We have had a terrible time growing cukes here (Wisconsin) due to what my husband calls a cucumber beetle. He said we'll have to buy some powder for them this year, and I said, "First let me ask at the Countryside forum if anyone knows of an ORGANIC way to get rid of them." You guys seem to know what I'm talking about, even when I don't! So, any suggestions?

-- Laurie (SUPERGS63@AOL.COM), April 06, 2000

Answers

I saw an episode of victory garden where the family maintained a pole of gourds with holes in them for Purple Martin homes. The Martins ate the beetles and potato bugs. Every year they cleaned out the gourds for the next springs martins. Never tried this but plan to --it is not organic so we will call it cannabilistic gardening.

-- Joel Rosen (Joel681@webtv.net), April 06, 2000.

plant radishes with your cucks and let them go to seed (don't pick them) also do plant your cucks as early and when they are at the stage when the bbud eats them, the bug wont be there

-- Grant Eversoll (thegrange@earthlink.net), April 06, 2000.

Hi Laurie, It doesn't matter if you have spotted or striped cucumber beetles, the book Organic Plant Protection says the best method of control is heavy mulch. Another means of control is to rotate your crops. Their enemies are soldier beetles, a tachnid fly, a braconid wasp, and a nematode. Soldier beetles are usually in the soil; you can purchase the flies and wasps; I don't know anything about nematodes. The beetles will also attack other vine crops, especially winter squash. The larvae are in the soil, eat roots and underground parts of the plants and can spread bacterial wilt to your plants. Congratulations for trying organic first!

-- Peg (jnjohnsn@pressenter.com), April 06, 2000.

I was holding the baby on my lap and typing with one finger in the last post. It should read DON'T plant as early. Crop rotation for me is just the normal thing to do so I did not mention that, yes that is the thing to do. Nematodes (sp?) have nothing to do with the squash beetle that only attacts the roots usualy on tomatoes and corn and a few other plants You can also sacrafice a plant for the beetle. Do this by cutting or damaging one plant and the beetles will attack it and MAY leave the others alone. But the thing that I find that works best is the radishes. I do thisevery year Master Gardener Grant Eversoll

-- Grant Eversoll (thegrange@earthlink.net), April 06, 2000.

Also, ducks are a great bug patrol for anything big enought for them to snap up. They do a great job of patrolling for potato beetles

-- Connie (connie@lunehaven.com), April 07, 2000.

Joel, I like your cannabalistic gardening technique (just don't invite me to supper, lol!) I have only one gourd hanging on the back fence & I noticed yesterday it has a bird nesting in it while none of the other bird 'houses' do. Hmmm...may be a good year to plant more gourds? Grant, I never heard of planting radishes with cucumbers. I will definitely try that this spring so I can supply the neighborhood with my burpless beauties! Jane

-- Jane Gauch (Sewbears4u@aol.com), April 07, 2000.

Joel, I like your cannabalistic gardening technique (just don't invite me to supper, lol!) I have only one gourd hanging on the back fence & I noticed yesterday it has a bird nesting in it while none of the other bird 'houses' do. Hmmm...may be a good year to plant more gourds? Grant, I never heard of planting radishes with cucumbers. I will definitely try that this spring so I can supply the neighborhood with my burpless beauties! Jane Gauch

-- Jane Gauch (Sewbears4u@aol.com), April 07, 2000.

Am I repeating myself out loud? Lol! Jane

-- Jane Gauch (Sewbears4u@aol.com), April 07, 2000.

In my experience, cucumber beetles can only actually threaten the very young plants, and they will attack most vine crops. Once the plants are well started, the beetles are a nuisance, but not fatal. Since the very young plants are not attractive to beneficial critters, a spray will not likely be detrimental. However, if you want to remain 100% organic, simply cover the young plants with Reemay, or a similar floating row cover. That keeps the beetles off the plants. Just be sure to remove the covering when they begin to bloom, so the bees can do their work. By that time the plants will be strong enough to withstand even a quite severe onslaught. Good luck!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), April 07, 2000.

Brad, you are right (I hate to say it!) that they bother young plants most. But they are disgusting to watch. We had a horrid infestation when we used the old garden spot (from previous owners) and used hillocks to plant in, REALLY bad when we tried tires. Moving the crop into a whole new area took care of the problem. Haven't seen one for years......which means I'll be infested by July!

-- Anne (HealthyTouch10@hotmail.com), April 07, 2000.

We had some good luck with the insecticidal soap that we bought at our co-op (but it is available at lots of other places, too), for flea beetles and blister beetles. You might try it; it is a bit pricy, but a little bit goes a long way. I like to keep it on hand in the summer, 'cause you never know when an army of something-or- another will decide that is is YOUR place for lunch. The blister beetles took just a day to munch their way thru a THIRD of two three foot high tomato plants; and what they weren't eating, they were pooping on. I had to make an emergency run to town to replace my supply of the soap. Flea beetles are just as scary. Keep the stuff on hand, just in case!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), April 08, 2000.

I had the same thing last year. I used a mixture of anti-bacterial dish soap, citrus oil, garlic and chicken manure tea. They died, I had pickles! Yeah!!!

-- Doreen davenport (livinginskin@yahoo.com), April 08, 2000.

This is just to comment on floating row cover. It does work, but is expensive if you need very much, and if you have a lot of wind will get blown around unless you are very careful. Even if it doesn't get blown off, it may abrade and get holes, in which case it is not much use against insect pests anymore, or it may rub tender young plants more than they can stand. We have too much wind in the spring to use it here, we've tried several times.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), April 12, 2000.

I have had good luck with sprinkling wood ash directly on the plants - even young ones. Seems harsh, but it has worked for me. Renew after rainfalls.

-- Brenda (bmontanye@hotmail.com), May 20, 2000.