A solution against rose beetles?... Maybe!
The rose bush beetles' mischief!
Japanese beetles and rose chafers are a plague! They have been eating my fruit bushes every year for at least 8 years... enough to not have any fruit bushes left at all. Currant bushes, gooseberry bushes, cherry trees, they have all been ravaged by these pests.
I have tried everything: traps, baits, manual vacuuming early in the morning, soapy water, the dance of the natural predator, different types of soap, traps at our place and the neighbors', threatening them, intimidating them...
Nothing... They are not even bothered by the soap dripping on them...
But... Tonight, I am celebrating a possible unexpected victory against these pests!
I tested a repellent recipe last Wednesday (no effect) that I improved on Friday and ... it seems to be working! No more beetles in 24 hours!
I am sharing with you my recipe, easy, quick, safe, and not bad for the planet!
Don't forget, this is experimental, we are still observing the results, so use it with caution!
Here is what you need:
- Spray bottle container of 2 liters or more
- Liquid soap (dish soap, of your choice) (about 1/4 cup)
- Glycerin (vegetable or from the pharmacy, according to your preferences) (about 1 tbsp)
- Oil Lavender essential About 20-30 drops
- Water to fill.
Spray abundantly on the affected plants, especially under the leaves and on the stems, at sunset or at least one hour before sunrise.
Apply when the sun is completely set, otherwise the leaves will burn in the sun and the mixture will evaporate too quickly to affect the beetles.
General principle:
- The lavender is a natural repellent for several insects, and beetles do not appreciate (apparently) this smell. They will also not nibble on the leaves of lavender plants.
- Glycerin helps bind oils with water and soap to better coat the leaves (making them slippery), as well as to better retain the scent on the plant to be protected.
- Soap will simply make the leaf slippery and prevent beetles from landing on it. It also helps to better spread the repellent.
Thus, this is a repellentIt's a repellent, not an insecticide. And so far, it works better than anything I've tried (including neem oil) in recent years!