Japanese Beetles
Who can help this distressed reader out?
I have been writing Q&A for ten years, and it is rare that I don’t come up with some kind of an answer. I am offering an overgrown cactus from my collection for the best original answer to the problem, short of paving the yard.
— Adele Kleine
The letter reads:
“I live in Arlington Heights and this year the Japanese beetles are HORRIBLE. I treat my lawn for grubs in spring and fall. This year I treated during July with a 24-hour kill treatment as well because I was desperate. I have lots of blooms and the beetles are on everything from roses to weeds. My Boston ivy has swarms of beetles living in it. The leaves are stripped and skeletons are left of the leaf. I have been told not to use the bags because you attract your neighbor’s beetles, but I cannot see how I could have more than I have had this year. Next year I will be using them. I used a Raid spray that was safe for plants, but it burned my chest so bad that I had to go to the doctor. Now I am just picking and smashing three times a day Now they are mating, or at least it looks like it because a small bug is on top of a bigger one. The spray helped some, a lot more than the organic stuff, which is like sugar water . I will treat my lawn again in the fall. Has anyone else had this much of a serious problem in their yard this year? Does anyone have any ideas that I haven’t thought of ? When do these beetles go back in the ground? I thought it was now, mid-August. Please advise ASAP.
I, too, live in Arl. Hts. I've struggled with grubs that have devastated my lawn for years. I've had it treated, I've done the treatment myself all with small results. Next year I will try the beneficial nematodes. This year the beetles haven't attacked anything but my roses and seem to enjoy my two Knockout bushes best. I sprayed without much success and also went to the grab and smash method. In addition to saving my roses I had the release of my frustration on these destructive (but oddly beautiful)beetles. I am reluctant to use anything more powerful than an insecticidal soap as I enjoy the bees, wasps and other beneficial insects that inhabit my garden. So, no, I don't have a better solution and not here to win the cactus, just wanted to commiserate with fellow gardeners.
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If you have a sprayer, try a tablespoon of Murphy's Oil Soap mixed with plain tap water. I have to repeat spraying about every 2 weeks or so but I have had a significant decrease in damage!
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We have given up on ridding our yard of the Japanese Beetles. We have been removing the plants that are severely damaged and replacing with plants that do not get damaged.
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Diane- Thank you for your reply. Misery loves company. Adele
Sandy Bailey -Thank you for your reply.Murphys oil soap is listed for as an organic pesticide, for a number of pests.but you must be persistent. It's worth trying.
Merle, Thank you for your reply. I have seleted your comment as the winner, because in the long run it will be best to not plant beetle magnets, just as I don't plant tulips for the deer to eat.
Not every p[lant is for everybody. It will be easy for Texaschar to rip off the ivy. Can you send me a list of plants you grow that beetles will not eat? I should think all our readers could use such a list. I would like to know in what zone you garden. We will have to make arrange ments for you to receive my cactus. Write me at ak1560.com 31485
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I just viewed the blog 9/23. I don't remember what the prize is. However, I live west of Chicago 100 miles, zone 5, although last winter was tough on several plants and my prize Paper Bark Maple tree really took a hit. Only a small portion has leaves. It looks bad but we are going to give it another winter and see what happens.
I hope this comment is in the correct place for the moderator. Please email with any info.
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We're out in Park Forest, IL, 35 miles
south of Chicago. Our Japanese beetles were very bad 4 yrs ago. The co-op I'm
in had to take out all the rose of sharon plants as the Japanese beetles loved and shredded them. They don't seem so enthusiastic about flowers with
long stems and not blossoms like cardinal flowers, Russian sage. If you grow roses and hibiscus you must pick them off a lot.
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