Like most folks we have Japanese beetle here in 7b. Some years are worse then others. I started an orchard this year with apples, persimmons and plums so far. One thing I did do was interplant with nitrogen fixers Goumi and false indigo bushes. To my surprise this year the false indigo bushes were loaded with JB’s but did little damage… But the fruit tress were virtually untouched. I did have a little damage on my mulberries but they were a good 50 yards away ion another part of my property. Since I am building a house here my property in not kept manicured like some places. But again to my surprise the JB’s were feeding on weeds and not my young fruit trees. I guess there is something to this natural farming approach
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Sasafrass and Virginia creeper are to ‘magnets’ to draw JB’s away from fruit trees.
Crepe Myrtles are good, too.
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Thanks for posting this. I have been thinking about ways to add a little color to my orchard. False Indigo a perennial sounds like an easy plant to grow.
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Extremely easy and a nitrogen fixer.
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