From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Monroe Nc

when should I start bug controll after plants are in the ground. Planning on using liquid 7 untill plants gain some length, dont want to over power young plants. I mow grass for a living and had a cuc beetle land on my arm while mowing customers yard. It was fairly warm here in NC this winter and sure it will be war on bugs this spring and summer.

4/26/2012 8:53:23 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Just about all growers don't use Sevin anymore. It will do run off plants and does a good job of killing worming that we all need in the gardens.

4/26/2012 9:18:16 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I suggest using merit sprayed in a 200 foot circle surrounding each plant. That will protect you till flowering stage.

4/27/2012 11:36:51 AM

Ashby, MA

Isn't Merit a restricted use pesticide?

4/27/2012 12:39:34 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Not in the USA. Go here for the cheapest prices around:

http://www.tampaagriculturalproducts.com/

4/27/2012 1:49:20 PM

Central Minnesota

200 foot circle.....that will cover my house also....LOL Sorry couldn't resist.

4/27/2012 3:34:40 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Me too MNFisher.................. made me laugh!!!!

4/27/2012 4:41:41 PM

Torrance, Ca.

So the Merit does " not " hurt the baby pumpkins?


Thanks!

4/27/2012 5:16:12 PM

Omaha, Ne.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERIT-75WP-Imidacloprid-75-Insecticide-Systemic-2oz-/360256360520?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e0f3d048
Free Shipping

4/27/2012 6:22:00 PM

Hinckley MN

merit may not hurt the pumpkin, but it will kill every bee that visits a flower. so if you are spraying a 200ft circle, you will be killing thousands of bees. It is irresponsible use of pesticides that causes problems for everyone.

4/27/2012 10:58:16 PM

Omaha, Ne.

Good point ben. Is there a substitute? what do you use?

4/28/2012 12:52:41 AM

East Jordan, MI

Cut the flowers off before they bloom (I do it the night before they open, just in case someone calls me and needs pollen for the next day -- especially early on). The bees will be protected and so will your plants. This will also reduce the attraction of cucumber beetles, and SVBs as well. You don't need the bees pollinating them anyway. That is just something else to suck energy from your plant.

4/28/2012 1:59:31 AM

Allentown, PA

@ Pumpkinbrat I did a search here typing in the word Sevin and found many many growers using sevin in the 2011 growing season.

4/28/2012 7:56:39 AM

Hinckley MN

there are no systemic pesticides that are bee safe. I use Pyganic with a mineral oil spreader. It is a contact insecticide but also works as a repelant. I use lots of floating row cover to isolate plants from bees and other insects. 30 ft wide row cover is about $1 a foot plus shipping. I don't have a problem with proper use of pesticides, but you should use them responsibly and not just pour more on because there might be a bug in the tristate area.

4/28/2012 9:39:33 PM

Westford, MA

Eight is supposed to be OK for the bees.

hardly ever see it in box stores.
must be getting rid of all their inventory of sevin

4/30/2012 12:00:26 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Sevin will do you fine to protect a young seedling from cucumber beetles but when the real demons start coming out you will need merit and either bifenthrin or warrior or risk being done in by svb.

5/1/2012 3:20:36 PM

Bottom of ohio

i put a little Merit in the pots before transplant, i will not use Sevin, but as Cecil says keep the blooms cut off , and the bees will not be hindered, i like worms LOL

5/1/2012 10:21:03 PM

Tinykinville

please ben expand on why systemics cause bigger problems then contact pesticides with explaining how a hive works. and then i would like to here how row covers are effective without limiting growth due to inhibiting the sun. then tell everyone the limited damage vine bores do.

5/3/2012 4:39:53 AM

Somerset Ky

without systemic and contact insect control your season will be cut short.

5/3/2012 6:35:01 AM