Thomis,

Not all formulations are labeled for the same crops. In other words, you may well have a Malathion formulation not labeled for fruits. It may be that the manufacturer simply did not pursue labeling for the fruits you want to spray, or it may have a carrier that is not allowed on fruits. My guess is it's the former. Either way it is not legal to use the product on a plant/tree not listed on the label. Sometimes manufacturers will update a label, or expand it to include more crops. When that happens you can print the updated label off the internet and it will supercede the old label. That happens quite a bit.

With regard to Malathion and Imidan. They are compatible, but not sure why you would want to mix them. The are of the same class of insecticide (organophosphate) so have essentially the same mode of action. Imidan is much more effective and has more staying power, so if you're using Imidan, you probably don't need to add the Malathion.

Where do you think you're going to buy Imidan?

Imidan apparently is still on the market, but the problem is getting it shipped to you. I inquired at an online company I've purchased from before, and the owner e-mailed me back and said they are no longer selling it because neither the USPS nor UPS want to handle it because it's caustic and requires special hazardous materials shipping and handling.

The good news is, I got on the phone, and found out that the only two feed stores left in my neck of the woods (N.W. suburbs of Detroit) that I am familiar with both are still carrying it. So, I went out and bought two 5 lb bags of it for $84 bucks (almost $90 with sales tax). This should last me three or four years at least, if not more if I'm careful to apply judiciously and not waste it.

Also bought a 5lb bag of Captan for $23. That seemed like a pretty good price to me.

So, those who are looking for Imidan, I'd call around to the various farm supply, feed stores, and garden centers in your region and see if they still have it.

Dennis
SE Michigan

I never thought about feed stores. I sure can't find it at greenhouses and box stores.
Thanks.

If your state has any kind of farm economy there are chemical suppliers to that industry that carry Imidan. Even in NY it is not restricted for agricultural use (the production of food for sale).

Crop Production Systems is one of the largest nationwide sellers of agricultural products and may exist in your state.

UPS used to only ship one bag at a time because of the fire hazard of Imidan. I wonder if their policy has changed to zero.

Yup, I never gave a thought about it being hard to find. I've seen it at all my local garden centers, excluding the big boxes, which I tend to avoid. Ag in NC is big and scattered throughout, and so are the supply stores. Rally was hard to find, though. I had to drive to Boone = 3 hours.

NC? Too bad my niece flies when she visits. But if I can't find it locally I'll have my brother pick some up when he visits her since he drives there.

You'd think AG would be big in IL including the box stores but this last year they all got it in their head that August or September was the "end of canning season".
Sure made finding jars for October ripening apple sauce and jelly impossible.

Count yourselves lucky, this is from 2001.

"For phosmet (Imidan), three uses are being voluntarily cancelled, nine crops are being authorized for use under specific terms for five years, and 33 crops are being approved for continued use. The new measures on phosmet are being implemented under an agreement with the registrant, Gowan Co. The three voluntary cancellations include use on domestic pets, household ornamentals, and household fruit trees."

I think apples are one of the ones for 5 years (besides that I assume we are talking about household trees).
I went as far as I'm willing by driving and found nearly nothing other than Bonide orchard spray (I'm glad I picked up the apple rated Malathion last year). I'm not holding my breath when I decide to start letting my fingers do the walking.

Myk:

If you can't get Imidan, look around for Permethrin, sold in a 2.5% active ingredient formula. I have had Malathion around for years, and never found it effective on anything but aphids. But Permethrin works against my principal insect enemies, which are plum curculio, oriental fruit moth, and codling moth. I would about as soon use dish soap as the combo Bonide spray (malathion, sevin, captan I believe), which is so weak in it components as to be useless, and uses the wrong components anyway. When used with a small amount of sticker/spreader, Permethrin will stay on and be effective for more than a week.

Malathion is malathion, BTW, the only difference being the labeling of different brands. In cases like this, common sense can be applied, though I wouldn't personally use malathion since it doesn't work well for me.

I know Permethrin is available from Tractor Supply, which is a NC based firm, sold as "Multi-Insect Killer", but if you don't have those a large nursery might be a better bet than a bigbox store. My Lowes and Home Depots no longer carry even dormant oil, but a lot of pseudo-organic stuff that is of no interest to me, and a lot of pre-mixed products that enable them to raise the price significantly. The fact is, there aren't many people around here who actually mix their own chemicals and apply them with a sprayer. The constant drumbeat of organic propaganda has people spooked.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Amen, brother! The irrational premise that juggled molicules are OK if you wear them, sleep on them, drive them, breathe them in the air, manufacture with them, run our cars on them and cure our illnesses with them but not a single one in the production of our food will be considered the equivalent of bleeding sick people in a half century. But meanwhile best to grin and bear it- we are a wonderful, fascinating, foolish species.

"we are a wonderful, fascinating, foolish species"

ain't it the truth

I am after some permethrin... going to tractor supply tomorrow. cheers fellas

Jellyman,
I picked up some TFS Multi-Insect Killer (because of another post of yours).
I assume you don't follow the label for apples since it says to not use it after petal fall. I find that odd since I'm positive I've put Permethryn on my dogs who I then pet, yet I can't put it apples months before harvest.

The Orchard Spray worked good for me last year against Codling Moth and Apple Maggot. The 14 days between sprays is what threw a damper into it occasionally with the Apple Maggot.

I mainly need something to get me through July for Curculio, and of course it has to be effective on them.

I've been touting "Triazicide - Once and done" insect killer for the home grower. It is put out by Spectacide and is a pyrethroid. Traditionally synthetic pyrethroids have good staying power. It is labeled for both pome and stone fruits and can be used after petal fall. It has a 14 or 21 day PHI, depending on the fruit. It could not be easier to obtain, as I have seen it in Walmart and Home Depot.