Sunflower insect problem?
by
Kim
+8
I live in southwest Ohio. I started some sunflower plants indoors. The plants were potted in Miracle Gro potting soil. They were healthy when I moved them outside a week ago. Does the problem with my plants look familiar to anyone? It looks to me like bugs are eating them. Any suggestions on how to bring them back to health? Or should I let nature take its course and hope for the best? Thanks in advance.
Try a dish soap spray - it's on my post here: http://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/save-your-garden-sprays-28593963
If it's bugs, it'll kill them and save your plants
Save Your Garden Sprays
Wow, it does look like something is dining on them, doesn't it? Let me google, I have tons of sunflowers but honestly, ants are my biggest problem with them.
Ok, found something here you go:
http://www.syngenta-us.com/sunflowers/pest-solutions
Diatomaceous earth is typically used as a natural pesticide in gardens. When used as a pesticide or insecticide, diatomaceous earth has proven effective at getting rid of all of the following insects, including:
— Aphids
— Thrips
— Mites
— Earwigs
— Bedbugs
— Ants
— Adult Flea Beetles
— Snails
— Slugs
— Cockroaches
— Larvae, maggots, grubs, and similar creatures
It looks like they need water and they will probably perk up. They may be in a semi-shock from being replanted. The dish soap recipe looks like it would work great. I have used just dish soap and it worked for pests. My birds love Sunflower seeds.
Also add some interplanting of radishes. They are a great trap crop for insect pests and germinated rabidly. And the dish soap solution works as well. Just go easy on the amount of dish soap, it doesn't take much to do the job. Always apply that type of solution in either the early morning or late afternoon, so the sun does not interact with it and burn your plants. Good luck, sunflowers are so pretty.
seedlings need to be hardened off before planting directly into the garden. this helps with the shock and sunburn to tender plants. I have also found that liquid fence, trade name. repels rabbits, deer, groundhogs and a lot of other unwanted critters from eating your flowers and plants. Lasts about 5 to 6 weeks and covers 2,000 square feet I sprayed all my gardens and trees 4 times in the season from one gallon of product. Best thing I have found yet
And yes a light squirt of Dawn dishwashing detergent into a quart spray bottle of water works wonders for killing bugs