Pest Control Practices

 

Some of our least favorite organisms Aphids Brown mold Fungus Knat

As a preventive treatment we use these in our watering solution to initially set up the flats. Use about 1-1.5 gallon per flat, so that the liquid is 1.5 -2 inches deep even after the pots are saturated. To each gallon add:

25 ml Gnatrol.

1ml Daconil

Details

Daconil 2787 from Ortho (chlorothalonil or tetrachloroisophthalonitrile) Fungicide to kill various fungi. Use in irrigation water uas above, or can be sprayed at same rate. Can buy this at Home Depot.

Gnatrol Biological larvicide (suspension of Bacillus thuringiensis, subspecies israelensis, 600 Internatiional Toxic Units (ITU) per milligram (equivelent to 2.19 billion ITU per gallon or .576 ITU per liter) 0.6% active ingredient. Used in irrigation water at 25ml per gallon to control fungus knat larvae. Buy from Target Specialty Products Inc. P. O. Box 3408, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 90670, 1-800-352-3870, or 1-213-865-9541.

When those critters are really getting you down, try Steve's 10X bug killer.

To make 10X stock, add to following to one liter of water.

Tween-20 surfactant 60 drops (shooting for 0.01% v/v in final spray).

Kelthane 12g

Merit 7g

Dimilin 1.2 g

Orthene powder (8g/L) or if you use the liquid (9.4% active ingredient) use Orthene 125 ml.

Store in cold room for up to 1 month only (orthene goes bad), but have to mix very very thoroughly before use as it settles to the bottom. Dilute 1/10 into water and spray the plants. Small plants get a light coating, and older plants can be sprayed until they are dripping wet. Leave out the Kelthane if you dont have mites. All can be purchased from Target Specialty Products Inc. P. O. Box 3408, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 90670, 1-800-352-3870, or 1-213-865-9541.

Details

Kelthane (mitacide) sprayed at 1.2grams/liter

Merit 75 WP (to control thrips) sprayed at .7g/L

Dimilin 25W (to control thrips) sprayed at .12g/L

Orthene (to control loopers and aphids). Use at .8g/L (Orthene Turf, Tree, and Ornamental Spray 97, Valent U.S.A. Corporation). Or if you use the liquid orthene from Home Depot (9.4% active ingredient), spray at at 1:80 dilution.