How can I keep bugs off of my flowers?

We have so many Japanese beetles on our hibiscus this year and any time a new flower opens it's instantly attacked by the bugs. What are so home remedies I can use to repel against them? Thanks so much!! :)

How can I keep bugs off of my flowers?
Hello



Your best bet would be to dust it with an organic Rotenone dust. Rotenone is made from plant oils that are poisonous to insects but to to us. Keep it dusted every 10-14 days and after very very heavy rains. This will either kill the beetles if they take a bite out of the foliage and blossoms or prevent them from even landing on the plant.



Greenman
Reply:Don't know of any home remedies for Japanese beetles, they are determined little things with no natural enemies in the states.

You can try a dish soap and water solution and spray the leaves, or do it the easy way...go to lowe's, home depot, wal-mart, etc. and buy a Japanese beetle trap/system.
Reply:They hate garlic. Someone on the gardenweb forum found a garlic-flavored olive oil spray in their cupboard and lightly sprayed their basil plants with it, %26amp; it got rid of the beetles.



Garlic spray:

Use up two cloves of garlic and a hot pepper in a pint of water. Strain, add a drop each of liquid Ivory soap and vegetable oil %26amp; spray on plants early in the morning or when it cool out.



You can also use a neem-based product to get rid of the beetles.



Some people position a bowl filled with soapy water (or oil) under the plant and tap lightly. They should fall out and drown in the solution. This procedure seems to be most effective in the morning or evening when the beetles are resting



Landscape with plants that are known to actively repel the adults, white mums, rue, tansy, larkspur, garlic, citronella.



Long-term prevention for Japanese Beetles is biological controls such as beneficial nematodes or a product called "milky spore," which attack the grubs, and prevent recurrence for years.



Mix in a Gallon of water:

1Tablsp liquid Ivory soap

1Tablsp cooking oil (or Horticultural oil)

1Tablsp hot Tabasco sauce

I haven't tried this on hibiscus, so I recommend starting with only 1 Tablesp of each of the oil %26amp; soap. You can go up to 2 Tablsp each if you test it on a leaf or flower first, %26amp; do this when it's cooler out. The sun can make the spray too concentrated %26amp; cause burning. Try to hit the Beetles because it works best when the oil coats the insects.
Reply:just enjoy the beetles instead



they are very beautiful up close



predators for them will arrive in time