THRIPES !

[plantshaman]

My plant has suffered thripes infestation on and off for a while but recently it has gotten out of hand . All new growth has pretty much stopped because the leaves curl up and a basicaly ruined very quickly. The plant looks like swiss cheese with some of the holes having a transparent layer of dead plant material and the underside of the leaves looking silver with black dots . I have tried lady bugs and nematopes with no results. I can't really keep the bugs in the yard because i can't keep it wet enough i think . I also now live in a lush apartment complex and cannot provide enough lady bugs for this whole complex. I also cannot close of my yard in any way to stop thripes from coming in and lady bugs goin out.  Is there some sort of safe organic pesticide i could try ? Beneficial bugs are not working neither will covering the soil to stop reproduction since that would be difficult and i can't cover all the adjacent soil. someone help ! my poor sally should not look like swiss cheese !

[OBODAOUR]

Heya PS,
 I've used a strong concoction of tobacco soaked in water over night then srayed on the plants w great results. Kills most pests that i've come across without harming the plants. Good luck!!!

Peace & Blessings
OBODAOUR

[Green2Herman]

Yeah tobacco works like a dream. Some ways that works for different situation:

   1) Burn tobacco. A cigarr. Good for flies and stuff. Close your cupboard or put some plastic over the plants and smoke them.
   2) Do as plantshaman suggest. The best for you probably to treat the current infections.
   3) I use used mouth swedish mouth tobacco both at infections but also in reasonable amount in the dirt to stop infections before they break out. I put them on the top soil and some a little down. Works perfect. Good for you to stop infections in the future to break out.
   4) Any new plant get a smoking...

By the way I also make my "South America Dirt" for my Salvia and other plants in my "Amazonien" collection from among other things used tobacco. I sort of like the idea to make the dirt from a plant that comes from the region.

Blessings & Peace
Green2Herman

[plantshaman]

thanks !  I wish i had some rustica but top or something will have to do

[fractal enchantment]

spraying a garlic tea has worked well for me :smoke1