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« on: October 22, 2023, 11:39:04 AM »
So after 6 years of trying to make an ecosystem in my greenhouse where pests/predators/pollinators would keep things in perfect balance I have officially given up. Spider mites, aphid, thrips and white fly were all controlled with predatory bugs. Scale was sometimes a mild problem on a couple of citrus (I’m looking at out you Tangelo) especially in the spring but as soon as I could took those susceptible plants out in the summer they all went away. Last year however the mealybugs were everywhere. Dragonfruit, cattley guava and loquat were the only plants that didn’t get infested. All my companion plants (flowers, legumes, fruit) were loaded.
So I got rid of the companion plants, and all my trees/vines outside for the entire summer. All pests completely disappeared within 2 weeks. My plants have been back in for 3 weeks found a couple of hard scale, mealy, spider mites, whitefly have been found with detailed examinations of every plant surface every 3 days. Using 0.5% safers soap on entire plant for whitefly/spider mites, focal treatment of 0.5% soap for mealy. And weekly 1% canola oil with pyrethin on entire plants on mango and passionfruit (for hard scale). I also got a backpack sprayer with proper hort oil based off Millets suggestions in case I have to nuke the whole place.
Thoughts?
Thoughts