We are finally in the midst of full-blown summer weather and Canadian gardeners are smiling from coast to coast. That is until they see one of these deceptively harmless red beetles! The ‘dreaded lily beetle’ is certainly NOT a gardener’s best friend but a bottle of neem may be! This cute little critter can decimate a lily, and leave a black sludgy mess in their wake, seemingly overnight. Even in the day when toxic chemicals were available and widely used, these little red devils managed to elude eradication. So much in fact, gardeners commonly refrained from planting lilies to avoid the inevitable heartbreak. Neem has been proven to repel these creatures (and many other creepy and airborne critters) where all else has failed. 

Check this website on the Red Lily Beetle  to learn a little more about their life cycle and how to go about treatment.    

A neem/soap mixture will also help to deter the saw fly and their larvae which is a common pest on roses and, like the lily beetle, will strip off the rose foliage and buds in just a few days.   Check  out a past article archive for the neem/spray recipe as well as an all natural weed killer (perfect for in between patio stones and pavers!) There are many beneficial insects that should be welcomed and enjoyed in the garden so save your scorn for the chosen few.  

Now go and buy a lily and Happy Gardening! 

Margaret

P.S.  Do you have any natural gardening remedies or tips, please share them with us.

*Earth to Body will sell 60 ml bottles of pure neem oil for $10.00. These are not available online so please call us if you are interested in purchasing a bottle.

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