OT: any gardeners out there? bug dilema...

[adon]

i'm sorry to post this here, but i'm so lost for where to go next!! last year we had an issue with a beetle that the co op ext didnd't know what it was. now we have more, and i'm not sure if they are the same. they started out tiny tiny little red with some black spots. now that they are bigger they are almost yellow with vertical black stripes. here's the kicker...they are eating our "mints", well oregano, cat mint, mint, and sage. last year they were on the perennial sunflowers??? it looks almost like they are sucking out the fluids, they don't actually make holes. i tried some lav doc braunner's with water...doesn't work. i can't use much because we eat these plants, some of them....

sorry to post this here, but i've looked EVERYWHERE!! and i know a lot of you are also gardeners....please help:dizzy: :(

[hellen]

I can't help you but you might try out the gardenweb forums. Just google it and you'll find a wealth of info. Those people will definitely be able to help you.

[goodearthmama]

There is a gardening forum here in natural family living.

Don't know exactly what the bug is, but I would try a dry powder remedy that I have used with pretty good success on getting rid of anything putting holes in my plants. I use garlic powder, cayenne powder, a little flour and dry/powdered
soap. Just mix up and sprinkle on the leaves. After one swig of this, those beetles should jet!!

[mom3b1?]

You can try doing nothing. The problem with killing off bugs, even with organic methods, is that it can throw off the ecological balance of your garden. For every bug, there is another animal or bug that thinks they are delicious. If you do nothing, eventually the critter that eats the critters that like your garden will find that there is a buffet being served, and take care of the problem. It's a bit nerve wracking, but if you get used to this method of gardening, it can be a lot of fun. It's kind of like unschooling your plants. Full of surprises and discovery.

It's important to use lots of compost so your plants have plenty of nutrients to keep themselves healthy, so they can survive this assault. Not all plants will survive all assaults, but it's a risk I enjoy taking.

Kiley

[Kritto]

Any chance you could post a picture? Or you could try looking on bugguide.net or whatsthatbug.com. Sounds like a true bug (order Hemiptera) rather than a beetle (Order Coleoptera) if you're seeing little ones around.