Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: rictic on July 17, 2010, 22:17
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Hi all
Have had my broad beans totally wiped out by blackfly this year
The blighters have designs on my runners too. Any advice how to stop this happening next year
Keep the faith
Muff
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Pinch out the tops of the BB and keep a soapy spray handy every time you visit
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I find that a spray of Provado Ultimate is enough to keep them at bay for several weeks. I try not to spray if I think the veg might be ready to eat in less than two weeks. Obviously I am not an organic grower, but I severely limit what and when I spray.
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You may be interested to know that garlic, tomato, rhubarb, laurel, chrysanthemum (PYRETHRUM) etc .sprays are cheap, effective, and possibly "organic". They are now probably illegal in Europe, even though recipes for some of these are readily available on other sites/advocated in contemporary literature/used at some 'famous' gardens etc.
http://organicgardening.about.com/od/pestcontrol/a/spraysforaphids.htm
I'll admit to using garlic or rhubarb mixed with soap on occasion, and I'll interplant with chrysanthemum (but not process it, however for interest see
http://eap.mcgill.ca/agrobio/ab360-02e.htm
Never tried tomato, and don't fancy laurel.
Having said that barriers / hand squishing / nipping BB tops etc work for me most of the time, and I'm glad to say that this year I've sprayed only once (blackfly on globe artichoke/early June).
For all of the harlyquin ladybird's faults it is a voracious consumer of blackfly and I do nothing to discourage it, and for the last couple of years has done a good job of controlling summer (but not spring) aphid attacks.
Finally rhubarb and garlic (along with commercial insecticides) will also kill the good guys, including bees etc, and as this county needs bees please look after the little ladies by spraying after they've gone to bed.
Have probably said enough to get put on the naughty step.
SS
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Then Im on the naughty step too, as I had no idea that garlic spray would kill bees too, and will look into it further
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Peapod - I'm not 100% certain that all of the homemade remedies will kill bees (even though they will kill at least some of the good guys) - I just don't take any chances. If you find out for sure that garlic is bee-safe then let me know, although I'll probably not change my routine of only spraying insecticides at twilight (although I guess by then it's the moths that I have to get concerned about - can't win!)
SS
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The problem is that the forum treads a fine line between what is and is not allowed. We have to err on the side of caution when it comes to unregulated/banned by the EU remedies.
Legally, the forum cannot be seen to condone anything that is banned by the EU. Privately, you can do whatever works for you. ;)
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SS
This is the first ever year I have used a bug spray after being slack (I admit) with my GH husbandry and soap spray. I too am careful when I use it, but really hate that I can no longer say I dont use sprays (greenfly nearly wiped the lot out)
I'll have a good look and talk to organic/non organic people and let us all know.
Ive got to mention the disclaimer that nothing I say - either as an AVG Mod or otherwise, is recommended by this site, and all info is taken at your own risk
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I've planted nasturtium(spelling) by my broad and runner beans this year a great companion plant sacrifice and will do next year. But they'll need a lot off washing if you want to eat them. But i'd rahter have my beans :D :D :D
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Have a look around for ladybird larvae - they're usually look like tiny crocodiles with yellow / orange sots (don't laugh - you'll understand when you find them). If you can find them then transplant to where the black fly are - they are incredible eaters - we had some globe artichokes absolutly covered with back fly. A few larvae made short work of the flies in just over a week - almost clear now. They're great getting rid of greenfly in greenhouses as well :)
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My runner beans are badly infested with blackfly and those damn ants as well climbing all over my plants. There is a 99p bottle of green and blackfly killer in the poundland shops which I have used. You have to spray your crop every 7 days, anyone got any feedback as to whether blackfly spray works. I don't want to inadvertantly kill any ladybirds but ants are fairgame, damn things!
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Try dilute molasses spray, It tastes yuckky.
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blackfly are on everything including the weeds - weird though that they seen to tolerate them and do not look at all sickly like my squash plants. I've loads of ladybirds but I reckin they are all full up :D
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My runner beans are badly infested with blackfly and those damn ants as well climbing all over my plants. There is a 99p bottle of green and blackfly killer in the poundland shops which I have used. You have to spray your crop every 7 days, anyone got any feedback as to whether blackfly spray works. I don't want to inadvertantly kill any ladybirds but ants are fairgame, damn things!
The ants are only there because the blackfly are, wolfie. They "milk" them for their excretions, get rid of the blackfly and the ants will be gone as well.
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Try dilute molasses spray, It tastes yuckky.
Greenun
You have repeatedly been requested not to post about unregulated, banned, illegal substances.
If you continue to do so then your membership of this forum will be reviewed.
As has been pointed out on this thread as well as personally to you, this forum cannot condone anything banned by the EU.
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great, now I have just realised the bits which I have been squashing are ladybird eggs as well as the black fly. They're all over my runner beans, I think I may need to resort to a spray as it is really bad this year. I just can't see the soap doing anything.
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There will shortly be a lot of ladybirds in our area as there are loads of larve and pupae all over my broad beans. They shoud be just in time to stop my runners from getting infected.
I even found a ladybird larva running about frantically on the path, and I thought it looked lost and hungry, so I put it on a broad bean leaf next to a lot of blackfly and it pounced on them imediately and started filling its little face. They are voracious predators.
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I found one on the kitchen windowcill, how it got in there ::).....it has now been relocated to the rose by the front door ;)
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Try dilute molasses spray, It tastes yuckky.
Greenun
You have repeatedly been requested not to post about unregulated, banned, illegal substances.
If you continue to do so then your membership of this forum will be reviewed.
As has been pointed out on this thread as well as personally to you, this forum cannot condone anything banned by the EU.
please excuse my ignorance,but what is wrong with Molasses?
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Flump, there is nothing wrong with molasses, it's just that all substances that have not been licensed by the EU are really illegal to use, and so cannot be recommended by the forum.
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Bob Flowerdew once suggested putting blobs of jam on plants to combat aphids - the theory being that ants like the jam so then don't want to milk aphids honeydew, but instead are encouraged to go int 'killer mode' and use the aphids for food instead. Don't know if this works, but as the jam is being used as and food (and not an insecticide) it's not illegal.
SS
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Flump, there is nothing wrong with molasses, it's just that all substances that have not been licensed by the EU are really illegal to use, and so cannot be recommended by the forum.
Why should we roll over and meekly do as the EU says in our own gardens? Resist tyranny - that's what I say!
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What you do in your own gardens is at your own risk. I mis-posted previously; it's domestic legislation you infringe when using an unlicensed substance (a criminal offence prosecutable in the magistrates' courts) - rather than EU as such.
What is posted on this forum is much more public, and we can't condone such activity. That's all.
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I personally think it is a very good point. These forums are used by inexperienced people, trying to get advice from more experienced people. Left unmoderated we could end up doing (even) illegal things. Thank you all.
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What you do in your own gardens is at your own risk. I mis-posted previously; it's domestic legislation you infringe when using an unlicensed substance (a criminal offence prosecutable in the magistrates' courts) - rather than EU as such.
What is posted on this forum is much more public, and we can't condone such activity. That's all.
Yeah, ok, but I'd be very surprised if it was actually an offence to use any substance on your own produce, for your own consumption: the legislation probably applies to commercial growers.
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Yorkie
I have received a message from you stating that homemade pesticides are illegal.
And I replied a mix of water and molasses or diluted milk which DOES NOT KILL ANYTHING is not a pesticide but a deterrent. If there is such a law by the EU
then so be it . Even though I think it is the most stupid thing I've heard of this week and should be broken. The BRITISH PEOPLE must rise against this beaurocratic arrogance and sneak out at night and .... and.... well I'd better not say anymore.
So what if I advocated NOT spraying plants with aforesaid tasty products - That would be upholding the law would it not?
What do other members think?
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Update
Well if it's local law that's different - write a letter to the Queen.
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Most of us think that it's stupid too greenun and a great many ignore it and carry on as before but we are not allowed to recommend non legal treatments on the forums.
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Geez Aunt Sally your beautiful, is that really you? :)
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What you do in your own gardens is at your own risk. I mis-posted previously; it's domestic legislation you infringe when using an unlicensed substance (a criminal offence prosecutable in the magistrates' courts) - rather than EU as such.
What is posted on this forum is much more public, and we can't condone such activity. That's all.
Yeah, ok, but I'd be very surprised if it was actually an offence to use any substance on your own produce, for your own consumption: the legislation probably applies to commercial growers.
Sorry VV, it's a blanket thing - not just commercial growers.