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There are four practical steps on how to kill thrips. First, you have to know exactly what they are and what they want. Second, you have to see the signs that they are indeed there. Third, you have to address these early signs immediately. Last but not least, you have to find a long-term solution to get rid of them.
What Thrips Are and What They Want
Ranging from grass thrips and onion thrips to so-called “oat bugs” or grain thrips, these one-millimeter insects are a boon to greenhouse and garden growers in warmer climates. Garden thrips suck on plant juice and discolor leaves, irreparably damaging leaves, deforming flowers, and spotting fruits. They reportedly bite and cause rashes. All the more reason for you to know how to kill thrips! They are associated with the tomato-wilt virus and necrotic spot virus which contribute to disease and decay. These pests are very prolific and multiply rapidly much to your dismay.
Signs of Thrip Damage
Early into your gardening, you have to devise on ways how to kill thrips. With thrips barely visible to the human eye, organic gardeners have to decipher early signs of thrip damage with an eye for detail and a magnifying glass. Be wary of puncture-like marks on leaves and a splotchy or speckled appearance especially near the tips of plants. Thrips are unusually attracted to the colors pink and blue. They naturally gravitate towards vegetables like onions, beans, and squash and to flowers like gladioli and petunias.
Early Prevention versus Thrips
Thrips hide among weeds and seek shelter in nooks. One early move would be to clean the perimeter of your greenhouse and get rid of weeds in your garden. Dispose of plants which have suspiciously wilted, and don’t use them as compost due to diseases they may carry on to your healthy plants. Some greenhouse gardeners also observe a period in which to restore their greenhouse before returning their plants indoors.
The good news is that they naturally find biological enemies in nematodes and pink-spotted ladybugs who know how to kill thrips, so choose sprays which are not harmful to these garden helpers. Put pink or blue sticky traps near closely-colored vegetables in your garden and near vents and doors in your greenhouse.
Management and Control
Thrips will invade your organic garden or greenhouse repeatedly. Unless you find a long-term solution on how to kill thrips, the task will be quite exasperating. Use neem oil or insecticidal soaps to wash off your plants, and supplement this with organic, pyrethrin-based sprays which keep fruits and vegetables fresh and edible. A stronger dose would be professional-strength permethrin insecticides, but these are only recommended for trees and shrubs.
Step Ahead Against Thrips
Thrips are evasive pests which are very damaging to organic gardens and greenhouses. They are carriers of disease-causing viruses for which there are no known cures. The best way on how to kill thrips is to be a step ahead in controlling and preventing them from invading your garden.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about Pest and Disease and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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