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vaherbmom

stinkbugs on okra

vaherbmom
10 years ago

With everything producing later this year the baby stinkbugs really got ahead of my okra. I don't see damage but once they get on them the production seems to greatly decline--e.g. harvesting from only every fourth plant when I go out every two days or so.

I have been spraying them with dish soap-y water which seems to kill them if you get a direct hit. But if I come back a bit later I see more that I missed. They are easy to squish but there's just so many out there in our stinkbug-infested area.

They attack the corn too, which is why we only plant the earliest-maturing varieties and plant as soon as we can.

any help or suggestions welcome, thanks

Comments (3)

  • jean001a
    10 years ago

    Continue with the drowning and squishing. Perhaps also flicking into soapy water.

  • Kimmsr
    10 years ago

    Stink Bugs, according to all the research I have seen, are pretty immune from most all pesticides although pyrethrins seem to be the most effective, and the synthetic pyrethroids seem to be even more so. Since pyrethrins are very broad spectrum poisons due care in use, to protect our pollinators and beneficials, is important.
    Knocking these buggers into a bucket of soapy water, preferably early in the morning when they are still sluggish, can help. Where these buggers are known to be Floating Row Covers can be of some help as well.

  • vaherbmom
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks, I'll proceed with the dish soap. Row cover would not work on okra--they grow to 10-12 feet high! Same with corn--too tall/big.

    I was hoping others were experiencing the same and had ideas but apparently not many people are growing okra in stinkbug territory! As the marmorated stinkbugs move south though, they'll be a lot more.

    thanks for the advice

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