For those in the North it is time to begin scouting your corn for ECB larvae. Pressure has been pretty low in Southern Michigan thus far but I have begun to see an increase while scouting.
If you don't have traps to catch moths you need to pull a few tassels at random and see if there are egg clusters and small larvae (clear colored worms w/ black heads) on the tassel.
The most effective method of control at this point is to get some corn oil / mineral oil & Bt. Mix em and apply to the freshly emerging silks of corn that is just beginning to make ears and tassel. If you can use a dropper to get it down into the silk so it weeps into the ear that is even better.
Unless you have an applicator's license... Then Warrior...
There are much better and "safer" alternatives than Sevin. I admit I use it for residual critter control around the house and in the basement for some powder post beetle control but if it isn't labeled for use on a given food product I won't use it on that product.MaryDel wrote:I (try to) spray my sweet corn 3 times with Sevin. Once when waist high, when silks start to show, and about ten days before they are just ripe to eat. I just got done freezing 200 ears, and I did not have any borers, and just one small worm.
rootsy wrote:For those in the North it is time to begin scouting your corn for ECB larvae. Pressure has been pretty low in Southern Michigan thus far but I have begun to see an increase while scouting.
If you don't have traps to catch moths you need to pull a few tassels at random and see if there are egg clusters and small larvae (clear colored worms w/ black heads) on the tassel.
The most effective method of control at this point is to get some corn oil / mineral oil & Bt. Mix em and apply to the freshly emerging silks of corn that is just beginning to make ears and tassel. If you can use a dropper to get it down into the silk so it weeps into the ear that is even better.
Unless you have an applicator's license... Then Warrior...
Thanks for that recipe. I didn't plant corn this year, but I'll definitely keep it in mind for future plantings.