Growing Place offers tips for combatting Japanese beetles
Submitted July 19, 2011 1:20PM
July has brought the annual onslaught of Japanese beetle. | Submitted by Heather Prince
Updated: November 8, 2011 12:33AM
You might have noticed on your rose bushes a cluster of coppery metallic beetles munching away on the leaves and flowers. July has brought the annual onslaught of Japanese beetle. This insect feeds on more than 300 varieties of plants, including roses, vegetables, berries, linden, elm and birch trees.
How do we deal with this garden invader?
Recent research has found that the flowers of the zonal geranium (Pelargonium zonale) are deadly to Japanese beetles. The bright, colorful blossoms are very attractive, but they contain compounds that can temporarily paralyze the beetles. This allows predators to move in and finish them off. Work is being done to isolate these chemicals and use them to create a botanical control method.
Until then, Doris Taylor, manager of the Morton Arboretum plant clinic, recommends, if you have a small number of beetles, hunting them early in the morning when they are sluggish. When threatened, Japanese beetles fall straight down, so simply hold a container of soapy water beneath them while tapping the leaf or flower on which they are feeding. There are also a number of insecticides available, but be careful not to apply them in weather above 85 degrees as they may damage your plants.
Heather Prince, The Growing Place, 630-355-4000, www.thegrowingplace.com
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