In my last update of the Pests and Bugs post, I wrote that I would follow up with some more insecticidal soap recipes. I have meanwhile tested one against leafhoppers with pretty good results.
In this post, I share the insecticidal soap recipe and introduce a new pest: the leafhoppers - showing photos of them and the damage they wreak.
In this post, I share the insecticidal soap recipe and introduce a new pest: the leafhoppers - showing photos of them and the damage they wreak.
Pests are unwelcome guests in any garden, but if I allow myself to feel and express any personal sentiments against the little buggers, Ieafhoppers will definitely be on top of my most loathsome pest list: they spread quickly, they move quickly, and they are more resilient than other pests.
Leafhoppers are small (approximately 0.5 to 1.5 cm long) wedge-shaped insects, they fly and hop, and feed off a wide variety of plants by piercing the leaves and sucking the sap. They run, hop, and fly readily. They also spread virus diseases which can often be more detrimental to the plant than the damage caused by their feeding.
References (check out this page for everything you could possibly need to know about leafhoppers) generally cite green, white, and yellow as the common colors for leafhoppers, the ones I encounter range in color from greyish white to dark brown and are striped or banded or sometimes spotted (leafhoppers belong to one of the largest plant-feeding insects - the Cicadellidae family, which includes a great number of species).
Leafhoppers cause stippling (yellow or colorless spotting) on the leaves they infest. The infested leaves lose vigor, more severe damage results in marginal chlorosis (yellowing and loss of color of the tips) and browning - commonly referred to as hopperburn. Infested leaves eventually wither and die.
The best way to control leafhoppers, and any pest for that matter, is prevention (read more about it here), cleanliness being the most important prevention measure: keep your plants and their surroundings clean. Regular water spraying will keep a number of pests which thrive in dry environments away, but you need to be persistent. Using a jet stream sprayer diligently twice a day and manual removal had kept the leafhoppers in check; however, being away for as little as four days allowed the infestation to spread rapidly.
Manual removal of the leafhoppers is a bit of a chore: they are not as stationary or slow moving as e.g. mealybugs, and following them into the more delicate plant parts can be tricky. This is why it is not the most reliable control method (but, by all means, whenever you spot any within reach, remove and squash them).
In addition to water spraying and manual removal (always focus on the underside of leaves), I have used a home-made soap insecticide with great effect. Here is the recipe:
The preparation of this recipe is simple: just mix all ingredients and strain them through a fine sieve or cheese cloth. One important note with regards to soap: be sure that you are using soap not detergent for any insecticidal soap. There are a number of cosmetic, and therefore, more expensive, brands in liquid form. I used the timeless Egyptian Naboulsy Shaheen (نابولسى شاهين) and the finer side of a vegetable grater to obtain soap powder of the needed amount, which was then readily soluble in water.
I obtained the oils and soap at a local traditional herbalist (عطار) - these stores are little treasure troves for similar useful ingredients and chemicals, and the vendors are often quite knowledgeable of the traditional uses of oils and herbs, so a little chat about your intended use of one or the other ingredient might introduce you to new possibilities.
I have used the above recipe quite successfully: I spray the plant every three days with it and so far it is keeping the leafhoppers away. It should be a very effective insecticide against mealybugs and aphids. Try it for these infestations, but always remember to test your plant's tolerance for it by applying the pesticide on a small area first.
Here's to pest-free growth!
Leafhoppers are small (approximately 0.5 to 1.5 cm long) wedge-shaped insects, they fly and hop, and feed off a wide variety of plants by piercing the leaves and sucking the sap. They run, hop, and fly readily. They also spread virus diseases which can often be more detrimental to the plant than the damage caused by their feeding.
References (check out this page for everything you could possibly need to know about leafhoppers) generally cite green, white, and yellow as the common colors for leafhoppers, the ones I encounter range in color from greyish white to dark brown and are striped or banded or sometimes spotted (leafhoppers belong to one of the largest plant-feeding insects - the Cicadellidae family, which includes a great number of species).
Leafhoppers cause stippling (yellow or colorless spotting) on the leaves they infest. The infested leaves lose vigor, more severe damage results in marginal chlorosis (yellowing and loss of color of the tips) and browning - commonly referred to as hopperburn. Infested leaves eventually wither and die.
The best way to control leafhoppers, and any pest for that matter, is prevention (read more about it here), cleanliness being the most important prevention measure: keep your plants and their surroundings clean. Regular water spraying will keep a number of pests which thrive in dry environments away, but you need to be persistent. Using a jet stream sprayer diligently twice a day and manual removal had kept the leafhoppers in check; however, being away for as little as four days allowed the infestation to spread rapidly.
Manual removal of the leafhoppers is a bit of a chore: they are not as stationary or slow moving as e.g. mealybugs, and following them into the more delicate plant parts can be tricky. This is why it is not the most reliable control method (but, by all means, whenever you spot any within reach, remove and squash them).
In addition to water spraying and manual removal (always focus on the underside of leaves), I have used a home-made soap insecticide with great effect. Here is the recipe:
1 l water
20 ml soap
5 ml lemon oil
10 drops hot sauce
2 drops garlic oil
The preparation of this recipe is simple: just mix all ingredients and strain them through a fine sieve or cheese cloth. One important note with regards to soap: be sure that you are using soap not detergent for any insecticidal soap. There are a number of cosmetic, and therefore, more expensive, brands in liquid form. I used the timeless Egyptian Naboulsy Shaheen (نابولسى شاهين) and the finer side of a vegetable grater to obtain soap powder of the needed amount, which was then readily soluble in water.
I obtained the oils and soap at a local traditional herbalist (عطار) - these stores are little treasure troves for similar useful ingredients and chemicals, and the vendors are often quite knowledgeable of the traditional uses of oils and herbs, so a little chat about your intended use of one or the other ingredient might introduce you to new possibilities.
I have used the above recipe quite successfully: I spray the plant every three days with it and so far it is keeping the leafhoppers away. It should be a very effective insecticide against mealybugs and aphids. Try it for these infestations, but always remember to test your plant's tolerance for it by applying the pesticide on a small area first.
Here's to pest-free growth!
