Spinosad & Bt with bees
owiebrain
12 years ago
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sammy zone 7 Tulsa
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agojoellenh
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Talk to me about Spinosad
Comments (2)Spinosad is a biological pest control product that for some appears very safe and for others, because it has demonstrated toxicity toward bees, is unnacceptable for many organic gardeners/farmers. Like any other product use of Spinosad should only be if necessary and with due care. The Bacillus thurigiensis (BT) was a much safer, and more targeted, pest control then Spinosad which is a broader spectrum control. The link below is an episode of Growing a Greener World on pest control that some people may find interesting. Here is a link that might be useful: Pest control...See MoreBt or Spinosad for Loopers
Comments (8)Loopers, probably because of the number of generations each year (2 or 3 each year in the north and even more further south) so they are able to develop immunities to these things. However, two control methods work quite well and these are Bacillus thuringiensis - Kurstaki and Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus. I've not seen anything yet about Spinosad beig effective, but that may because my sources have not had a chance to use it yet. To make the NPV take several of the target insects (this is species specific) and whiz them in a blender with some water, to make a liquid. Allow this to steep for at least 24 hours, then strain and spray. The theory is that all insects carry the diseases that will kill them and this simply releases those pathogens....See MoreSpinosad
Comments (85)Chickencoupe, rather abrasive post. Things we learn in our backyard - some are re-learned from years past - some are going forward. When I thought about the spinosad, I thought about the tomato hornworm I saw this week with brachnid wasp larva on it. Had I put spinosad on THOSE crops , would the parasitic wasps been killed? probably...this stuff is fed to dogs to kill fleas.....There are always unintended consequences and we seem to constantly screw things up with high tech / corporate chemical approaches. My personal goal is to find the balance. My grandparents raised their own food without pesticides or antibiotics and ate well. I remember every summer night snapping beans, shucking corn, and days of canning done by my grandmother. And I remember -the quality of that food-part of which has driven me back to organic and permaculture. By and large I am not seeing what rabid fanaticism prompted your reply. Those few posts raising questions are well thought out. Some real questions. FWIW, I have had NO borer issues this year and I saw them every day. I merely sprayed the stems of my squash with a soap mix (Dr Bronners and water) once a week and used NEEM both as a drench and a leaf wash....See MoreThrips and Bees-Spinosad and Imidacloprid
Comments (6)Betty, I'm totally with you about going organic...If a plant can't make it in my garden without being sprayed, too bad. I have over 500 different varieties of roses I grow without any spray program... Do some get blackspot?..YES...do some lose leaves? YES...but, for the most part, they shake it off, keep going, growing, and blooming. I'm thrilled. I will say that I have a higher tolerance for "less than perfection" in my gardens...but since I plant enough plants and have enough blooms, I don't notice or care about the few imperfections (e.g., Mme. Isaac Perreire who is a spotty mess filled with glorious flowers and is supporting a wonderful clematis). The disease resistant/diseas tolerant roses are out there...it's been my passion to research them out and add them to my collection. Robert...See MoreMacmex
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoowiebrain
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agopiscesfish
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoowiebrain
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agohelenh
12 years agolast modified: 9 years agosheetereindesign
8 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
8 years agosheetereindesign
8 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
8 years agooldbusy1
8 years agocochiseinokc
8 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
8 years agodjhnd
7 years agoLorie Neste
2 years ago
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