Diatomaceous earth

[Springfever]

I have been reading about the benefits of pest control diatomaceous earth. Although completely safe from organic gardeners is this something you would use in your garden or not? Any thoughts is helpful. I'm worried about good bugs.

[applestar]

Like any pest control, it's important to use them correctly, as needed against identified effective pests, and not indiscriminately. It's obviously not a good idea to dust/spread the entire garden with the stuff.

I use AG/hort grade DE (never pool/filter grade) on seedbeds to protect the emerging seedlings from chewing insects and deter slugs, at the base of aphid infested plants to deter/kill ants that are pasturing them, and sometimes directly on mass of hatching or juvie pest bugs (though I'm more likely to squish those or to clip off the infested portion)

I use DE more for ant and flea control along baseboards indoors.
I also dust the inside of birdhouses during late winter cleanup and to "bomb" yellow jacket and hornet nests, carpenter bee holes....

[rainbowgardener]

I agree with everything Applestar said. I do use DE when my plants are getting eaten up by slugs. Sprinkle it on and around the plant and it seems to help. Haven't used any this year, because it has to be reapplied after rain and we've had nothing but.

It is not harmful to bees and other fliers. It works just by being very sharp little pieces on the micro level. So for small creatures that crawl over it, it cuts them up. For things that don't crawl over it, no problem. I believe I have read of the use of DE in bee hives to protect against hive beetles and such. But just in case, it is probably best not to dust flowers. Usually where I have the slug problem is leaves of things like broccoli and cabbage, so not an issue.