CELEBRATING 26 YEARS! Welcome to My weekly series! THE LANDSCAPE ASKI PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs, Inc. for the last 26 years. She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany, an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional, a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects. Dear Linda, For the last two years I have had a problem with bugs, black flat ones, that ate mostly my orange lantern leaves right up to the flowers in two separate gardens. Up until now, I've always had good luck with orange lanterns and I'm wondering if I should spray them with something? What should I do? You always have great advice. Thank you. April Dear April, my best guess is the Flea Beetle has eaten your Chinese Lantern plants. Flea Beetles are a small jumping, flat insect similar to fleas. They can cause tremendous damage to plants by chewing countless holes in the leaves and quickly defoliating and killing the plants. Flea beetles like to feed on hot, sunny days with their favorite foods being tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, eggplant corn, cabbage and beans. Here are several ways to control Flea Beetles. All of these items are readily available at local garden centers. 1. Yellow Sticky Traps- set every 15-30° to trap the adults. 2. Diatomaceous Earth- is a powdery substance composed of microscopic, fossilized, algae-like, aquatic organisms. These fossilized organisms have very sharp edges that slice into the insect's body as it crawls over the powder and eventually dies. Sprinkle around the base of plants on the surface of the soil. Do not mix into soil. 3. Neem Oil (70%)-can be sprayed on fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers to kill eggs, larvae and adult insects. Mix 1 oz. per gallon of water and spray all leaf surfaces especially the underside of the leaves. 4. Grow "trap plants" like Radish nearby. A trap plant is one that attracts and diverts the pest away from your prized plants. Good Luck. Sprigs & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO: info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie, Sprigs & Twigs Inc, PO Box 245, Gales Ferry, CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET CELEBRATING 26 YEARS ! Welcome to My weekly series ! THE LANDSCAPE ASKI PROFESSIONAL Linda K. Lillie of Sprigs & Twigs Linda K. Lillie has been President of Sprigs & Twigs , Inc. for the last 26 years . She is a graduate of Connecticut College in Botany , an accredited NOFA Organic Land Care Professional , a Connecticut Master Gardener and a national award winning landscape designer for her design and installation projects . Dear Linda , For the last two years I have had a problem with bugs , black flat ones , that ate mostly my orange lantern leaves right up to the flowers in two separate gardens . Up until now , I've always had good luck with orange lanterns and I'm wondering if I should spray them with something ? What should I do ? You always have great advice . Thank you . April Dear April , my best guess is the Flea Beetle has eaten your Chinese Lantern plants . Flea Beetles are a small jumping , flat insect similar to fleas . They can cause tremendous damage to plants by chewing countless holes in the leaves and quickly defoliating and killing the plants . Flea beetles like to feed on hot , sunny days with their favorite foods being tomatoes , lettuce , potatoes , eggplant corn , cabbage and beans . Here are several ways to control Flea Beetles . All of these items are readily available at local garden centers . 1. Yellow Sticky Traps- set every 15-30 ° to trap the adults . 2. Diatomaceous Earth- is a powdery substance composed of microscopic , fossilized , algae - like , aquatic organisms . These fossilized organisms have very sharp edges that slice into the insect's body as it crawls over the powder and eventually dies . Sprinkle around the base of plants on the surface of the soil . Do not mix into soil . 3. Neem Oil ( 70 % ) - can be sprayed on fruit trees , vegetables , and flowers to kill eggs , larvae and adult insects . Mix 1 oz . per gallon of water and spray all leaf surfaces especially the underside of the leaves . 4. Grow " trap plants " like Radish nearby . A trap plant is one that attracts and diverts the pest away from your prized plants . Good Luck . Sprigs & Twigs EMAIL OR MAIL YOUR QUESTIONS TO : info@sprigsandtwigs.net or Linda Lillie , Sprigs & Twigs Inc , PO Box 245 , Gales Ferry , CT 06335 SPRICS & TWIGS VOTED THE BEST BY DAY READERS EVERY YEAR ! WWW.SPRIGSANDTWIGS.NET