For the last two years I have had a problem with bugs, black flat ones, that ate mostly my orange lantern leaves right up to the flowers in two separate gardens. Up until now, I've always had good luck with orange lanterns and I'm wondering if I should spray them with something? What should I do? You always have great advice. Thank you. April
Answer
Dear April
My best guess is the Flea Beetle has eaten your Chinese Lantern plants. Flea Beetles are a small jumping, flat insect similar to fleas. They can cause tremendous damage to plants by chewing countless holes in the leaves and quickly defoliating and killing the plants. Flea beetles like to feed on hot, sunny days with their favorite foods being tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, eggplant corn, cabbage and beans.
Here are several ways to control Flea Beetles. All of these items are readily available at local garden centers.
1. Yellow Sticky Traps- set every 15-30' to trap the adults.
2. Diatomaceous Earth- is a powdery substance composed of microscopic, fossilized, algae-like, aquatic organisms. These fossilized organisms have very sharp edges that slice into the insect's body as it crawls over the powder and eventually dies. Sprinkle around the base of plants on the surface of the soil. Do not mix into soil.
3. Neem Oil (70%)-can be sprayed on fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers to kill eggs, larvae and adult insects. Mix 1 oz. per gallon of water and spray all leaf surfaces especially the underside of the leaves.
4. Grow "trap plants" like Radish nearby. A trap plant is one that attracts and diverts the pest away from your prized plants.
Good Luck.
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About Linda Lillie
Linda K. Lillie is the President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc, the premier
landscape design and maintenance, tree care, lawn care, stonework, and carpentry
service provider in southeastern Connecticut since 1997. She is a graduate of
Connecticut College in Botany, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national
award winning landscape designer for her landscape design and landscape installation work.
