Preventing Thrips?
 

Last year I got hit badly with thripps. I am looking to do what I can to take any preventive measures if I can. Any threads or ideas are appreciated if anyone has any. Help?

After being totally wiped out by thrips 2 years ago i went and bought beneficial nematodes. I sprayed the whole garden, yard, and neighbors yard you name it i sprayed it. Last year i had no thrips and did not lose one plant to tswv.

If you have any other than tomato flowers(blooms/nectar)at or in the yard before your maters set theirs, a good preventative are Lady Bugs.Ladybugs need nectar/insect eggs as food for themselves and the eggs they lay next to other insect infestations.Also some other predators,this info from UCDAVIS.

Biological control
Minute pirate bugs (Orius spp.), green lacewings (Chrysopa and Chrysoperla spp.), and several species of predatory mites naturally help to control myoporum thrips. However, damage can still be severe even when beneficials are present.

I think it is rather comic you sprayed the neighbors yard.:lol:

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;524595]I think it is rather comic you sprayed the neighbors yard.:lol:

Worth[/QUOTE]

Im on less than a quarter acre and i bought the acre size amount of beneficial nematodes. Plus the neighbor never cuts down his weeds so his yard is a breeding ground for thrips. I did him a favor actually:))

[QUOTE=heirloomtomaguy;524597]Im on less than a quarter acre and i bought the acre size amount of beneficial nematodes. Plus the neighbor never cuts down his weeds so his yard is a breeding ground for thrips. I did him a favor actually:))[/QUOTE]

I had a kid neighbor like that years ago.
I would mow and weed eat around his junk and he would say I was going to do that.
No you weren't dont worry about it I trying to run the grass hoppers off.:lol:

worth

I had some a few years ago. Not an infestation but I saw some on tge leaves whenbi took pictures and zoomed in. Started using yellow sticky fly traps and havent had them since.

Does anyone know if diatomaceous earth kills beneficials like ladybugs?

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[QUOTE=Fiishergurl;524652]I had some a few years ago. Not an infestation but I saw some on tge leaves whenbi took pictures and zoomed in. Started using yellow sticky fly traps and havent had them since.

Does anyone know if diatomaceous earth kills beneficials like ladybugs?

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DE will kill almost any insect and ladybugs are no exception. I waited to apply it last year after my ladybugs had mostly left the garden and weren't doing their job anymore. It seems my ladybugs almost always leave the garden as soon as it starts getting hot down here.

Bill

heirloomtomatoguy: where did you buy your nematodes? I saw this the other day. It says it is for fungus gnats and thrips:
[url]http://www.gardeners.com/buy/gnat-guard/34-299.html#q=thrip&start=3[/url]

[QUOTE=RobinB;524771]heirloomtomatoguy: where did you buy your nematodes? I saw this the other day. It says it is for fungus gnats and thrips:
[url]http://www.gardeners.com/buy/gnat-guard/34-299.html#q=thrip&start=3[/url][/QUOTE]

I ordered mine online from Arbico Organics. I looked around and for as many as i needed they had the best deal for the triple threat against just about every soil born insect. They also sell all types of beneficials and other great items.
[url]http://www.arbico-organics.com/[/url]

Beneficial Nematodes sound excellent.

Nematodes helped me significantly, I also got rid of a old, sick, rose bush infected with witch's broom that was a breeding ground for thrips. I couldn't get rid of them completely due to neighbors but saw a huge improvement.

Met52, time to die, virus infested rats with wings.

Yeah im going to hit every last living thing in my garden and yard with DE. I bought a 40lb bag and a Dustin Mizer, no rain in the forcast for at least 10 days, so tonight after work its on. I have not yet seen the no good plant killers but i did see spider mites. Death to thrips and spider mites!

[QUOTE=heirloomtomaguy;541575]Yeah im going to hit every last living thing in my garden and yard with DE. I bought a 40lb bag and a Dustin Mizer, no rain in the forcast for at least 10 days, so tonight after work its on. I have not yet seen the no good plant killers but i did see spider mites. Death to thrips and spider mites![/QUOTE]

I've been holding off on the regimen due to the rains, today at dusk will be [I]clobbering time. [/I]

Neem/DE.

kill the spider mites with unkindness