You can contact us at CropCheck to register if you are interested in talking to us about monitoring your flowers. Targeted spraying is still more efficient and cost effective than blanket spraying.
Export Flowers, different from all food crops, are required to be insect free for export. This is achieved by spraying regularly and fumigating the flowers before they leave the property.
Many growers do not monitor because of the requirement to spray regularly, but there is also a concern about spraying when you do not know what to spray for. That is where monitoring comes in. Regular monitoring of the crops you are harvesting, will help you to identify any insects or diseases present, therefore allowing you to apply a softer, targeted spray. This is better for the ecology and your health.
Pests That May Affect Your Flower Crop Are:
- Two-spotted mite
This is a big problem in many flowers, particularly on Hydrangea and Viburnum. 2 spotted mite mostly occur in the hot, dry months of summer and will cause the leaves to become almost lace like if severely infested . In a major infestation, flowers will also be marked by the mites. Two spotted mite can be difficult to control, needing careful use of the correct spray as soon as the mites are seen. That’s where monitoring comes in, allowing you to detect the mites as soon as they are around, allowing you to get on top of them quickly. 2 weekly monitoring is recommended over the flowering period.
- Aphids
Aphids are one of the first insects seen on the flowers in Spring. They can cause some damage to the new shoots. Monitoring to find the Aphids needs to occur from August/September.
- White fly
White fly can be seen all year round, but mostly over Spring and Summer. They lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves and could potentially cause some sooty mould.
- Caterpillars
The main caterpillars found are Looper and Leafroller. These can be found in most flowers, either in the leaves or flowers. Leucodendrum is a crop that can be targeted by Leafroller at any time of the year.
- Flower Thrip
Flower thrip can do some significant damage to the petals on Tynus and Perris. Therefore monitoring is recommended over flowering time.
If you need a flower monitor, please call or email Cathy.
Phone: +64 7 281 1034
Email: officeadmin@cropcheck.co.nz