When to Use Insect Spray on Vegetables and When Not to Spray

[agfinguy]

I planted all my veggies about 3 days ago and got a ORTHO flower and vegatable insect spray. The instructions read spray when you see bugs.. (in a nutshell) but they are so small and tomorrow we are expecting a thunderstorm..
My question is when to spray.. spray preventively or spray reactively?

[img]https://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/agfinguy2010/Picture010.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz133/agfinguy2010/Picture006.jpg[/img]

[rainbowgardener]

Personally I don't spray poisons at all. But definitely do not spray "preventatively" ! You don't know what you are spraying for. The spray may not still be around / effective when whatever bad bug you are worried about shows up, but in the meantime you will have killed off all the good bugs that would have helped control them.

What was in the pictures looks like basil, parsley and peppers. None of those are particularly prone to insect problems. Nothing bothers my parsley and basil. The only thing that attacks my pepper plants is slugs and your spray won't do anything against them anyway.

But you are right your plants are still quite small. If you are expecting a really hard rain, you might want to put row cover/ shade cloth or something like that over them for some protection. Baby plants like that can get kind of smashed in hard rain.

[agfinguy]

Thank you for the reply - it was very helpful.

[Handsomeryan]

Spray according to the instructions on the package. Not only is this the most effective use of the product but in most cases it is actually against the law to use the product in a manner outside of it's labeled instructions.

[Kisal]

The time to treat for insects is after you have identified what they are. That way, you can treat with something that will actually control the pest, rather than just kill off the beneficial insects.

Leaf miners, are impervious to sprays for most of their lives. Only the adults are susceptible to sprays, and they're only around for a few weeks each spring.

Insects with sucking mouthparts, that suck the plant's sap, aren't bothered by sprays that leave a coating on the leaves.

For many years, I haven't had to use anything stronger than a soap solution in my garden, but I strongly believe in picking off things like caterpillars, slugs and snails by hand. I see no point in using chemical controls for anything I can catch with my hands.

[applestar]

In the mean time, it's a good idea to read the label and look up the listed ingredients at the very least. In addition to write ups about the individual active ingredients, you can find the MSDS for specific product you have.

[garden5]

I like what Kisal said: identify your insects first! You certainly do not want to spray beneficial insects that would benefit your garden.

[agfinguy]

Thank you all so much for the advice..

[Gary350]

I do not spray toxic cancer causing poisons on my garden. The best thing for bugs are Bird houses and Guineas.

https://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/

[Handsomeryan]

I do not spray toxic cancer causing poisons on my garden.

Overdramatic much?

Turning fowl loose in your garden is a great way to spread Salmonella [but it's organic so I'm sure it's good for you].

[cynthia_h]

Turning fowl loose in your garden is a great way to spread Salmonella

Please provide a citation for this statement.

During the massive egg recall last August/September, many independent egg producers--at least here in California--tested their hens and eggs and found very little salmonella present. It seems that the more factory-like the situation, the *more* salmonella is likely to be present.

The owner of the egg factories in Iowa which were found to be the source of the many, many eggs involved in making people sick had previously been found guilty of other crimes (I can't remember whether they were misdemeanors or felonies) in Maine and elsewhere against the food supply, but was let off with token penalties.

I would trust someone whose address I knew and whose fowl-raising practices I could observe for myself ahead of a factory, if it came down to it. Fortunately, in California, there are higher standards than in many other states, and thus far I haven't had to make that choice.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[webmaster]

It's dramatic, but arguably not overdramatic when considered against the decades of negative experiences underlying a statement like that. And allthough dramatic you should understand there is a lot of badwill associated with industrial agriculture and thus drama is not unexpected. Nevertheless a hallmark of this forum is civility and I respectfully ask all members to remember that. I think we can have a civil discourse about this topic but please remember it's not a debate with winners or losers, it's a discussion.

As far as salmonella, you should know better than to throw that out there as if the soil is otherwise sterile, without bacteria or germs. You should know better than that and I think you do.

As for organic methods, I think it's a shame that people won't try a little harder to educate themselves about GMO's before dismissing them.

That's one aspect of GMOs for discussion. But there are other issues that concern people. The GMO business model has (fairly or unfairly) created a reputation management problem for the industry. Stepping away from whether the food is different or safe or unsafe, let's take a look at issues that have been raised about GMOs.

Should Seeds Be Patented and their Usage Strictly Limited?
A complaint about GMOs that has been made is that the seeds are patented and farmers are legally bound to strict rules on how those seeds are used. On the one hand there are benefits to the farmer and consumers, including increased yields and less chemicals used (although Roundup Ready crops are crops that are resistant to herbicides).

On the other hand it has been said there are increased costs to farmers using those seeds plus some litigation against farmers that has been claimed is unfair. One thing that is clear is that many documentaries and countless negative news stories have caused a reputation management burden. Which leads to the next issue.

Scientists and Big Business Have Lost Goodwill and Trust
Perhaps another reason why people have a knee jerk reaction to GMOs are the daily studies about OTHER supposedly safe compounds and products that were seemingly safe that are now deemed to be unsafe. Nuclear energy, artificial turf (lead), BPAs, cigarettes, artificial colors, preservatives, hydrogenated fats, [url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/16/news/la-heb-meat-bacteria-consumers-20110416]antibiotic resistant bacteria in meats[/url], etc., etc., ad infinitum. Rightly or wrongly companies not associated with GMOs have created an atmosphere of wariness in consumers. This is nothing new, but it has been growing and reaching a tipping point where it's becoming part of our popular culture. Nowadays it's not just hippies reading an ingredient list and wondering about the safety. It's everyday moms and dads.

To be frank, scientists and big corporations have lost the trust and goodwill previously extended to them by our parents and grandparents. Rightly or wrongly, people are wary when told that certain products are safe. This wariness manifests itself in misinformed decisions such as mothers not inoculating their children against diseases because of unfounded fears that vaccines cause autism.

Scientists and corporations will have to earn consumers trust back only this time it's possible that there is so much information and misinformation out there that it might take more than trying to influence public opinion.