I planted marigolds, I was told they were bug deterrents, now the marigolds are being eaten?

I seem to have a lady bug looking thing, but green instead of red also stink bugs. Could they be eating the marigold?

I planted marigolds, I was told they were bug deterrents, now the marigolds are being eaten?
I, too, plant marigolds among my tomatoes and basil and other garden veggies to deter pests from my crop producers. Still, they do succumb to certain pests themselves, such as spider mites, slugs, earwigs, and white-fly. Other problems marigolds may be susceptible to aster yellows, wilt, gray mold and root rot.





For the bugs I use DE. It is available from Lowe's for about $8 a bag, and it goes a long way. (Diatomaceous Earth) I just buy a little ketchup bottle squirter thing, or a baster from the dollar store, fill it with DE, and squirt puffs of the powder onto my plants. Now, this will not work in the wet weather, and once it rains or gets washed off, you'll need to re-apply till the bugs are all dead.


DE is a non-toxic naturally occuring substance, and will not harm you or pets, but is deadly to insects in that they ingest it and die of dehydration due to the internal action of the dust.


Happy Gardening!
Reply:Lady bugs eat aphids which is what your marigolds have probably. I don't know what stink bugs eat but the Lady Bugs are not a problem unless you have thousands. If you do take a clean spray bottle that you can get at the dollar store and put half a cup of vinegar and the rest with water that will kill the aphids and once the aphids are gone the lady bugs will move on.
Reply:The only marigolds that deter insects are the old fashioned smelly varieties. The new marigolds with showy flowers don't do a thing. Acutally the old ones don't do much either. They tend to attract predators to the garden more than they repel pests but the plantings have to be very dense.