Plants can be affected by a multitude of microorganisms and insects throughout their lives. Unlike animals, they cannot protect themselves like we do, and the toxins that many of them contain are sometimes not as effective as they should be, especially when guardama is your enemy.
This insect in its adult phase does not cause any problems, but its larvae can kill the youngest plants in a matter of days. How to combat them?
What is gardama?
Gardama, also known as armyworm, green donut or African asparagus caterpillar, receives the scientific name Spodoptera exigua. Native to Asia, it is one of the pests that most affect agricultural crops, such as asparagus, beans, peas, beets, celery, cabbage, lettuce, potato, tomato and cereals, as well as a multitude of ornamental and herbaceous species.
It is a brown or gray moth that measures 2 to 3 centimeters. This is totally harmless for plants, but it is important to combat it so that it does not have the opportunity to lay its eggs, as its larvae are very dangerous. These are green and brown, with longitudinal stripes down the side, and they feed on the leaves and flower buds.
How do you fight?
There are two ways to combat it:
Ecological remedy
When it comes to horticultural plants, the ideal is always to use natural products, such as Bacillus thuringiensis that you will find for sale in the nurseries. It is a bacterium that eliminates the larvae of insects, including those of the gardama.
Synthetic (chemical) remedy
If what you have are affected ornamental plants, you can use chemical insecticides. The most effective remedy is the following:
- A bucket of 60 liters of water is filled.
- 100 kilos of bran are added.
- 1 kilo of sugar is added.
- And finally, 750 cubic centimeters Chlorpyrifos is added.
Then, everything is mixed well and a sprayer is filled to later spray the surroundings of the plant with it.
We hope that now you can fight the gardama 🙂.