[Tammy1]

I have 4 very young trees that get swarmed with Japanese Beetles. Two apple trees that I planted last year and two peach this year.

Within 24 hours of planting the peach trees this year the beetles hit. I don't know if they will survive but the Apple trees should.

I tried soap and water and neem oil then finally used sevn on the trees. Which keeps it controlled for about a week. Currently all the fruit is disposed of at the beginning of the season to give the trees more energy to grow.

I was watching the lunch news and the Master Gardner said that the beetles will pass in about a week and then go into the ground and lay eggs so put your grub control down in about a month.

Here's my question. If I put grub control down around the trees will that mean I won't have Japanese Beetles next year?

Her statement kind of implied it but didn't actually say it and I'm really new at this. If I put grub control down will it damage the fruit? I think next year I should get quite a few apples but the peach trees will still be a few years out.

Thanks for your help!

 

[ticndig]

Oh you'll have beetles , they fly in from all around the area . I hand pick and drop in soapy water and spray my plants with Pyganic . it's a battle every year that seems will never end . I also have built many bird houses to encourage bluebirds to eat the pest . they do eat them but not the thousands that show up every year . the jap beetle traps catch lots of them but may attract more to the area than would have been there otherwise .

 

[geo in mi]

If they are small trees, maybe you can use fine netting to cover them for a couple of years until they get bigger and more able to make leaves.

geo

 

[farmrbrown]

They swarmed my fruit trees too when they were first planted, for about 2 years. I never did any grub control, but battled them by hand like a medieval warrior, lol.
I see a few occasionally now, but they seemed to have moved on. From what I read about them, not much works against the adults except hand to hand combat and they give off a pheromone or chemical trail that leads others to the food source they've found.
IOW, if I killed as many as I could, usually first thing in the morning, it cuts down on survivors sending for reinforcements.

 

[GTX63]

Our experience is that the Beetles seem to hang around for longer than a week, but the intensity wanes.
I try to avoid pesticides if I can, but when things get so busy that you can't monitor your plants 24/7 then the Sevin comes out.
We hit them hard and heavy and it seems since doing that over the last 5-7 years, each year there appears to be less of them.
Can't speak to grub control. I know our chickens love Japanese Beetles.

 

[wonderwmn]

If anyone can find a good remedy for those devils,I will be happy. My home had a row of beautiful roses the entire front lining a long porch. I say had. I noticed the bug early spring this year and sprayed the following morning with whatever I had on hand( dont remember what it was) and expected it to work. By the next day they were still working hard at eating their fill so I got on the internet to see what I could get to eradicate them. Neem oil seemed to be the answer. As I live in an area that doesnt have a real large selection of some things ,I had to order it. By the time (which was just a few days)it arrived and I sprayed ,many of the roses were so damaged that I have lost them. I now have large gaps where the roses have died. I used the Neem as directed and it did do its job but the bugs just kept comeing from somewhere . I have been watching closely to see if they are all under control and say one on my crepe myrtle so back to the spray I go today.

 

[ticndig]

https://www.phillyorchards.org/2015/05/04/kaolin-clay-sprays-for-fruit-trees/

 

[snowlady]

Japanese beetle seem to be selective, too. Ornamental and fruit trees, roses, zinnias, hollyhocks.

 

[Danaus29]

Hang a few of those traps around your property but away from the plants you don't want them eating. Put some soap and water in the bags under the lure. Empty daily and refill the bags with the soap and water. You have to keep after the traps or the beetles will chew through the bags.

It is true that the traps will draw beetles in from far away but the more you eliminate this year the fewer you'll have the next year.

 

[po boy]

Some folks say four o' clocks are poisonous to the little rascals. My wife planted a ton of them and she claimed it solved our problem.

 

[bobp]

Kaolin clay works very well. It kinda sucks washing it off of fruit though.

I started 3 years ago being proactive. I start spraying my sod and one neighbors, in march, when the soil temps hit 55°. Hit it biweekly till fruit set. This kills the grubs. And has the side effect of taking care of borers, ticks ect.
I use diazinon and lorisban. Alternativly for sod control.

Yes they fly in, but i dont seem to have as many because i control the grubs.
The only goid place for traps is near your exwifes garden, assuming of course she lives miles away.
Weekly treatments of approved products over the top will help with the travelers. I like Mustang max, Bifenture, malathion, assail, watch your Post harvest rules.

Start the sod coverage back up after harvest for a few rotations.

I wouldnt sweat tye new trees, keep them watered theyll recover. USUALLY.