User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

How to apply Diatomaceous Earth?

Hi,


Finally got my bag of DE in the mail. I am ready to start using it around my plants and borders. Is there a certain tool people use to apply it? Something like people use to powder their face? I don't want to be wasting it by applying it wrong. I also heard about being careful with breathing in the dust.

Also if it rains or gets windy do I have to reapply? Thx

Hortman
Senior Member
Posts: 156
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:00 pm
Location: Chicago area

Hello Punkrotten. Ken here in the Chicago area.
I would put it into a plastic container or use a digging trowel. Sprinkle it
where needed from one of those. If you use a container, label it DE and
only use it for that purpose.
Wear a dust mask and gloves. The Material Safety Data Sheet recommends
A dust mask, but says gloves and eye protection “not generally requiredâ€

User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

Thanks for the tips Ken.

Hortman
Senior Member
Posts: 156
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:00 pm
Location: Chicago area

Anytime PR. Take care.

2 Green Thumbs
Full Member
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:21 pm
Location: West Lafayette, Indiana

I can get all the DE I want from work for free what are the real benifits of using it? Could you add some to a compost bin? I know we use precautions when using it due to the FACT that prolonged exposure to its dust has caused cancer, not trying to freak people out but it is the truth.

Dillbert
Greener Thumb
Posts: 955
Joined: Sun Apr 04, 2010 3:29 pm
Location: Central PA

DE comes in two commonly "known" grades/types.

one is for filter - like swimming pool filters.
the other is agricultural grade DE.

they are processed differently, and the pool type DE does not work so well as an insect killer.

the ag grade has zillions of little sharp edges - it's useful against stuff like slugs and snails - slivers their feet. for soft bodied insects like aphids it cuts up their "skin" and they die of dehydration.

for bugs on the plant - sprinkle lightly on the plant.
for slugs/snails, sprinkle around the base of the plant.

inhaling it is not so good - it slivers up one's lungs just like the bugs (g)

User avatar
GardenRN
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1102
Joined: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:01 am
Location: Chesterfield, Va

you could ask Jal_UT. I have seen him reccommend it many times on here and I'm sure he could recommend good ways to use it. IDK, but I get the feeling he has a lot of experience with it.

Tonio
Green Thumb
Posts: 357
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA !! Z10/SS24

sprinkle around plants...

There is a food grade DE also, I got a 1GAL container at a holistic pet center.

If for outdoors, you shouldn't have to worry about inhaling the stuff , unless you're downwind and the wind is blowing upwards. Its not like you're gonna be throwing the stuff around, just get close to the soil and sprinkle.

Inhaling a minute amount will not kill you. Eating beef and meat will kill you faster.

T

User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

I may be using too much. It looks like it snowed on my plants, that is how much I use. I now also sprinkle around the perimeter of my plants cause I would go out at night and notice that some earwigs got past the DE and are on the plants. So that it why I started to use a bunch.


I have even seen some walking around in the DE and have white powder on them but it doesn't seem to be bothering them. Do they die slowly? I have been going out at night with soapy water and spraying them too. I am killing 50-100 a night. The very first night I went out with soapy water they were everywhere. All over all my plants; all my mints, sage, parsely, kale, nasturtiums, carrots, lettuce, chamomile, strawberries, and radishes. I put out some tomatoes and peppers to harden off and keeping and eye on them cause I know they love to chew on peppers.

Tonio
Green Thumb
Posts: 357
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA !! Z10/SS24

PR, sounds like you have an infestation. Are they mostly adults , or do you see baby and juveniles also? DE will not kill em immediately, they will dehydrate from injuries.

Make some traps, and find the nests if there are baby/ juvi's.

I used some wet cardboard sheets with added small amount of compost under to let them congregate, and makes a good way to kill the masses. Early in the morning / mid day/dusk is a good time.

Now that the population is down, I do find some around and crush them as I patrol the beds, planting area. I even use my bare hands to remove from a bed and then stomp on em !!

DE seems to keep em in check, but with an infestation, you need to put a BIG dent in the population 1st.

edit: also check under pots, and debris around the yard and house.

User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

Yeah there is quite a bunch in the compost bin too. But that is on the other side of the yard. I seen that some were living in between the boards. I sprayed a bunch of soapy water in there and that really freaked them out. I have been checking under pots, bags, big rocks etc, anywhere they might be hiding. I mostly find adults, but a few times I have lifted a pot of big rock and found a bunch of babies and even a mom guarding eggs. Yeah I am trying to hit them hard day/night to get the population down. I also got straw laid down as mulch and I bet this is making it better for them.

I really have no idea why there is so many of them in my yard. They are definitely the most damaging pest I have ever had in my garden.

Tonio
Green Thumb
Posts: 357
Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:07 am
Location: San Diego, CA !! Z10/SS24

Definitely rid of the straw mulch !!, I pulled mine back in december. It housed the earwigs in my snow pea patch, and nested a clan to the degree that they (babies) climbed the wooden stakes and chowed down the leaves that were in close proximity. I caught them in time before much damage.

Somehow I feel that the straw mulch supported them !!

I'm using only compost now as a mulch, and appears to be superior and adds nutrients and amends the soil quicker than straw. Think I'll use straw only for winter (such as it is in So Cal LOL) or the compost bin.

T

User avatar
PunkRotten
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

Probably in the next few days I will get the straw mulch out of there. It was added in the Fall last year only a little bit broke down. I don;t have enough compost to use as mulch. Maybe I will get rid of the straw and add it back in the summer by then most my plants would be pretty big and the earwigs probably wouldn't cause much damage.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

When My garden has an infestation of any pests, I try to find out what their natural predators are and encourage them to join my Garden Patrol.

Here's what Colorado State website has to say:
Natural:

Encourage natural earwig predators including toads and birds.
Construct earwig traps out of shallow tin cans. Fill the cans with a half-inch of vegetable oil and place them in the garden. Empty and refill as needed.
Earwigs can also be trapped in cardboard boxes baited with oatmeal or bran. Poke a pencil-sized hole in the sides near the bottom for entry.
Effective earwig traps can also be made of rolled newspaper or old hose pieces. Place these tubes near plants at sunset. Empty into a bucket of water each morning.
Sweep up or use a vacuum cleaner on earwigs found inside the home. Once inside the home, they will eventually die without treatment.
https://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Pests/earwigs1.htm

It also says for preventing indoor infestation that "Earwigs are attracted to light. Reduce lighting around doors, windows and other potential entry sites. Use lights that are less attractive to insects such as sodium vapor yellow lights." so maybe you could put your earwig traps under solar garden lights?



Return to “Organic Gardening Forum”