H20, insecticides, and fungus fight primrose bugs

Note: This is an exerpt about how water, insecticides, and fungus fight primrose bugs

Water, insecticide, fungus fight primrose bugs

Diana Balazs
Special for the Republic
Apr. 12, 2008 12:00 AM
Question: Can you tell me what I can spray on my Mexican evening primrose, as little black bugs have eaten them all? This seems to happen every year, but this year has been the worst. I have sprayed those miserable bugs but hope I haven't killed the primroses along with the bugs.

- Maurice Beaudin,
Sun Lakes


Answer: The bugs are out this year, thanks to our abundant winter rains. There is a species of flea beetle that attacks Mexican evening primrose, giving it a tattered appearance, according to the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension.
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The adults range from 1/16- to 1/4-inch long and can be black, greenish- or bluish-black, green or yellow in color. Their enlarged hind legs enable them to jump like fleas. And that jumping ability makes them difficult to control.

You first can try the conservative approach, by using a strong spray of water to wash them off. The effect will be temporary.

The cooperative extension recommends dusting young plants with an insecticide that contains the chemical carbaryl. Sevin is the trade name for an insecticide that contains carbaryl.

Note: Sometimes spraying could help your plants to grow healthier, but sometimes it also kills it.

An alternative is to spray the plants with the fungus Naturalis-O.

As the plants mature, they become less susceptible to flea-beetle damage.

Virtual garden: For the least-toxic ways to eliminate bugs such as aphids, dust mites, fleas and others, log onto www.livingwithbugs .com.

A greener thumb: Practice makes perfect. If you want to improve your green thumb, check out next Saturday's volunteer fair sponsored by the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society, which maintains the Public Rose Garden at Mesa Community College.

The fair is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the east side of the Veterans Garden at MCC, 1833 W. Southern Ave. Participants will be able to choose from a variety of job descriptions offered in the garden organization.

There also will be rose demonstrations, a raffle, and a free luncheon in the garden.

After lunch, participants can enjoy the free Pacific Southwest District Rose Show in the building that houses the Kirk Student Center.

Hundreds of roses and arrangements from Arizona, California, Nevada and New Mexico will be on display from 1 to 4 p.m.

The public can bring a stem or an arrangement of homegrown roses from their own gardens before 9 a.m. and enter it in the "Novice" category. Rosarians will be on hand to help novices from 6:30-8:30 a.m.

Judging takes place from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Community volunteers maintain the 8,000 rosebushes in the college's 3-acre Public Rose Garden. It is one of 131 national public gardens accredited by the American Rose Society. More information: 480-202-4215.

Note: If you are interested in showing how you care about your plants, its best for you to join these competitions and seminars.

Send garden-related questions, Web site suggestions and tips to Southwest Gardens, in care of Diana Balazs, The Arizona Republic Scottsdale Bureau, 8800 E. Raintree Drive, Suite 250, Scottsdale, AZ 85260; via e-mail to diana.balazs@arizonarepublic.com; or via fax to 602-444-6875. Include your full name and the city you live in and a telephone number. Your number will not be published.