Thrips on Strawberries

I was a little worried about pests when planting the strawberry crowns. But I've been lucky so far and I'm familiar with how to treat for them (at least in a commercial greenhouse setting). When I first purchased the aerogardens I also purchased some safers soap just in case.

The worst has happened. Perhaps it was the strawberry crowns, perhaps they were blown in from the porch. But regardless I'll be treating everything with safers soap tomorrow. 

I couldn't take a good picture of the thrips, they are tiny (1mm or so). Here's a link with more info on them and some pictures. The variety I have here are black. The ones I raised in the entomology lab I worked in in college were green. They lay their eggs under the top layer of leaf tissue. Which can make eliminating them a challenge. I worked in a tissue culture lab for a while and we would treat plant cuttings in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes, before putting them in vitro. Even then we would still see thrips contamination.

[Sher]

Oh, no! 

[campingcorgis]

I'm so sorry!  However, I'm glad you are on it & know how to deal with them.

[Shawn]

I am sorry to hear about them, however glad you have product to hello eliminate them.  I hope you can get this of them without having to sacrifice any plants.

I wonder if there is a way to treat the crowns before planting in the future to kill of any eggs.  That is one of the reasons I do not like bringing dirt it outside plants inside. 

Keep us posted please.

[dianne]

Oh no! I have never heard of these pests before. I am glad you know how to treat them. Wishing you good luck getting your plants back to health!

Jan 22, 2021 10:19:10 GMT -5 dianne said:

Oh no! I have never heard of these pests before. I am glad you know how to treat them. Wishing you good luck getting your plants back to health!

That makes sense! They are a very common agricultural pest. The western flower thrips spread several plant disease. But I've never had issues with them on house plants. Aphids are usually the ones you have to look out for hitchhiking inside. 

Sprayed everything down today. Planning to spray once or twice a week for the next six weeks or so. They have a ~30 day life cycle, so hopefully that will clear them out.  :fingers crossed:

[Sher]

@zyphax, I have some kind of bugs on my pepper plants again, so I'll be spraying along with you.

And I LOVE your new avatar!

Sher I hope you are able to defeat them!

Thank you! I had this image commissioned back in 2014. One of my facebook friends was asking about how to do art commissions and I was reminded of this one. The artist did such a great job. 

[Shawn]

WOW, very nice Avatar!

[elainev]

I worked in a tissue culture lab for a while and we would treat plant cuttings in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes, before putting them in vitro. Even then we would still see thrips contamination.

Was that treatment for thrips or for fungus - other things as well?

I read it somewhere (can't remember) to get some Neem Oil for my AG "just in case" I haven't used it in the AG yet, even though I've been taking a tray outside every day to harden some plants for planting outside. This morning, I had to spray the heck out of an early EarthBox outside tomato -- aphids galore. First time using neem oil, so I'll check the results.

No spray works unless it gets total coverage on the underside of leaves. I just took a stepping stool into the garden to sit on as I "doctored the plant".

I used Bonide Neem Oil - fungicide, miticide and insecticide. It says it kills thrips too and is for "organic gardening"

In a different video, I saw a guy put a tray in the shower to spray. I liked that idea.

I ordered more neem oil -- this time: Triple Action Neem Oil – Fungicide/Insecticide/Miticide – 16 fl oz Bottle by Southern Ag

[Sher]

Let us know how it works, elainev.  i didn't have a lot if luck with plain cold pressed neem oil.

[elainev]

May 9, 2021 10:05:07 GMT -5 Sher said:

Let us know how it works, elainev .  i didn't have a lot if luck with plain cold pressed neem oil.

This video might explain that -- different types of neem oil products

[campingcorgis]

I wonder if Thrips are more common with strawberries.  I'm starting to re-think my fall planting.  Maybe I'll grow cherry tomatoes in my Farm24 Basic, instead of strawberries.  

[elainev]

May 10, 2021 12:01:28 GMT -5 campingcorgis said:

Maybe I'll grow cherry tomatoes in my Farm24 Basic, instead of strawberries.  

That's what I'm thinking. I'll have plenty of Earthbox tomatoes this summer. It will be fall/winter when we start craving tomatoes.