Surround at Home

Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b)

Hi All:

Last year many of our crops were absolutely devstated by Japanese beetles. They devoured every single bean plant we had.

I plan on fighting them vigourously this year. I using 4 o' Clocks and some potions I saw posted here as deterrents. I also plan to grow some bush benas under row covers as well.


Gardens Alive carries a product called Surround at Home. Apparently it puts a powdery residue on the plant which the beetles don't like. Has anyone here used it?
My only concern with it would be that my wife sells some of the produce to people on her job and at a little roadside stand. The directions say it has to be washed off but I don't know if it can cause any problems.

Thanks
BB

Monroe, NC(Zone 7b)

If it is the same product, Surround is used pretty often in Agriculture. It is white. I have seen it most commonly used on grapes in CA to deter Glassy Winged Sharpshooters. They say that it confuses the bugs so they don't know if that plant is appropriate for feeding or reproducing and perhaps they will just move on to a better place. I think they get pretty good results. I think it is pretty much non-toxic...just white. It might even be OMRI approved organic because I know an apple grower in NC who uses it on his organic apples to deter insects. He says he gets OK results. If the veggies are for a farmers market, they might not like the white residue though. They might think it is something bad.

Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7b)

Thanks

You might want to read this-
http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/fea508.html

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