If you have ever wondered which plants that attract Japanese beetles are the best to grow in your garden, there are many species to choose from.
They are all beautiful and delicious, so there is little competition. If you do grow them indoors, you will want to use container plants that are resistant to this insect.
Many types of ornamental grasses and evergreens are very susceptible to the beetles. One way to control their population is with the use of pesticides, but that can be dangerous to your health.
Top Plants That Attract Japanese Beetles include:
There are many different types of plants that attract the beetles. The most popular choices are:
- The tea plant
- Hydrangeas
- Hostas
Each of these has its own distinct beauty, as well as the ability to deter the beetles.
Some plants are so beautiful that they are the perfect accent to a garden. Some varieties are so rare that they are actually considered endangered.
There are some precautions that can be taken to ensure that the beetles do not have a place to hide. Since they feed on the leaves of plants, it is important that they are removed at the first sign of them.
A quick snip with a pair of garden shears can be used to quickly and easily eliminate them from a garden.
If they cannot be killed quickly, then they will simply move on to greener pastures. Another solution for removing this pest is to keep water containers covered when not in use, or using plant-hanging netting on raised beds.
There are many Japanese beetles that are considered pests by farmers and home gardeners.
There are natural ways to deter them from taking over your garden. You can plant disease-resistant varieties of plants around the perimeter of your garden.
These plants will provide a safe haven for beetles that are looking for seeds or bugs to feed on. You can also use repellents that are designed to repel pests.
If you have an established population of beetles, there are a few steps you can take to make sure that the plants that you are trying to attract do not have problems being eaten by these insects.
Most plants have been bred to have diseases or insects that will harm their grower, so it is important to refrain from planting seeds that may attract these beetles. You may also choose to remove infected plants that you find growing wild.
To keep plants disease free, you should dig them up and wash them before you plant new ones in your garden.
The final step in having a garden that attracts Japanese beetles is to ensure that they do not stand next to your plants.
Most Japanese beetles are attracted to the scent of plant oils. If your plants have been sitting on top of the soil for many months, this smell could be overwhelming and attract the beetles.
Using barriers or covering your plants, such as netting, will ensure that your garden does not have to deal with this problem.
Plants That Kill Japanese Beetles
Plants that killing Japanese beetles are some of the most difficult plants to control or eliminate. beetles feed on softwood, soft soil and will go after your trees leaves, roots and even your fruits and vegetables.
They are much more than a nuisance and do damage to your garden or house.
The first thing you need to know is why they are there in the first place. beetles have an important place in the ecosystem as many insects are controlled by them.
Plants that kill Japanese beetles tend to be much more susceptible to attacks from beetles. The first step in plant protection is plant selection. Soft woods are prime targets for beetles and the best prevention is preventative methods.
Japanese beetles are primarily a problem for trees. They like deciduous trees. These include oak, maple, birch, and box elder.
You can have a good tree and shrub spray treatment applied to the affected area several times a year. Make sure the foliage is removed from the tree as the beetles will eat the bark, leaves and twigs.
To treat the beetles themselves you need to find out what plant they prefer and grow or select a tree or shrub that is well suited to that specific type of tree.
You should also make sure that the tree is treated in the correct manner. For example, to prevent spore formation when the beetle infests a tree you should mulch the tree. To prevent the plant from drying out you should water it often and refrain from freezing it.
To kill the beetles themselves, you need to select and use non-selective pesticides. It is best to use organic or plant protection products rather than chemical ones.
There are natural organic pesticides available which can be applied to the plants that kill Japanese beetles.
These products include:
- Eucalyptus oil
- Tea tree oil
- Citronella oil
- Fenugreek oil
- Oregano oil
- Grapefruit seed extract
- Thymol.
When sprayed directly on the leaves of the beetles, the spray seeps into the soil and drifts upward to become a liquid that kills the beetles.
Japanese beetles don’t like certain types of plants. The beetles only become a problem when the trees are in poor health.
So plant diseases such as fungal infections, insecticide allergy, disease, and drought will all need to be controlled. There are many disease-resistant varieties of these plants that will deter the beetles.
Do Japanese Beetles Eat Tomato Plants?
Many gardeners ask, “What do Japanese beetles eat?” Before addressing the question from a scientific viewpoint, let’s examine the source of the beetles in the first place.
We know that they are beetles, and they are commonly found in soil that contains nutrients. They can be found on a variety of plants, but the most common crop is tomatoes.
We are fortunate to have many gardeners who grow tomatoes as a hobby because they can be a very pleasant and nutritious plant, but they are also susceptible to attack from some beetles. The problem is that they don’t always see them coming.
Beetles do not need a plant to become a food source. If there is no moisture or enough air, the beetles simply move on to the next plant. If there is moisture or air, they may decide to stay a little longer to see if they can feed on it. In fact, they will simply move on after feeding once they detect you have a tomato plant.
So how do Japanese beetles get a hold of a tomato plant? There are a few different ways. One of the most common is to take the leaves off of a plant to use it as a substrate for their tunnels. However, beetles are smart enough to realize there is no foliage on the plant for them to utilize, and therefore they will leave no trace of their presence.
Some gardeners mistakenly think that because the leaves are removed, the plant is protected. This is not true. Because the beetles do not need a plant to survive, they can easily make their way back into the soil, dig a tunnel, and resume their previous activities. The same is true for the soil. Because they do not need to eat the plant, they leave the soil untouched.
Fortunately, this problem is easily addressed by recognizing the symptoms of infestation. When gardeners detect the presence of beetles in his or her garden, he or she should take steps to correct the problem right away.
One method is to crush up the plant, wash the soil, and apply a fungicide. Another method is to drop the plant into a shallow water body, let it sit, then carefully scoop it out and wash it. Finally, gardeners can spray the soil with a commercial repellent.
Summary
Although these methods will work when there are Japanese beetles on other types of plants, the best way to eliminate this problem is to eradicate all Japanese beetles in your garden.
They do not only eat tomatoes, but other fruits, vegetables, and other insects.
This includes lady bugs, crickets, ants, and flies. This makes it very difficult to control their population, which is why many gardeners become frustrated with this insect.