Thrips, mites and aphids; Oh my!

[Shrinkrap]

@cleiper, I hope you are right. That's what I told myself last year and then picture #2 happened, and worse. It took me years to figure out it was thrips damaging my nectarines. I don't I know why the subject of the damage they do on their I and veg doesn't come up more. Then I found these examples of thrip damage on tomato leaves.

https://laidbackgardener.wordpress.c...thrips-attack/

https://negreenhouseupdate.info/phot...ato-foliage://

Got me thinking. Other pictures in my search focused on the small block speckles of thrip poop (frass), and I think I see that near the edges of the close up pictures of this year's leaves.

[clkeiper]

is that this years pic of close up damage? then yah... get spraying spinosad is the least toxic and is considered organic, if you are organic.
or Cyhalothrin aka..Spectracide Triazicide Insect Killer for Lawns & Landscapes Conc.; & RTS2 I don't know if it is labeled for direct use on the plants but it is on a chart for controlling them on tomatoes. on the following....


https://www.clemson.edu/extension/hg.../hgic2218.html

[Shrinkrap]

Those are pictures from an internet search, but I thought they resembled mine.

[heirloomtomaguy]

Originally Posted by b54red

What are you using for this total annihilation?

Bill

Spinosad and DE on a every 3rd week basis. I have not lost a plant to TSWV since.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

After one year of TSWV killing off 120 or so plants and another year spider mites killing off around the same amount i go for the total annihilation method. Now i get to eat tomatoes with far less frustration and disapointment.

I'm having that year I'm now officially in the kill em all camp

[jtjmartin]

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

Spinosad and DE on a every 3rd week basis. I have not lost a plant to TSWV since.

How much DE do you mix in per gallon? Does it clog your sprayer?

[schill93]

How do you apply the DE?

[Jimbotomateo]

I sprayed it. Didn't measure anything but made sure it was mixed well.

[Sun City Linda]

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

Spinosad and DE on a every 3rd week basis. I have not lost a plant to TSWV since.

I just started spraying DE mixed with water and Dawn soap according to something Bill posted in another thread. I have some Spinosad can I add it in. I usually have mites of one kind or another.

[heirloomtomaguy]

Originally Posted by jtjmartin

How much DE do you mix in per gallon? Does it clog your sprayer?

I dont spray it i dust it on using a Dustin Mizer. I found it works better than spraying it on. Just remember to use a dust mask.
https://www.amazon.com/Dustin-mizer-.../dp/B002KIB680

[Shrinkrap]

Do these pests and remedies vary with climate? Somehow I wonder if thrips, mites, and MAYBE aphids might be an especially hot and dry thing, while blights are not so much.

[b54red]

I use between 2/3rds and 3/4 of a cup of food grade DE for every gallon of spray I am making. I mix it first in a separate jug and then pour it through a strainer into my sprayer then add the other ingredients and extra water to make the amount I am looking for.

I don't see why you can't add Spinosad without any problems. I add Permethrin and Dawn and if I need to use a copper spray at the time I am using it I will add that and have had no problems.

I find spraying much easier than dusting and just as if not more effective but then I am applying it to a lot of plants. If it is a bit windy which it always seems to be this time of year dusting can be challenging to say the least. I do use it in my duster when I don't have many plants to treat and don't want to mix up a small batch for spraying.

Bill

[Cole_Robbie]

Bill, do you happen to know the screen size on your strainer? I am going to mix up my first DE spray soon.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Bill, do you happen to know the screen size on your strainer? I am going to mix up my first DE spray soon.

I use one of those fine stainless steel small strainers with a handle that you can pick up in any good super market or Walmart. They are the ones with the fine mesh but I have no Idea what the screen size is just that it is fine.

Bill

[b54red]

Oh yeah. I forgot to remind you to occasionally shake your sprayer to keep the DE in suspension as it will settle. I also recommend not setting your nozzle to too fine a mist or it may clog. If that happens just open it up to a stream and clear it with a short squirt. At least that is what I have experienced. The amount of DE I recommend is fairly high but I have found it is just high enough to give a good fine layer of DE that is effective against most pests. I have used smaller amounts but found they were less effective and I have used much larger amounts and found they clogged my sprayer too often; but if I got it sprayed on it was even more effective.

Bill