Insecticide For Blueberry Bushes

1. Gardeners who choose to follow organic methods, whether for philosophical or dietary reasons, are faced with the same insect problems as those who garden conventionally. For example, blueberry plants are prone to attack by pests such as aphids, blueberry gall midges, blueberry maggot, cherry fruitworm, flea beetle, leafrollers, red-striped fire worm, root weevils, scale insects, spotted wing drosphila and winter moths. If not controlled with insecticides, these pests can feed on young blueberry buds, leaves and roots, tunnel into and feed on blueberry fruit, and cause stunted growth and possible death of the blueberry plant.

Commercial and Homemade Sprays

1. Organic insecticide sprays for blueberries can be purchased or made at home. Commercial insecticides may contain one or several natural ingredients. The first is pyrethrum, which is derived from the chrysanthemum flower and can be used to fight blueberry maggots. Another product often found in organic insect sprays is neem oil, which is extracted from a tree native to India. Neem oil sprays are used to combat problems with pests such as aphids, weevils, red-striped fireworm and blueberry flea beetle. Insecticide products containing spinosad, which is created from a soil bacterium (Saccharopolyspora spinosa), also provide blueberry plants protection from blueberry maggots. One homemade organic insecticide can easily be made using cayenne pepper, garlic, onions and liquid dish soap. This spray is used to control leaf-eating pests. The University of Maine Cooperative Extension suggests cayenne pepper may repel blueberry maggot fly, although studies have yet to be conducted.

Application

1. Before applying any insecticide spray, carefully read and follow all instructions as directed. Just because a product is natural or organic does not mean it cannot be hazardous to users or the environment. Also make sure that the particular insecticide is effective against the insect pest that has infected your blueberry plant. When spraying, make sure the insecticide is applied thoroughly, including on the undersides of leaves where pests often hide or lay their eggs. Repeated applications are often required to successfully manage an insect infestation, usually at 7- to 10-day intervals. Organic insecticides containing spinosad should be applied in the evening because the active ingredient breaks down quickly in sunlight.

Tips

1. When buying a commercial organic insecticide, look for the Organic Materials Review Institute seal on the packaging. OMRI evaluates products to ensure they meet qualification criteria laid out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Insecticide use should be avoided when blueberry plants are in flower to avoid injury to pollinating bees.