike. So i guess since those other bugs you mention are too small and hard to see a good preventive maintenance will be to use the fish emulsion every so often?! |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Tue, Aug 23, 11 at 22:25
| Right O Littleguy! I try and spray my trees down at least every other week, especially before they come in at this time of the year. Mike |
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| Good persistency Mike. I also routinely examine my plants for poachers. When I find 'em...NO MERCY!!!! Squish...Squash!!! I haven't used my Fish Emulsion as a spray deterrent much but this post will get me going on it. thanks and stay well. htp |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Sun, Aug 28, 11 at 12:01
| Hey Tim, I can only imagine how nice your trees must look with that determinecy! How the heck do you spell that word any how?lol Thanks Tim and I hope you are well too. The foot is slowly coming along. I have learned patience for sure. Mike:-) |
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- Posted by prayerrock zone 5 (My Page) on Tue, Aug 30, 11 at 0:25
| I have never heard of fish emulsion....what exactly does it do? Do you spay it all over the plant? It works for desert roses also? I have seen ear wigs on my DR and my brugmansia but didnt know what to do about it. Mary |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Sat, Sep 3, 11 at 20:52
| Hi Mary: FE suffocates any sucking pest that might be harming your tree naturally with the lights oils within and even discourages other from hitching a ride, especially into the house by summers end. It has been working for me for years and the only time I have pest issues, especially with spider mites, is when I do not use it. It also cleans the leaves and encourages good leaf shine along with removal of dust. Many use if for foliar feeding and claim it works great for that too. Watch for cats though..lol Mike:-) |
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- Posted by meyermike_1micha 5 (mikerno_1@yahoo.com) on Tue, Sep 6, 11 at 20:04
| Their BACK!!!!!! But looking for food on my perennials and leaving my citrus alone. Yahoo! Now maybe I can get new growth without any defects, do you think? The fear of not being able to bring them into protection from the cold with a bad foot did cross my mind and fear had overwhelmed me for a few seconds. I pray I can walk by then. Mike |
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