Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Hi guys and girls yes I thought they might be Harlequin beetles they are a bit naughty arent they towing each other around like that.Well seeing as I have so many, at times and they are a pest I will have to keep on squishing them.
Even though they like doing what they do.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Oops didnt see simones post as it was on another page, yep it is the Harlequin bug
Dindymus versicolor, may attack a wide range of crop and ornamental plants, such as cotton, pome fruits, stone fruits, fig, grape, kurrajong, strawberry, vegetables, wisteria, dahlia and violet. When they are present in large numbers their feeding makes growing tips wilt or spoils fruit. Sometimes the bugs swarm on tree stumps and
fences, and they may come into sheds and houses in large numbers. The adult is about 12 mm long
yes what she said , :P certainly are fornicating little buggers
Gaz
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Sorry it took me a while to get back , martybean very interesting critter, can you tell me what type of mouth it has , like does it have mandibles (jaws) or does it have like a siphon (spear like) and i can narrow it down to a family , havent got the buggers here in coastal NSW , Gaz
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Looks like a Harlequin beetle (usually known as the fornicating Harlequin beetles -- keep an eye on them as the season progresses and youll see what I mean)Originally posted by martybean link=1225654629/0#17 date=1227508860Doryanthes here is a pic of the beetles that seem to be in abundance at our place
Theyre murder on raspberries and tomatoes -- seem to suck the juice out of them or something.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
I have 4 tomatoes in all planted Lucinda, but only 2 are the same so they have been chosen for the experiment. I also have some poataoes growing.
We dont get fruitfly problems here but fungus can get our tomatoes
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Originally posted by flynn_aus link=1225654629/0#3 date=1225664575The best tasting tomatoes Ive had is from a bush that grew just as you described TG. You just have to beat the fruit flies to the tomatoes which were admittedly small and few.
Plant some basil and a marigold near them. That will solve the fruit fly issue. I will upload a pic a bit later of what we have done.
EDIT: Pic added

tomatoe, potatoes, tpmatoes, tomatoes, pyrethrum,tomatoes
The small yellow flowers are the marigolds and there are also a heap of basil plants in the pots too.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Doryanthes here is a pic of the beetles that seem to be in abundance at our place
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Here is the tomato without coffee. the second measurement is the branch stretched out but not the leaf. So they have both grown a little in a couple of weeks
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Here is an update on the tomatoes, this is the coffee tomato. It has grown marginaly more than the other, but has had some flowers develop but they seem to be premature and not going to bear friut
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Worms love coffee pucks so if the plant grown in pucks attracts more worms they might help it along.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
I will have to do that when we get back from holidays around the 18th.
Thanks.
Marty.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
martybean if you can post a photo of the beetles I could probably identify them,at least let you know what they are for your own and my curiosity, any critters in large populations are interesting.re: the pucks on the lawn , yep try the sample patch first, Cheers Gaz
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Thanks for that Gaz I dont generally have a problems with nematodes but other people might so that info could be useful. We do however have a huge problem with these little beetles they are red orange and green. They dont seem to do much damage but they are everywhere.
Newbiesnob I dont know if they are any good on lawn. You could try a small patch and if it comes up greener you know it cant be to bad.
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Hi All,
Do you know if you can use coffee pucks on your lawn?
Thx
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Re: Tomato Growing Experiment
Gday martybean,and flynn_aus If you have nematode problems, plant some brassicas like broccoli around them or even radishes or mustard(a lot quicker to grow of course) the roots of the brassica exude a natural nematacide (saves using chemicals) btw Im a Biodynamic farmer, also for a good boost try adding a bit of crusher(basalt) dust to the soil , It is full of silica and trace elements , you can get it very cheaply from landscape supplies, Cheers Gaz
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