diatomaceous earth and toads?
annafl
14 years ago
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katkin_gw
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Just got Diatomaceous Earth but there's 85% SO2 in it
Comments (12)DE should NOT be inhaled! You can eat the darned stuff (and believe me, we ALL eat it) but can't inhale it! Food grade or horticultural grade DE is largely Amorphous silica, which has less of in inhalation danger than the pool filter grade, which is almost all crystalline silica. Your horticultural DE can be used with perfect safety, as long as you wear a dust mask. Are you worried about the warning on the label? Most of that stuff under your kitchen sink has warning labeling, yet we use them with abandon! Have you read the warnings on a bottle of bleach or any household cleaner? EEEEK! Give me DE any day! BTW, contrary to common belief, DE does not lose its effectiveness if it gets wet. It can even be mixed with water and applied as a spray (it doesn't dissolve so frequent agitation will be required)....See MoreDiatomaceous Earth and Butterflies
Comments (5)This is what I found. My thoughts...if in doubt, DON'T USE IT! Butterflies often lay their eggs on plants, and when those eggs hatch the little caterpillars will stay and feed on the plant as they grow. Caterpillars can be controlled using a common organic insecticide known as Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt. Bt is a naturally occurring bacteria that causes caterpillars to stop eating and die. There are several varieties of Bt that can be used, depending on the type of caterpillar you’re after, including one specific to Colorado potato beetle larvae and another for corn earworms. Bt is also effective against tomato hornworms, the little green worms that like broccoli and cabbage, and bagworms. Bt should be applied at 1-2 week intervals to kill succeeding generations of insects. Gardeners with butterfly gardens should avoid using Bt on their plants because it is harmful to butterfly caterpillars. However, Bt is completely harmless to pets and people. Diatomaceous earth is another natural insecticide that may be used on a variety of insects. Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that feels like talc, but it is actually the fossilized skeletal remains of small aquatic critters called diatoms. It is completely harmless to people and pets, but when soft-bodied insects come in contact with it, the tiny sharp edges of the diatoms lacerate the insects, making them dehydrate and perish. Apply diatomaceous earth in the early morning or evening when the plants are wet with dew, which will make the powder stick to the surface of the leaves and doom the insects that walk through it. Diatomaceous earth can be used to control ants, aphids, beetle grubs, box-elder bugs, flea beetles, those nasty little earwigs and many more insects. It’s also safe to use on houseplants, and can even be sprinkled on the ground to control slugs. http://gardening-articles.com/controlling%20insects%20organically.htm Outdoor insects affected by Diatomaceous Earth include:- ants, caterpillars, cut worms, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, snails, slugs, spiders, termites, silver fish, lice, mites, flies, centipedes, earwigs, aphids, beetles, fruit flies, lemon tree borer, borers, thrips, pysllid etc.. http://www.greenurbanliving.co.nz/diatomaceous-earth-for-natural-insect-control/ And from the manufacturer: (look half way down where I bolded, italicized, and starred) While Red Lake Diatomaceous Earth works well to kill most crawling insects, there are a few species that DE is known to be especially effective against. These include: • Ants • Bedbugs • Fleas • Cockroaches • Silverfish • Flour Beetles • Darkling Beetles • Grain Beetles • Carpet Beetles • Colorado Potato Beetles • Caterpillars ******* • Earwigs • Centipedes • Millipedes • Sowbugs • Pillbugs • Spiders • Crickets • Slugs http://www.absorbentproductsltd.com/diatomaceous-earth-insect-list.html...See MoreDo cuc beetles & squash bugs feel diatomaceous earth?
Comments (8)As I've said, DE works for me against leaf-footed bugs, which are of the same variety as squash bugs or stink bugs. Also, as I've said, you can dust a HUGE area in minutes with a shop vac output or leaf blower. Long ago I used to use a hand-held DE sprinkler, and never will touch it again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkrK8LvQPa8 He puts a pile of DE in front of the plants and blows it. I just grab a fisful of the stuff and blow it. Of course, you could also use the shop vac to just suck 'em up, but that can damage foliage....See More??? Adding nematodes to soil mixed with diatomaceous earth???
Comments (2)Flushing the soil with a dilute solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide will also help. But essentially the presence of fungus gnats IS a watering issue. Either cut back on your watering regime or repot with a less moisture retentive potting mix, like the 5-1-1 suggested above....See Moregardencraze
14 years agoannafl
14 years agocarolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
14 years agoannafl
14 years agocarolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
14 years agoletscleanse_gmail_com
12 years agoHU-197828659
9 months ago
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