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Location

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Date Posted

Garner, NC

I have aphids on some cantaloupes, I nocticed them this morning. Well this afternoon I saw some on the melon plants. I treated all melons with merit Sunday night. Will the merit work on aphids or should I spray something else. Kinda thinking merit will do the trick, but just want opinions from fellow growers. Thanks

8/3/2011 6:55:01 PM

Linden, Mi.,

"WOW", if you use Merit, I sure would not want to eat the melon

I would use insecticide soap

spray under leaf

8/3/2011 7:13:34 PM

It is dangerous to use insecticidal soap in the summer in the south. There is a temperature warning on the label.

8/3/2011 8:14:35 PM

Muddy Waters

I dont think there worried about eating them Darrel!

8/3/2011 9:37:16 PM

Bowdon, GA

Think you'll be ok, aphids aren't to hard to kill with the nukes.

8/3/2011 10:26:23 PM

sevierville, Tn

I would have thought that the merit would have killed them ! It had worked for me in the past on aphids.

8/4/2011 3:53:11 PM

Jamul

I have always heard that they can be washed off with a jet of regular water? That wouldn't apply to large fields, but a couple of plants maybe....maybe not? Does it work? I have been washing my leaves a bit every 3 days or so , as a precautionary measure, but maybe I am wasting my time? I am wondering what my next non-nuclear step would be if the water wasn't enough, and soap burns?

8/4/2011 5:12:23 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Todd, merit will kill them once the plant takes it up and they feed. I am not totally certial if it will work as a topical.
Talstar will work on Aphids, I just checked the label for the generic Bifen IT, as long as you do nnot plan on eating the canteloupes.

8/4/2011 8:53:28 PM

Garner, NC

Thanks guys, tonight I pulled all lopes, and wow, I found a lot of lopes and some big ones. Then I nuked the melons with Talstar. I may not grow a big melon this year, but I strike fear to all bugs that enter!

8/4/2011 9:36:32 PM

Jamul

As it turned out, and in case anyone ever reads this thread, a plain water spray of the plant for a few days worked great to get rid of aphids. I hand water occasionally anyway, so it was nothing to do. Lady bugs worked hard at cleaning up the cantelope plants, but the bugs were out pacing them.

8/13/2011 10:21:19 PM