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Will it help my roses with aphid infestation, and my vege garden and herbs with caterpillars? These two bugs are the BANE of my life, esp the caterpillars! I just don't know what to do!
Is it something i should be using for my (very sad looking ) citrus and potted frangipani and other potted plants? I think as Melbs is getitng warmer my plants will want to grow grow grow...and i want them to be super healthy and strong!
Also does anyone know where to get it on the west side of Melbourne?
Molasses alone isn't going to be the one thing that makes all your worries disappear. It will be one of many things that make a big difference but over all look at approaching the garden and veggies in a new way all together.
Look what you have described are common symptoms of really sick soil. The plants are only ever going to as healthy as the soil they are living in Weak plants are going to get picked on by bad bugs.
Start using zeolite, followed by uncomposted mulches to 10cm thick (yes many say it should be thinner). In time you will see why I say 10cm thick. Mulches that are fresh and made of all sorts of shapes and textures and sizes. In veggie beds, use straws and just pull the straw away from the baby plants and hose it down to bed it in. Mould the straw around the plants and firm down again with the hose. These do a hell of a lot for the soils microbe populations that will need to be repopulated.
Avoid insecticides where ever possible because they kill the good guys and the bad guys. In your case, some Yates Success will sort the grubs eating your plants. Some Iron based snail pellets will sort snails. They won't harm dogs or cats or wildlife
For the aphids, well roses that have thin cell walls in the leaves will be easy targets for aphids and other sap feeding insects to stick their funny mouth part in. Thin cell walls are often seen on plants pumped up full of chemical fertilisers, all lush and green sometimes and really weak as anything. All show, no go
Seasol is the very first place to start with thickening cell walls. Then powerfeed. "Sudden Impact for Roses" is also the next thing to use and over the next 12 months things get better. Lots of thick straw round the base, hosed down so it firms up.
Molasses is essential and makes for a super healthy soil microbe population. It really doesn't do that much for the plants directly. What is happening is you are building up the soils microbes and they are taking great care of your plants for you. They are the unseen shoe makers elves. They do it better than fertilisers do Then the plants get even stronger and healthier. The cell walls will slowly thicken, the bugs will be fewer and fewer.
The real nail in the coffin for the bad guys will be to use http://www.goodbugs.org.au/
There are parasitic wasps that will sort your caterpillars out very well and also Lady birds and hover flies are going love a feast of aphids These things are sent out in the post (Not the hover flies) and you release them into the garden so they can get to work. Often they begin to hang around and become permanent parts of your gardens eco system. They will often show up in the nick of time in the years to come as well. The moment you use some insecticide though... good bye good bugs
Many nurseries now use these critters to manage pests instead of traditional insecticides. Far more effective too
Soap flakes in water will also help control aphids and so will just hosing most of them off. Hardly any get back onto the plant. Are there ants too? The aphids and ants often go hand in hand as the ants feed off the sap the aphids poo out. So get rid of the ants and the aphids won't be back in a hurry with no ants to put them there
For the Frangipani, fill the the pot to the rim with straw and a good handful or two of "seamungus" as well as molasses and seasol every now and then
The citrus especially will enjoy the very same treatment. A good thick layer of straw in the top of the pot. Make sure nothing else is growing in there because they need to have no competition for nutrients. Molasses over the leaves and soil. seasol also. Powerfeed too. A good couple of handfuls of Seamungus.
Over the next few months you will see things pick up. Just stick with that stuff and be consistent and everything will turn around