My bush bean babies have been set upon by a caterpillar horde. I have BT on order, but it won't be here until after then 21st. I have read that you can use a DIY mix of water with fresh garlic/garlic powder, soap and oil. Has anyone used such a mixture? Did it prove successful? Is there another DIY treatment I should try? Thanks for the input!

If you can get some mosquito dunks, I think you can soak them in water, then spray the plants with that water.

I mix Hartz Flea and Tick Shampoo with water and spray my plants. It works well. It is a contact spray and not a preventative. Only harmful to insects while it is wet. Most of us spray the plants early in the day or towards sunset in order not to sunburn our plants.

Thanks to both of you for the advice!!!!!

Cole_Robbie wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 1:59 pm If you can get some mosquito dunks, I think you can soak them in water, then spray the plants with that water.

Hmm...that's an interesting idea! But aren't the dunks a different Bt strain from the one used for caterpillars?

Setec Astronomy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 16, 2020 5:35 am

Cole_Robbie wrote: ↑Sat Aug 15, 2020 1:59 pm If you can get some mosquito dunks, I think you can soak them in water, then spray the plants with that water.

Hmm...that's an interesting idea! But aren't the dunks a different Bt strain from the one used for caterpillars?

That is a good point. Dunks are bti and caterpillar spray is btk. The dunks may not work as well, but I would guess they are better than nothing. I use them to kill fungus gnat larvae.

Here is an article about bt:
https://www.gardenmyths.com/btk-bacillu ... s-kustaki/