By Bornagain
West Midlands,
United Kingdom 
I'm buying Provado to kill capsid bug on my Geranium Rozanne and Ann Folkard . These large plants were ruined last year and the same damage is appearing now. Experts @ GWL recommended Provado after diagnosing Capsid bug damage, but as I had to speak through a mike I couldn't keep asking questions. I don't use chemicals in the garden and am worried about wildlife. There are three large plants affected and I was thinking that once sprayed I could cover with a net type curtain. Now I don't know if I should just lay it over the plants, resting on them, or construct a sort of tent like thing with bamboo canes? Any help appreciated:-)
16 Jun, 2012
Answers
Sorry Bamboo, I meant covering the plants to keep off good insects and birds lol so they won't be harmed. Thanks for info. I wonder if they cpold have arrived in new soil as I never had any problem at all until after 2010 makeover?:-)
16 Jun, 2012
Possible, but they're about all the time anyway. If you've not bought the provado yet, the two products I mentioned are not as heavy duty as that is... Capsid is a right pain, I've had trouble with it for 4 years...
16 Jun, 2012
I went yesterday, but Provado was all I could get, there are no garden centres reachable by public transport so had to settle for Morrisons. I did the deed last night with great trepidation as I have read that birds eat capsid (unfortunately they don't eat viburnum beetle, another problem I have) so covered the three affected plants with a large very pretty net. I think the birds will keep away from there at the sight of the bright white net anyway. There's really not enough info on Provado sprays. How long can I keep the geraniums covered without harming them? I'm really making you work Bamboo, sorry:-)
17 Jun, 2012
If its net at least some uv light is getting through, but probably not longer than a week at the most. Should be long enough anyway... As for making me work, not a problem - love it, lol!
17 Jun, 2012
I suppose we're all vegetating in this rotten weather :-)
17 Jun, 2012
A better choice for spraying with might be Bayer Sprayday Greenfly Killer or Westland Plant Rescue Fruit and Veg Bug Killer - both these have slightly less toxic ingredients than Provado does.
The best way to handle this is to be rigorous in spring - I have the same trouble with capsid bug, just on other plants, and one important thing is that the pest overwinters on the ground in leaf litter, so keeping the ground as clear as possible is important, along with not cramming plants too closely together (something I always tend to do). I sprayed in April, when I saw the very first evidence, and it seems to be better this year - however, when I went and looked yesterday, after all this rain and me not respraying for 6 weeks, its attacked the tops of the plants again.
Seems once you've got the blighters, treatment is necessary yearly, but its best to catch it early. As they tend to sit on the soil in leaf litter, covering the plants with something won't be very effective.
16 Jun, 2012