Diatomaceous Earth

[Rex]

Hi, I'm new here so I hope that I'm puting this in the right place. Hopeing someone here knows about Diatomaceous Earth. All the Gardening i do is Organic. so when i got ants in my house at the begining of the summer i didn't want to use pestesides so after a lot of resurch i desided to use Diatomaceous Earth and it seamed to work. The Diatomaceous Earth i have is pool filter Diatomaceous Earth and i just read that this kind has more crystels in it makeing in not as safe if breathed in. So finaly to my question, should i get rid of this and not use it?? ( spread around my house with a mask). Or is it all right and as safe as i thought it was?

Thanks

[cynthia_h]

There are different grades of diatomaceous earth. Do not use pool-grade DE in the garden.

I buy my DE at a nursery. Just today, I purchased a box of DE at Westbrae Nursery in Berkeley for $5.99 + tax because it's being a REALLY BAD ant year here.

You'll also see warnings on the DE box to keep it away from children and pets.

And, by the way, welcome to the Helpful Gardener!

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

[applestar]

Oh no! DEFINITELY DO NOT USE POOL FILTER Diatomaceous Earth to spread around your house or garden! This kind is heat treated into sharp crystaline form -- think ASBESTOS. VERY VERY BAD for you, your pets, or even benign wildlife.

Get Agricultural grade or Food grade Diatomaceous Earth. (Ones sold in garden centers are, I believe, same as Agricultural grade)
These are added to feed/grain to control pests. So it's safer if breathed in.

[Rex]

Thanks,

It is wierd that my bag dosin't have any Warnings on it. The only bad warning says not to breath in over prolonged period of time and that it may cause health problems if this is done. No keep away from kids and pets. But I'm going to give it to a friend with a pool and i'll get some of the safe or safer kind. Thanks agen for the quick posts.