Sevin and Copper Fungicide

[bobm]

Yea, a pretty buzz word that increases food prices !

 

[Smart Red]

I keep my food garden as organic as possible, but I am not a purist. I will use some things on the flowers and shrubs that don't go into the foods. Sevin works well for those inside plants that vacationed outside during the summer, too.

If the only choice was feeding my family or feeding the bugs, I'd use Sevin. My smaller garden hasn't required bringing in the big guns.

 

[freedhardwoods]

I keep my food garden as organic as possible, but I am not a purist. I will use some things on the flowers and shrubs that don't go into the foods. Sevin works well for those inside plants that vacationed outside during the summer, too.

If the only choice was feeding my family or feeding the bugs, I'd use Sevin. My smaller garden hasn't required bringing in the big guns.

That is my way of thinking also. The last time I used Sevin, it got rid of all the bugs.

I've used my homemade pepper spray fairly successfully this year. There were very few bugs in my beans. It worked well enough that I never resorted to the Sevin.

 

[ninnymary]

Seedcorn, I don't sell my produce but I want it to be as organic as possible. Went back to nursery and bought a couple of window trellis and plant coasters that can hold up to 500lbs! Hope they work. I am always moving my hugh pots around. Spent another $95 and figured that was enough. So no Sevin or that copper stuff. I'm lazy when it comes to spraying anyway. My lemon tree gets this fungus and the leaves curl at the tip and my apple tree also does this. I just cut that part off and the trees still produce. Same as for my green beans. Something always chews up the leaves but they still produce so I'm not going to worry about it.

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

My garden is also herbicide free-I can pull weeds. I will use chemicals to kill bugs I can't control. My logic is simple better to eat what I've grown rather than produce with unknown background. For those that pay extra for "organic", especially meats, it's an World wide scam! They feed GMO just like "commercial" feed lots.

 

[baymule]

I have "good bugs" that eat the "bad bugs" and it works for me. I have some orange and black assassin bugs that just showed up and got to work. I even caught some of them in a jar to give to a friend for her garden! And the lady bugs do a good job too. Red wasps eat tomato horn worms and other worms. I have watched the wasps hovering and flying in and out of the vines.

Now if I could find a good bug that liked to eat stink bugs and squash vine borers.......

 

[seedcorn]

I realize there are "good" bugs but by the time they arrive, the damage is done. & usually not in sufficient numbers to win the war.

 

[digitS']

The organic insecticides are not as effective, in my sprayers, anyway. Like @Smart Red , I use conventionals in the ornamentals and organics in the food garden.

I'm not doing it for the bugs' entertainment, nor mine. I worry about reports on the association of pesticide application and Parkinson's in the farm population. Honestly, the organic bug-killer is a toxin, or it creates toxins in the bug. We can say that it is more specific in its bug effect than effect on humans but I'm not buying the idea that "I'm not a bug so I'm safe." We went through that with DDT.

We used DDT in the house. Covered a taut chain with burlap soaked in the bug-killer so the cows could rub against it. I remember spraying the milk room ceiling and having it drift down on me. "Not a bug!" What harm?

One thing, knowing proper application methods is very important. I can't claim to have much knowledge but, remember, it isn't being used for entertainment. It's better for it to be effective than not. Pointless and expensive, but more than that, if it is just tossed about in our environment.

Study up on the organic sprays. They are not harmless but having some ideas on when to use and on what along with application techniques is just such a good idea.

All can be tools, although there are some being pulled from both the conventional and organic shelves all the time.

Steve

 

[freedhardwoods]

The organic insecticides are not as effective, in my sprayers, anyway. Like @Smart Red , I use conventionals in the ornamentals and organics in the food garden.

I'm not doing it for the bugs' entertainment, nor mine. I worry about reports on the association of pesticide application and Parkinson's in the farm population. Honestly, the organic bug-killer is a toxin, or it creates toxins in the bug. We can say that it is more specific in its bug effect than effect on humans but I'm not buying the idea that "I'm not a bug so I'm safe." We went through that with DDT.

We used DDT in the house. Covered a taut chain with burlap soaked in the bug-killer so the cows could rub against it. I remember spraying the milk room ceiling and having it drift down on me. "Not a bug!" What harm?

One thing, knowing proper application methods is very important. I can't claim to have much knowledge but, remember, it isn't being used for entertainment. It's better for it to be effective than not. Pointless and expensive, but more than that, if it is just tossed about in our environment.

Study up on the organic sprays. They are not harmless but having some ideas on when to use and on what along with application techniques is just such a good idea.

All can be tools, although there are some being pulled from both the conventional and organic shelves all the time.

Steve

The spray I make isn't a toxin unless hot peppers are toxic. The recipes I have seen call for 1 or 2 peppers. That didn't do much, so I use 6 or 7. That apparently makes the plants "hot" enough that most bugs don't want to eat it.

The only other ingredient is a small amount of liquid soap. I bought "organic" soap to try to reduce any chemicals, but when you think about it, everyone eats with plates, silverware, etc washed in regular soap.

Same as for my green beans. Something always chews up the leaves but they still produce so I'm not going to worry about it.

Mary

When bugs get in my beans, they chew on the beans as well as leaves, leaving me with a lot less to eat. I have to get them out or I might as well not plant them.

 

[digitS']

@freedhardwoods , I find this very interesting altho I discounted the idea of using pepper spray for years. I thought that it might only work for humans. Then, I learned that peppers are used to treat birdseed in zoos to deter mice. Okay, birds eat it, mammals feel the heat. So, what about bugs?

Growing the hotties, they are just bug-free. Hmmm..

All I know, I learn from Wikipedia (little risky). "The secretion of capsaicin protects the fruit from consumption by insects[9] and mammals, while the bright colours attract birds that willdisperse the seeds." Hmmm..

I should use it and see what Benjamin Bunny thinks of hot peppers in his young bean plants! On broccoli! That rascally rabbit!

Here's what Wikipedia puts under "toxicity:" (link)

Soap? Yeah, I don't use anything special on the dishes but know that I need to use caution in the garden plants. Dad once used a bunch of soap in a hose-end sprayer. He caused his little plum tree to drop every leaf ... kinda the opposite of the effect he was hoping for.

I have enough trouble with burning leaves ... rinsing at sunrise is a good idea but I don't want to do that with the expensive insecticides. I'm always hoping for a little residual effect. There is little to none with some of the organics, however.

Battle. It's just a never ending battle! If you aren't out there every day and paying attention, the bugs move in. One year it's one thing, next year, something different.

The pesticides are tools but it's the gardener who has to stay sharp ...

Steve