After several years of virtually pest-free gardening, this Season our entire region has been hit by a "Triple-Whammy" of Aphids, Psyllids, and Tomato Russet Mites. While individually, natural Beneficials may have been able to control them, not so this year. The EarthTainer "Farm" went from Lush, to this today:

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Plants were healthy and robust a month ago, and most have been mauled by these three pests:

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After evaluating synthetic based Insecticides like Permethrin and their residual toxicities, I've written off using them and have found two candidate products that appear to be less lethal:

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They appear to be aimed at Aphids, Spider Mites, and Psyllids, (among other insects) and in the case of Take Down Garden Spray, may be used up until day of harvest, which was not at all the case with Permethrin.

Here is a summary of each:

Take Down Garden Spray is a mixture of pyrethrins and canola oil which can be used to control a wide range of insects during the dormant and growing seasons. The unique combination of pyrethrins and canola oil has a dual effect which helps to control both adult and juvenile insects.

Take Down Garden Spray will kill the following insect pests: aphids, beetles (including flea beetle, Japanese beetles, asparagus beetle) caterpillars (including gypsy moth caterpillars, tent caterpillars, leafrollers, diamond back moth larva) ants, mealy bugs, mites, leafhoppers, scale insects, whitefly, adelgids, plant bugs, fungus gnats, thrips, sawfly larva, psyllids, spittlebugs and phylloxera.

$15.00 Pint Concentrate

Azatrol is a broad spectrum botanical product for control of insects and mites on indoor and outdoor ornamental plants, shrubs, flowers, garden vegetables, fruit and nut trees. Azatrol offers an array of effects by acting as a repellent, anti-feedant, insect growth regulator and ovipositioning deterrent. As a molting inhibitor, it prevents insect larvae from developing into adults. Insects will feed less or not at all on treated foliage, ultimately starving to death, they will also fail to mature and reproduce. This complexity also makes it impossible for an insect's resistance to develop - Low odor and OMRI listed.

$58.00 Pint Concentrate

Since they appear to have different methods of killing off the pests, I am going to trial half of my (remaining) garden with each one, to see which is more effective.

While the Peppers and Cukes are doing well, I am noticing Psyllid "sugar" on the Pepper leaves, and some Aphids on the Cuke leaves:

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Coincidently, the local radio station said yesterday that this is the coolest Summer on Record in San Jose this year, going back more than 100 years. I am readying new seedlings to plant this coming week, as I should have a decent crop for the Fall. Let the Games begin....

Raybo