Now that the greenhouse and fish room are working great. Cold weather sets in. Rocket mass heater and wood stove make keep the water warm here in Indiana. Now I have an issue with thrips. Tried using ladybugs and pirate Beatles. Loosing the battle. Need another idea. I have 24x2 foot area of raised beds on dirt. Then 4x24 foot flow table. Can't use soaps on the flow table but I can remove the lettus and restart the flow table. What can I do for the plants in the dirt. Saved plants from this years outside garden.

It can be difficult to knock out larger infestations of thrips with predatory insects. As far as dealing with anything more significant than the occasional pre-established pest that wanders into your greenhouse, ladybugs are mostly useless in that regard. I recommend removing any heavily infesteed plans, getting yourself a bottle of Amblyseius cucumeris, and perhaps topping it off with some slow-release packets as a preventative measure.

http://www.evergreengrowers.com/amblyseius-cucumeris-1513.html

What temperature are you keeping your greenhouse at? Remember that most insects slow down their activity considerably once things drop below 60F.


I don't recommend this if you have beneficial insects already present in the environment, but spinosad is definitely the best insecticide I've used for controlling thrips.

Thanks. I am thinking of cleaning everything off the flow table. Washing and setting the rafts outside for a couple of days to freeze. Then use an organic soap on the plants in dirt

Thanks for the idea will look into that

Always great tiger advise from others

Alan Clashman wrote:Thanks. I am thinking of cleaning everything off the flow table. Washing and setting the rafts outside for a couple of days to freeze. Then use an organic soap on the plants in dirt

Thanks for the idea will look into that

Always great tiger advise from others

That should help. Spinosad is also USDA Organic, in case you weren't already aware of that.