Bugs Galore

We have been plagued in the hothouse by bugs, that seemed to resist our regular spraying attempts. These tiny mothers lay eggs in flower buds, and new leaves, and the result is a lot of damaged flowers and very low productivity. Very frustrating.

The advisor that we used visited yesterday and was really amazed at the damage done. He rates things from 1 = mild damage, to 5 = severe. He crossed 5 out and indicated it was far worse. No number given. Recommended another spray. It is far more toxic and no doubt will destroy our good bugs. We prefer to use good bugs to kill off some of the predators we get in the Gerberas, so will just have to purchase some more shortly. After we've got rid of this moth and the damage and when all the toxins have been flushed out of the plants.

We cannot pick tomorrow - our normal picking day, as we cannot go near or in the hothouse for 24 hours + - because of the spray.

Apparently during the spraying the moths were falling over dead. Instantly.

Weather woes

Gerberas love bright sunny hot days! We've had warm, often cloudy, humid days, and in fact inconsistent weather which they don't like. We are still fighting agains the little brown apple moth that has infested the place and we are still losing too many flowers.

They get in and burrow (that is the caterpiller) into the flower. They eat bits of the petals, and sometimes drag the petal over them. In any case the flowers are useless to us.

We've had lots of "seconds" so that is disappointing. The flower business is a bit slow after Christmas so it is not so bad for us. I guess at this time of the year many folk are concerned about their spending over the festive season, and for parents with school children they are bracing for the cost of returning to school.

We've upped the spraying and continuing with the de leafing as the moths find it easier to hide from the spray in the dense foliage. We've had a few patches of spider mite too, but that has been dealt with.