red lily beetle

[Skyhook]

As a professional gardener it is quite hard to avoid pesticides unless you have masses of time to dedicate to the gardens you work in. When these 'experts' come up with a bee safe pesticide that works as well as provado then I'll switch to it. By the way I'm not one of these with a knapsack and spray a whole garden just in case I spray individual plants if they are showing signs of pests. I've just taken on a 40 foot by 50 foot allotment inside a Victorian walled garden that is a solid mass of couch grass (I filled 2 bin bags from a 6x1 foot row) and its an organic site so I can't kill it off with weed killer and when I eventually plant it up I'm not allowed to use pesticides.

I understand that, I'm in a similar position myself. However it is worth looking at alternatives- if you use a pyrethroid-based spray, while probably not up to Brossy's standards, it is less persistent and travels less through the plant, so can be used as a quick kill for THOSE pests THERE, with less risk of collateral damage.

 

[Luminos]

The best way is provado ultimate bug killer, as a gardener with over 20 gardens on my rounds I'm not able to dedicate the time to individually picking off insects I have to rely on companion planting, traps and chemicals. I'm not sure if provado affects bees as its a systemic pesticide, I use it on dahlias for greenfly and blackfly, Lilly's for Lilly beetles I also use it on some veggies but I pref not to.

http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/en/data/Products/p/Provado-Ultimate-Bug-Killer-Ready-to-Use.aspx

Not an option for me, as I don't use herbicides or pesticides.
I have to manage ~ 17 acres without...

 

[midlandgardencare]

As a daily method in your own garden you could try spraying soapy water (fairy, percil etc) as there's something in it that some insects dislike. I'm not sure if armillatox is bee friendly but its damn good stuff on roses against black spot, mildew and can be used as a lawn and hard surface moss killer, it also helps protect vunerable shrubs against honey fungus.

 

[mocko 10]

If you are picking off by hand dont forget to put your other hand underneath as the blighters drop off as soon as they are disturbed.