I've been trying to keep my rooftop garden eco-friendly, you know, avoiding harsh chemicals and stuff. Someone recommended neem oil, so I gave it a shot. It seems to help with aphids, but I'm not totally convinced it's doing much for the caterpillars and beetles. Maybe I'm using it wrong or something? Curious if anyone else has had better luck or if there's another natural option that's worked better for you.
Neem oil's great for aphids, but yeah, caterpillars and beetles can be stubborn. Couple quick thoughts:
- Have you tried BT (Bacillus thuringiensis)? It's natural and targets caterpillars specifically.
- For beetles, I've had decent luck with diatomaceous earth sprinkled around plants.
- Also, timing matters—are you applying neem oil in the evening? Sunlight can reduce its effectiveness.
How often are you applying it? Maybe tweaking frequency could help...
Neem oil definitely helps, but you're right, caterpillars and beetles are a pain. BT worked wonders for me last summer—had a tomato plant nearly stripped overnight by hornworms, and BT turned things around pretty quickly. Just remember, it washes off easily, so reapply after rain.
As for beetles, diatomaceous earth is solid advice. Another thing I've tried is handpicking them in the early morning when they're sluggish—tedious, I know, but it does help keep their numbers down. Also, check under pots or containers regularly; beetles love hiding there during the day.
One other thing—if neem isn't cutting it, alternating between different treatments can sometimes keep pests from building tolerance. Switching things up every few weeks made a noticeable difference for me.
Hang in there, rooftop gardening can be tricky but super rewarding once you find your rhythm.
"Another thing I've tried is handpicking them in the early morning when they're sluggish—tedious, I know, but it does help keep their numbers down."
Yeah, handpicking beetles is tedious but surprisingly effective. Last year, I spent mornings picking Japanese beetles off my basil... felt endless at first, but after a week or two, their numbers dropped noticeably. Worth the hassle.
Neem oil was hit-or-miss for me too. It worked pretty well on aphids, but beetles just shrugged it off. Handpicking definitely helped, but I also tried diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base of plants—seemed to keep caterpillars down a bit. Just be careful not to breathe it in when applying; it's natural but can irritate your lungs. Gardening's always trial and error...
