Someone suggested this to me for my tree's you're suppose to put around the tree and it protects them for 12 months. But being that it is a systemic is that safe to use? Most of my tree's are bearing fruit. Also should i cut off infected leaves?


Thank You
Kayla

You do not want to use this on trees you will be eating fruit from. It works great on some of my potted trees that will not produce fruit this year, but I would not consume fruit from a tree treated with it.

Todd,
I lost several of my seedlings to spider mites last winter.. I am considering using this stuff to prevent loss of seedlings this winter.. did you adjust the formula for potted plants?? I do not see instructions for potted plants.. also no formula for such small plants..

Any ideas??

Thanks!!!
Gina *BabyBlue*

Hi Gina. No I just mixed it as stated on the label & watered with it as normal.

Thanks!! I'll give it a try!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

Hey Todd,
You said that you use this on Non-bearing plants. That is fine and dandy, but being that it is systemic, how long will it last in the tree?
With MY luck, it would last long enough to still be in a tree that decided it wanted to produce all of a sudden.
Darren

Darren, You may already know this, but if you do a search, using the name of the product followed by the words specimen label, you will get the manufactor's instruction. You can do the same to get the MSDS.

Ned

Hello Gina,
this stuff contains Imidachloprid... and if this is the only indigreed, well, Imidachloprid is considered as not effectife on spider mites.... Imidachloprid was developed for scale and aphid control.... but not for spider mites.
So, if one find it works, he would be of great help.

Usually I use special anti-mite-products, containing special chemicals, which usually are often only harmfull to spider mites and somewhat for other larger spiders.

But Bayer has a new chemical compound on the market, I have to browse the correct name, which should be effective for spider mite control.

For Imidachloprid I have a waiting time, after last application till the fruit should be free of the stuff again, but for the new stuff, I haven't....

Has anyone tried using Praying Mantis to control spider mites?

No, I have never tried praying mantis to control spider mites, but around here, (eastern plains of Colorado) praying mantis are just about as thick as flies. They are every where. You find them on door knobs, screens, side of cars, under foot, trash cans, you name it. - Millet

I have had excellent results control mites using lime sulphur spray. This is done one in the early spring and again in the fall when the temperature is below 85 degrees F.

Mr. Bonnie
Since you recommended the lime sulfur to me, I have stocked up and I am ready to do battle this fall and spring.
I would like your advice on the two Satsuma cultivars that you developed.
Would your BC Satsuma compare with an early Satsuma like the Armstrong or the late ripening Owari?
Also the Satsuma BC2, which I understand is a seedling of the Early Armstrong, may be sweeter. Would it ripen at the same time as the early Armstrong?
Today is September 22, 2007 and I am picking the Armstrong’s and they are fairly sweet for an Armstrong, but I understand that the early Armstrong is superior in taste. Would the BC2 ripen earlier than the Armstrong or Early Armstrong?
For those of you who do not know Mr. Bonnie you should read the Harris County fruit Gardening fact sheet.
Karl

Here are two must read publications for those who live in the Gulf Coast.
Harris County Gardening Fact sheet
http://harris-tx.tamu.edu/hort/docs/fruitnut.pdf
LSU Home Orchard
http://text.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/978B056A-B3F8-47B1-A8DB-1944FB726556/38101/pub1884homeorchardHIGHRES1.pdf

Just for the record, I think "Imidachloprid" is "Imidacloprid".

It is based on nicotine, and seems to be kill fleas on dogs and cats. Here is something I found in the texas-home-winemaker's forum:

"I sell veterinary equipment and know that Imidacloprid is the active ingredient in Advantage topical flea medicine for dogs and cats. Bayer sells millions of dollars of the product every year to the veterinarian and I have never heard of any toxicity problems. The product comes in single dose tubes and is applied directly to the skin of the animal. It works unbelievably well against fleas and I have seen infested dogs completely flea free in 60-90 minutes. One of my good friends is the rep for Bayer and has told me that the product is ALMOST non toxic to mammals. In fact, he has said we could eat it with no negative results. Dogs and cats groom themselves constantly with no side effects whatsoever from ingesting the Imidacloprid. So, I think the toxicity to humans of the active ingredient would be minimal but sometimes the carrying agent is more toxic than the drug itself. I know Bayer sells Imidacloprid for home use and there may be other agents in the product that would affect humans negatively."

Elsewhere, I found someone saying that Imidacloprid was getting blamed for the bee hive problems in Europe.

One problem with newer chemicals or even drugs is that there are no studies about long term effects on mammals and humans, the ecology of the environment (remember DDT). Cancer, and other diseases that takes decades to develop would have lost their link to the first exposure. Only long term studies that span several generations would prove the safety of new chemicals or drugs.

The problem is that, it works in the short term, and the chemical company will exert pressure to everyone so that they can sell their products to recoup their investments and earn profit.

As to the safety of Imidacloprid, that remains to be seen. I still have to see one synthetic pesticide chemical that has no long term adverse side effects on humans, other animals, and the environment.

I am always a skeptic of many pesticides and drugs and seldom use them on my fruit trees. But I do use some that are organically approved. Mineral based, soap, and ultra fine oil are probably the common ones that I have used and always with caution. Others would include diatomaceous earth, gypsum, wood ash, vegetable oil, alcohol, and various plant extracts...

With 25 years as an environmental chemist, I do tend to avoid pesticides, for ecological reasons as much as potential human toxicity. There are some newer synthetic chemicals like the pyrethroids that are pretty safe in the area of human toxicity, but they can be very toxic to non target organisms like shrimp--where as little as 6 parts per trillion can kill.

Imidocloprid and spinosad are two others that I do use occasionally. They both have very low human toxicity, but both can be toxic to non-target organisms. Imidocloprid has a very long half life in soil, and I personally don't use it on my citrus that might bear fruit in the next 2-3 years--only on seedlings that will not bear for more than 3 years. My logic is why use them unless you have to and there are alternatives like oil--you just have to apply it more often.