Killing Bugs on Fruit/Veg

Martynt74

Martynt74

Martynt74

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2004
Posts
23,614
Location
Hondon de las Nieves, Spain
When we moved into the house, there were a couple of Raspberry bushes. They seem to explode like wildfire during the summer. Last year i think they still produced fruit in November!

Usually we're very lazy and don't pick them and the birds end up eating them. However this year i've tried to make more effort with them for porridge. What i've noticed though, is that when i pick them and leave them in a bowl, i end up with a lot of bugs . If i soak the bowl in water they all float to the top.

It doesn't bother me too much (free protein right :p), however my wife pretty much refuses to eat them, after i rinsed some to within an inch of their life, and yet she still had little bugs crawling on her plate.

She has a few medical issues so is affected more than most by chemicals etc, and so i wondered what people use to try and spray the plants with to kill off bugs and how often you're supposed to do it?
 
I would advise against pesticides. They are really only short term and harm the biodiversity.

I know its difficult but trying to work out what the bugs are is a good start.

The other suggestion is to give them an alternate source. Called companion planting, so its either something they will prefer, or something that will discourage the bugs.
But really you want to know what bugs your having an issue with.

Of all the stuff I grow I find raspberries well down the list of things that bugs like.

I wonder if they could be aphids, any sign of ants on the raspberry canes?
If they are aphids and ants are involved you will not kill the aphids off without getting rid of the ants.
Its unlikely, the leaves are a bit tough for aphids to be happy but if they are being forced by ants its possible.
 
I'll try and get some pictures, generally they're just really small things.

Googling it, could they be Raspberry beetles? Certainly look like they could be based on the picture. Small, brown things and would explain it as you don't see much on the surface, they only appear when you pick the raspberry and then see them emerge.
 
Last edited:
Soap or fatty acid sprays you can buy made up don't use regular insecticides on anything you're going to eat assuming you can actually buy anything of the kind they're almost all banned these days. Can sympathise though was eating a home grown lettuce last night and noticed something crawling out of it haha

Last year i think they still produced fruit in November!
Click to expand...

Sounds like an autumn fruiting variety
 
Last edited:
Blackjack Davy said:
Soap or fatty acid sprays you can buy made up don't use regular insecticides on anything you're going to eat assuming you can actually buy anything of the kind they're almost all banned these days. Can sympathise though was eating a home grown lettuce last night and noticed something crawling out of it haha



Sounds like an autumn fruiting variety
Click to expand...
just had same with fresh peas wife started rinsing with water and salt ...apparently i only used water ? its the salt supposed to help. to me just adds taste?
 
Tiny amount of washing up liquid with water is worth a go. Though realistically eating them all yourself instead of the wife is best.

If aphids are under the leaves, you can attach ant specific tape to the bottom of the stem and tie round with string.

If the plants are healthy i'd just soak the berries as you do now, but use sieve after for additional flushing.

Certainly no chemical treatment for home grown stuff imo
 
gc123 said:
just had same with fresh peas wife started rinsing with water and salt ...apparently i only used water ? its the salt supposed to help. to me just adds taste?
Click to expand...
Yes it flushes them out (they really don't like salt water) and mildly insecticidal (don't put it on your plants outside though)

n.b. lettuces are doing well this year had a radicchio last night full size crisp very nice and no creepy crawlies this time and the tomatoes have grown three feet in the space of a month, french beans are picking and the runners won't be long now
 
Last edited:
I have a bottle of BugFree Bug and Larvae Killer at home which I use on various plants and mini strawberry plants, claims to be safe for fruting plants & better for the environment.
Seemed to do a good job on the aphids, greenfly and other critters invading the buddleia & rose bushes this year
 
Last edited:
Had an obscene amount of caterpillars last year.

Banned brassica growing this year and just like that, the cabbage whites didn't fancy it anymore.

Instead we have onions and garlic which apparently nothing eats :p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom