Re: [compost_tea] Thrips

From: Brian Leslie <damoclesone_at_gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:46:57 -0600

Tatia,

Wouldn't you leave too if there wasn't a reason to stay? You will need to p=
rovide enough companion plants to keep the beneficials interested after the=
y decimate the thrips. For instance, the sunflowers I mentioned provide pol=
len to damselbugs for when they don't have any pests to eat. I'm not so sur=
e about dill; I think it merely attracts adults to lay eggs and has an arom=
a that repels pests.

The fact that you found your beneficials outside means they have a way back=
 in if they are so inclined.

Ingham's tea guide ( http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/brewing-c=
ompost-tea.aspx ) says that compost tea helps promote beneficials. I don't =
know why. Maybe there's food in it that the beneficials can eat?

Brian

On Jan 22, 2012, at 18:02, "Tatia Veltkamp" <tatiav_at_comcast.net> wrote:

> Brian,
>
> Thanks you very much for that info. I actually do not need to be concern=
ed about bugs that may eat my caterpillars because it’s all kept se=
parated. So, the plants are not in the same area as the caterpillars. I on=
ly need to worry about the plants in this one case! :) The problem I=
ve had with the beneficial bugs in the greenhouse, is that they all leav=
e! I have ordered several different kinds of beneficials to try and help, =
but they go out of the greenhouse as fast as I put them in. But, I did fin=
d last summer, that the same beneficials that left the greenhouse were on t=
he plants outside the greenhouse, eating the thrips! That means summer is =
good. Plants, bugs, everything, is outside and working how it should.
>
>
>
> I have ordered the nematodes in the past and may just need to do that aga=
in. I’m not sure if it helped or not, but my thrips infestation wa=
s so bad, I think nothing could get on top of it!
>
>
>
> I’ll check into some more information about companion planting al=
so. That’s a great idea!
>
> Tatia
>
>
>
> From: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com [mailto:compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com] On=
 Behalf Of Brian Leslie
> Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2012 4:24 PM
> To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Thrips
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi Tatia,
>
>
>
> You might consider introducing some companion plants that attract/sustain=
 thrip predators. The trick is going to be finding a beneficial insect that=
 won't eat your caterpillars (that means that planting a sunflower to attra=
ct damselbugs might be a bad idea, but planting dill to attract lacewings m=
ight work). There is a lot of free info on this on the interwebz. I see you=
're writing from the desert; you might need to order your beneficial insect=
s to populate your greenhouse. Alternatively, you can 'start' your companio=
n plants where they will pick up the predators, then bring them back to the=
 greenhouse.
>
>
>
> As far as soil-based beneficial predators go, some nematodes will attack =
thrips. Unfortunately, they do not propagate very well at all in compost te=
a.
>
>
>
> http://www.ehow.com/how_7150085_grow-beneficial-nematodes.html
>
>
>
> Best of luck to your butterflies!
>
>
>
> Brian _at_ Baton Rouge, Louisiana
>
>
>
> On Jan 22, 2012, at 13:44, "Tatia Veltkamp" <tatiav_at_comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> I don’t get to follow everything on these posts and am still very=
 much a newbie, but am learning a lot on here. I grow milkweed in 1 gallon=
 and 4” pots to feed Monarch caterpillars. I have trouble (LOTS) w=
ith thrips. They also love the milkweed. I found in the summer there are =
plenty of predators that take care of the thrips if I move the plants outsi=
de. But I have to grow almost year round and find the thrips appearing at =
about 6-8 weeks on the plants (I grow from seed) in the greenhouse. I can=
not use chemicals so the plants are safe for the caterpillars, although I=
’ve tried some of them too and they don’t work. I’v=
e done some soaping and that helps (a little), but I’m wondering ab=
out using compost tea as a foliar feed if that would help. Since part of t=
he thrips’ life cycle is in the soil, I’m also wondering if=
 I should be adding worm castings or compost to the top layer of the soil t=
o help with any microbes that might attack them there.
>
>
>
> I realize that I am not going to get rid of the thrips. But I’m =
trying to learn how to control them, so they don’t take over. Has =
anyone dealt with thrips successfully in a greenhouse?
>
>
>
> Thanks so much for any insight you might have!
>
>
>
> Tatia
>
> Albuquerque, NM
>
>
>


Received on Mon Jan 23 2012 - 11:43:23 EST

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