This set of forums is an archive of our old CGI-Based forum platform (UBB.Classic) that was never imported to our current forum (UBB.threads); as such, no new postings or registrations are allowed here.

Please instead direct all questions and postings to the our current forum here.
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#31964 June 28th, 2005 at 08:52 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
LMT Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jun 2005
I have three issues but to keep from bumping other threads I'll put them all here.

1) Raspberries: Some primocanes (first year canes) on my everbearing plants are wilting/dying. Not all plants have canes in this condition and no plant is severely effected. My assumption is that there is too much fruit and foliage for the plant to sustain so it is sacrificing some of it's primocanes to maintain health and vigor to it's floricanes and their fruit.

2) Water: It's been hot (80's-90's) and dry here so I have watered either daily or every other day. I watered Sunday and Tuesday (this morning) and on both occasions, while it looks bone dry, the ground is quickly saturated. My assumption is that I have moist soil just a couple inches under the surface. (I'll test tomorrow, if it doesn't rain tonight.) If this is the case I assume I should back off a bit, especially on some of the larger and/or deeper feeding plants.

3) Japanese Beetles: I have a pair feeding on my Raspberries plants. I've read that I can snatch them off the leaf and toss them into some soapy water (best done early or late in the day) and that might take care of the problem. The theory, I suppose, is that by killing off the first to arrive you may prevent others from finding you. The buggers aren't out of the ground long so the problem is short lived.

#31965 June 28th, 2005 at 09:00 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
B
Junior Member
Offline
Junior Member
B
Joined: Oct 2004
Regarding japanese beetles:
If you only have "a pair" of beetles eating your plants you're lucky. If they're only just starting to come out of the ground you can count on a lot more! Last year I had a ton of beetles eating the leaves of my plants. I'm not sure if they actually damage the plants or the fruit yield (does anybody know?), but they put lots of holes in the leaves. Last summer I used the "toss into soapy water" technique with success...but more come back. A gentle tap on the leaf will send the beetle rolling into your soapy water, and they seem sleepiest in the morning. I finally put down milky spore in my lawn this spring for a long-term (10-15 years) solution. I hope this helps.
Brendan (VT)

#31966 June 28th, 2005 at 09:06 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
O
Member
Offline
Member
O
Joined: Apr 2004
Sudden wilting of the tips of raspberry or blackberry canes indicates raspberry caneborers. Look closely at the canes and you may see 2 rows of punctures about 1 inch apart at the tip of the cane. An egg is layed between the 2 rows of punctures.

To destroy the larva, cut off the wilted tips below the lower row of punctures and burn them.

I've been spraying my raspberries, grapes, and rugosa roses with pyola and Surround to try to repel Japanese Beetles. So far I haven't seen any. Garden's Alive has both of these products, but I can get Surround locally for much cheaper--$25 for a 25 pound bag instead of a 5 pound bag from Garden's Alive for the same price.

#31967 June 28th, 2005 at 10:26 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
LMT Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Thanks for the help.

I removed the tops of the affected canes (4 total) but the damage wasn't consistant with Raspberry Cane Borers.

(scroll down for photo)

The damage was consistant with another pest, the Raspberry Cane Maggot.

(no photo but description is best match)


It appears the only difference in treatment is the amount of cane to be removed.

--

I'll check into surround if the beetles increase.

Joined: Jun 2005
LMT Offline OP
Member
OP Offline
Member
Joined: Jun 2005
I backed off the water and virtually everything looks much better as a result. I got rid of three beetles but now have two more.

The real issue. I have two more canes in dire straits wink . It appears to be inconsistant with cane borer, cane maggot and root rot. It might be consistant with winter damage. The damage manifests in late spring to early summer.

Specificly, one of the primocanes only has dried up leaves on the southwest side. It's the western most primo growing and only the leaves facing southwest are wilted. The body of the cane is green and clean and the leaves on the "shaded and wind sheltered" side are nice and green.

From what I've read they need to be pruned/removed because a weakened cane is an open invitation to more problems but I'm wondering ... winter damage that's showing up months later? I'm gonna stay on it but right now that's my new best guess.

The damage showed up on the weaker, less vigorous, plants first and the two canes in question are on the strongest. (Most fruit, 5+' primo's.) Winter damage/heat stress results in lower yield. Last year I had no yield because I planted them in the spring so I lack a key tell.

Joined: Jul 2005
Member
Offline
Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Hi! I'm new here. I also have problems with Japanese Beetles. The mikly spore is good, but if neighbors don't us it, you will still have a problem.

They eat my marigolds, and bagonias, but their favorite is blossoms from my beautiful 15' rose-o-sharon tree. The only thing I've found to control them is seven-5 dust. I put it in a pump duster and dust the plants after every rain, when the leaves have dried.

I used a trap once, and filled it every day - millions! I think I just drew them to my yard.

I'm still looking for an organic solution to go with the milky spore, but haven't found anything yet.

By the way, the milky spore should be applied 3 times in the first season and once or twice the second season. Then you only have to do it every 3 years or so.

Good luck!


Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.015s Queries: 25 (0.008s) Memory: 0.7504 MB (Peak: 0.8174 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 09:39:47 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS