Landscaping: Japanese Beetles are eating my new knock out roses!!!! HELP

Replies: 31 Views: 354

Author	Comment
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 10, 2009 08:43 AM	Japanese Beetles are eating my new knock out roses!!!! **HELP ** Now I hear they'll be here for months and will eat my newly planted crepe myrtles. What to do??? Would the Bayer Advanced, All-In-One, actually work?
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 10, 2009 09:41 AM	Check what the label says--pesticides have to list what insects they're effective against.
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 10, 2009 10:46 AM	The label says it will kill the Japanese Beetle. I applied the Bayer Advanced All-In-One on May 12, when I planted the knock outs. The container is not specific as to how much to put in per gallon of water. ( Unless I'm living in a fog, or can't read, and totally missed it every time I've read the container. I even went to the web site.) I put one full capful in a two gallon watering can and watered the roots of my ginger lilies(about a 10 foot row), a chindo virburnum, and these two knock out roses. The label says it will feed 16 roses. Did I stretch it too far? I was considering hunting down the pellet Bayer Advanced All-In-One for my Crepe Myrtles. Has anyone used this product successfully?
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 10, 2009 11:00 PM	The dilution directions are on the label that they have on their website http://www.bayeradvanced.com/media/productlabel/pgAllInOneRF... so I presume they're on the bottle as well (legally I believe they're required to be there). Some products that have lots of instructions & precautions will have those fold out labels where you have to peel part of it back and then a bunch more pages will fold out--maybe that's why you missed it on yours? It says for roses that 4 tbsp in a quart of water will treat one plant, or for flowerbeds 4 tbsp in 2 gallons will treat 12 sq ft of garden bed.
huggergirl Columbia City, IN (Zone 5b) June 11, 2009 08:10 AM	Whatever you do DONT USE A JAPANESE BEETLE TRAP,OMG,I suffered for years after we used them ,all it did was lure millions of jb s to our yard ,what a horrible product to sell .Youd think well it trapped all these beetles,well the females most likely lay eggs before they get to the trap,sooo,Its one of those things to good to be true.
Lynnie6868 (Zone 5b) June 11, 2009 10:35 AM	I agree Huggergirl, we attracted beetles with those traps. It's best to get 'em while they are larvae in the soil...blech! I just planted 3 roses, a William Baffin climber (which I have yet to figure out how to tie to the trellis) and 2 double pink knockouts...I would be pretty sore about beetles too Mightyscott! It has rained here since I planted...I hope we don't have a whole summer of rain again!
huggergirl Columbia City, IN (Zone 5b) June 11, 2009 09:21 PM	lynnie6868,YOU SAID IT ALL,get em underground !!!
mannyhan Machesney Park, IL June 12, 2009 09:17 AM	Every year I have same problem. They seem to love my roses, basil, grape vines and pretty much anything thing that is fragrant. I heard that there is a chemical treatment that you apply in early spring that will turn the leaves bitter which will keep these @$)!)$!)!)@)!@)#$($&%#&YY@# away. Since I am against chemicals in my garden I am going to try neem oil and praying mantes this year. As for getting them while they are still at their grub stage does it really cut them down? Wouldn't they just fly over from your neighbor’s yard? I applied milky spore and beneficial nematodes this year but mostly to make sure they don't destroy my lawn or plants. Anyone else had success with getting these ^^%&^%$#@#$&$*#(@ off their garden?
huggergirl Columbia City, IN (Zone 5b) June 12, 2009 03:42 PM	Have they had good success with milky spore yet, I know they were having shelf life problems with it,if it works Iam sure you will see some benifits this year,unforunately,I resorted to lawn insecticide,applied first week of june.I had maybe 6 JBs last yr,we will see what this season brings!!!!
Lynnie6868 (Zone 5b) June 12, 2009 09:14 PM	One year we had swarms of Japanese beetles, it was so bad if we went outside at night they'd be on us when we came in the house, then start flying around the house. My husband uses fertilizer with Merit in it and that seems to do the trick, we've had no real problems with them since. He says he applies it when they're active...July here, probably sooner where you are.
JulieQ Cullman, AL (Zone 7b) June 12, 2009 09:48 PM	One year we paid someone a ton of money to treat the lawn and the next year the beetles were just as bad as ever. Then the following year (after no lawn treatment) they were a LOT better. Go figure. I wonder if they may be cyclical. (?)
flowerjen central, NJ (Zone 6b) June 12, 2009 11:51 PM	They do run in cycles. Milky spore takes a couple years for complete control but you can use beneficial nematodes(they die off in the winter) for the summer to get the grubs. We had a problem in the NE last year..here's all the info I collected Info on neem http://www.neem-products.com/neem-benefits.html JB info Japanese beetles can feed on about 300 species of plants, ranging from roses to poison ivy. Odor and location in direct sun seem to be very important factors in plant selection. The beetles usually feed in groups, starting at the top of a plant and working downward. While a single beetle doesn't eat much; group feeding by many causes severe damage. Adults feed on the upper surface of foliage, chewing out tissue between the veins. This gives the leaf a characteristic skeletonized appearance. Japanese beetles can fly as far as 5 miles but 1 to 2 miles is more likely. Usually, they make only short flights as they move about to feed. Local infestations spread as beetles move to favored food and egg-laying sites. Insecticides for Japanese Beetle Control Many insecticides are labeled for Japanese beetle control on landscape plants. Examples include acephate (Orthene Turf, Tree & Ornamental Insecticide), carbaryl (Sevin and many other brand names), cyfluthrin (Bayer Advanced Garden Multi-Insect Killer Concentrate), lambda-cyhalothrin (Spectracide® Triazicide® Soil & Turf Insect Killer Concentrate), esfenvalerate (Ortho Bug-B-Gon Garden & Landscape Insect Killer Concentrate), and permethrin (Spectracide® Bug Stop Multi-Purpose Insect Control Concentrate and many other brands). Neem extracts (Bon-Neem) deter Japanese beetle feeding but may not be adequate against high populations. Direct spray applications of insecticidal soap kills Japanese beetles on contact but does not provide any residual protection. Here are some points to keep in mind when using insecticides for beetle control - Japanese beetle flight is greatest on clear days with temperatures between 84o and 95o F and winds less than 12 miles per hour. This can bring new beetles into your landscape to challenge any control program that you may have. When these conditions exist, check plants frequently to see if beetles are starting to feed again. A few beetles on plants, or some moderate damage, will bring in more. Japanese beetles apparently produce aggregation pheromones that will attract more males and females to feed and find potential mates. In addition, volatile odors from damaged plants may attract more beetles. These conditions also can keep beetle numbers high. Keeping numbers and damage low can mean fewer new arrivals. Japanese beetles begin to feed at the tops of plants and move down as defoliation occurs. This makes damage obvious, in terms of brown leaves and esthetic damage, but also can pose coverage problems on large trees. Hose end sprayers may allow applications to reach the target but spray drift and applicator exposure are potential problems.
gcorrier Lenoir City, TN June 17, 2009 09:47 PM	Folks what I did when I had the problem was to put traps up but put them in areas that are over grown. Areas like neighborhood common grounds ie. flood plains. Pasture fields near the home,power line easements etc. Property far enough away to lure the beetles from your property but close enough to be effective. I would hang one bag with the bottom cut out then put a five gallon bucket (with lid on loosely) cut a hole in bucket lid for bag bottom to fit into. Hang trap with bottom of bag in bucket. Empty bucket into a trash bag every couple days. By the way this makes a great gift for the guy down the block, you know the one that speeds in and out of the neighborhood every day with his radio so loud it rattles the windows in your house.Just what I did and now I am lucky to see a half dozen a year. Give them a squish manually.
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 21, 2009 04:06 PM	Wow!!! The Bayer All In One is working!!! No more JB's on my knock outs!!!!! The crepe myrtles are starting to bloom, we'll see what happens when I return in a month!
XMelissaX Indianapolis, IN (Zone 5b) June 23, 2009 12:34 AM	I used the Japanese Beetle bags and didn't really have a problem with them. I already had a 'million' beetles anyway. The bag trapped quite a few of them and prevented them from destroying the leaves on all my plants without having to use chemical pesticides that would kill/harm bees, other beneficial insects, and my hummingbirds. I could be wrong about this, but my understanding was the bags attracted the male beetles to help slow the reproductive cycle. I've seen two beetles this year and don't recall seeing any grubs as I was planting. I used chemicals in the past (without the bag), but they still came back year after year. They were attacted to my yard prior to using the bags. I don't want to get rid of the plants that attract them, so the bags were a good solution for me.
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 23, 2009 03:17 PM	Is this systemic approach, Bayer Advanced All-In-One, a killer? Or does it make the plant less attractive to some insects and birds?
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 23, 2009 03:37 PM	It gets absorbed into the plants' tissues and will kill insects that munch on the plant. It doesn't have any repellent properties (at least not that I know of).
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 24, 2009 04:00 AM	Will it kill the hummingbirds?
dathen W of Cleveland, OH (Zone 5a) June 25, 2009 10:25 AM	Thats a good question. I e-mailed Bayer and asked - if I get an answer I'll let you know. Somehow I doubt that they'd put out a product that kills hummingbirds without getting an awful lot of grief from an awful lot of people. I use it on my knock-out roses - 2 tbsp per quart of water - only 3 times a year and it seems to keep them insect free.
dathen W of Cleveland, OH (Zone 5a) June 25, 2009 02:45 PM	This is the answer that I received from Bayer: "The Bayer Advanced All in One Rose and Flower Care is not harm to birds, bees, or butterflies." Thats good to know.
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) June 26, 2009 10:14 PM	THANK YOU!!!! I feel better!
Lynnie6868 (Zone 5b) June 27, 2009 09:01 AM	It finally stopped raining so I went out & looked at my roses....guess what I had to run right out & buy?? Bayer All In One! Boy did this thread come in handy! I'm going to apply it today.
Drag0nW1ng Warner Robins, GA June 27, 2009 03:53 PM	If you like to garden environmentall friendly, try Milky Weed Spore. It is the only EPA approved natural insecticide. You can get reasonable over the internet and it stays active in your garden for about 7-10 years. It will kill the grubs, not the adults. usually hand picking the adults off is the best way.
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 27, 2009 05:30 PM	Actually it's just milky spore, not milky weed spore--that ought to help when searching for it. There are also beneficial nematodes that will deal with the grubs as well, definitely worth trying one of those two to help manage future generations.
Lynnie6868 (Zone 5b) June 28, 2009 11:28 AM	thanks, guys, I'll look into those products. I assume nematodes are some kind of bug? I'm pretty squeamish with creepy crawlies but I'll check them out....I do prefer environmentally friendly ways over chemicals.
ecrane3 Dublin, CA (Zone 9a) June 28, 2009 12:38 PM	Nematodes are like very tiny worms--I don't think you can even see them they're so small.
GZUSrocks Fishers, IN (Zone 5b) July 30, 2009 11:08 AM	I recently stumbled across a website that is all about getting rid of pesty things naturally, as I am. I have Japanese Beetles that are eating the heck out of my roses. I had so many in bloom last year. This year as soon as one starts to bud the JB is on it. The leaves look terrible, etc. I have always heard of the soup method to rid JB and usually a couple doses of that would rid them. This year, I guess I have to many, or to much rain. Indiana as not been lacking for rain this year for sure. The mixture is: 1 1/2 gal. warm water, 3 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 2 squirts dish soap, a little under a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, shake, spray plant. They don't like the smell, if they eat the leaf, it is hot, and the oil and soap stick to the plant. It doesn’t smell too good, but it worked. It is all natural (if you use natural soap). By the way, rabbits do not like the cayenne pepper either. I have also heard they do not like hair from a house pet (like a dog). I have brushed my chow and taken her hair and placed it out around my vegetable garden to ward off the rabbits. I don't know if it worked, but I didn't have them eating on my veggies, and I had no fences. And at that time I didn't know about the cayenne pepper either. By the way here is the link to the website I stumbled across dkmommyspot.com Best of gardening to all
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) July 31, 2009 06:25 PM	Thanks for the tip! I did use the Bayer Advanced and the darn JB's have left my roses alone. I'll keep your recipe for next year, and take a peek at the website. No pet hair to spread around, I'd use my DH's but his dome is shiny!!!!!
flowers_delight Leicester, NC (Zone 8a) August 23, 2009 01:34 PM	mighty scott, good luck on getting rid of these pests, I lost my garden,fruit trees,and grape vines to these varmits a couple of years ago. I tried everything. I read that milky spore is good but to treat even an acre is costly. Once the slugs get into the ground it will take a couple of years for them to work their cycle and be gone which I have found out that has come true. I feel for you as I never have felt so helpless in getting rid of a problem. Good news is the trees are starting to come back to life and the grape vine looked great this year. Don't try to garden while this is going on they will eat it all.
clpgirl Chippewa Lake, OH August 27, 2009 06:22 PM	I live across the street from a 'natural' park, i.e.mowed but no chemicals used, with a large lake on the other side. Earlier this summer I saw a small tree in the park that looked alive with JB's. I figured it was a matter of hours before they 'jumped the road." Bayer did little for the investation that arrived, however carefully placed traps, emptied frequently, have been A+++++. With the happy wild uncontrolled population across the street, I may still try to control gubs,however I'm a bit sceptical about how much assistance this will provide. I placed the traps very, very far away from my roses, and hollyhocks-more of less at the apex of a triangle, with the closest bed 30 ft away, farthest around 50, near the road. I can occasionally smell the bait from my patio, and the traps do seem to divert them before they reach my beds. My rose bed is acually on the other side of the garage about 60+ feet away, but the traps appear to interrupt their travel schedule.The directions said specifically to place the traps upwind from the area you wish protected. I think this is key, and I tried various locations to intercept their flight patterns. Good luck! Other than the disgusting task of emplying the bags-sometimes full and hanging to the ground in 2 DAYS, I can't believe the drop in population immediately after placing the traps around 6 weeks ago. I rarely see any beetles now though the park continues to have a healthy population.
mightyscott Belmont, NC (Zone 7b) August 29, 2009 09:36 AM	I may have just been lucky, but it seems the Bayer worked. My knock-out roses have been full of lovely blushing pink blooms since I planted them. The JB's have been gone for awhile now. We'll see 'bout next year.
clpgirl Chippewa Lake, OH August 30, 2009 10:50 AM	Good for YOU!!!! My hybrids have been blooming all summer, and knockouts are just full of buds right now. Hopefully, the infestation is past!!!!

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