Pesticide question

Discussion in 'Plants: Science and Cultivation' started by hungry hippo, May 2, 2004.

  1. hungry hippo

    hungry hippo Active Member 10 Years

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    Is anyone aware of a safe, effective pesticide that a has a lasting residual effect in the Pacific Northwest climate? I have a large and diverse collection of plants and I am constantly fighting off infestations of aphids, whitefly, spidermites, tent caterpillars, slugs etc. etc. ad nauseum. I hate to use toxic chemicals to combat these pests, but honestly I have found "organic" alternatives to be almost useless. I have purchased SaferSoap, XKL and other products and applied them at full strength only to find aphids alive and well the following day! I have also made "teas" by boiling tobacco, soap, cayenne pepper and god knows what else. Some of these are effective against aphids but they don't even bother whiteflies and spidermites. I spend a lot of time grooming and tending my plants, I also apply composted manure and fertilize regularly. I would love to hear from anyone that has had success at keeping their garden toxin AND pest free!!!
     
  2. Elmore

    Elmore Active Member 10 Years

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    Effective organophosphate...

    is Orthene... read the label. Have you tried Neem Oil? Me either. Someday.
     
  3. insect pests

    Hi Elmore,
    I have found the product endall to be very effective although it is quite toxic to fish and therefore should be applied no closer than 50 feet from your fishponds if you have them. It is a pyrythen and has residual effects for 21 days. After spraying 3 times in 3 days to control an aphid outbreak on a plum tree I did however lose quite a few leaves. It is one step up from safers soap and I believe made by the same company, I hope it works for you.
     
  4. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    To my knowledge, End All has no residual activity. it is a pyrethrin based product with canola oil. pyrethrins is very perishable in sunlight or UV source. the piperonyl butoxide (if present) is added as a synergist and it also helps slow the degradation in sunlight. There are products with synthetic pyrethrin, they may contain resmethrin and permethrin, these products have a much longer active life than pyrethrin itself.

    the technical form of the product label contains no such claims of longevity.

    http://www.growercentral.com/UPLOADS/PDFS/end all.pdf
     
  5. hungry hippo

    hungry hippo Active Member 10 Years

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    End-all

    Thanks Paul and Elmore,

    I am going to give this end-all a try. Since I am already employing some systemic products (orthonex) this season, I will wait until next spring and try it at the first sign of any major whitefly or spider mite infestation. It would be a real blessing to find something that is safe, effective and has a lasting residual effect. I will try to revisit this topic on the website next spring and see if there is any interest in conducting some comparative trials.
     
    Last edited: Sep 24, 2004
  6. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    so I went to a seminar at today at CanWest today, have you thought of trying to introduce predatory mites? phytoselius persimilis for instance or another predator that may control the beasts you are encountering? might be a viable option...
     
  7. hungry hippo

    hungry hippo Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi Paul,

    Thanks for your suggestion. I have not specifically tried predatory mites, but in the past I have tried other "friendly" insect control measures with mixed results. The main problem is that while the insects I have introduced (ladybugs and mantids) are relatively effective at controlling say aphids, the next thing I know I have an infestation of whitefly or a black spot problem that requires spraying, and I feel very conflicted about killing the insects I have introduced. If I could master an organic approach to pest and disease control, then I would happily introduce them as a precautionary measure, but to date (and I hate to say this) I have not found a way to keep my garden healthy without chemical assistance.
     
  8. M. D. Vaden

    M. D. Vaden Active Member 10 Years

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    Anyone remember the name of the new product by Bayer that is even labeled for systemic use on edible fruit trees?
     
  9. mjh1676

    mjh1676 Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    Bayer

    Here is a link to the Bayer site for the new systemic tree and shrub product. It is safe on fruit trees.
    Bayer Systemic Pest Control

    Imidacloprid-Merit (1.47%)

    I think the retail sale of this product is new, but the chemical compound is not. I remember looking at this Bayer product to potentially treat a birch borer problem, but it was very cost-prohibitive. It was well over $20 for 32oz. which has hardly enough to get started with the soil drench method of application. While it says it would protect for 12 months, I believe that a reapplication may be necessry before that.

    It might be alright for very small trees or those in potted situation.
     

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