Pyrethrum, experiences?

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Rubber Chicken

• Jun 25, 2017

• #1

I'm just wondering about a couple of things about pyrethrum....

It says spray on top and under leaves, but avoid young growing tips or seedlings??

How exactly can you avoid spraying the young growing tips if the plant has new tips everywhere?

Also, it says it kills the insects on contact, BUT is ineffective if it rains soon after spraying?
If it is ineffective if it rains 'soon' after, it doesn't really kill on contact, does it?

Just a little confused, because i have used it effectively before but also a couple of times it made the plant get mutated a little (leaves curling up etc.).

Thanks for opinions/experiences.

 

frostqueen

Active member

• Jun 25, 2017

• #2

Rubber Chicken said:

I'm just wondering about a couple of things about pyrethrum....

It says spray on top and under leaves, but avoid young growing tips or seedlings??

How exactly can you avoid spraying the young growing tips if the plant has new tips everywhere?

Also, it says it kills the insects on contact, BUT is ineffective if it rains soon after spraying?
If it is ineffective if it rains 'soon' after, it doesn't really kill on contact, does it?

Just a little confused, because i have used it effectively before but also a couple of times it made the plant get mutated a little (leaves curling up etc.).

Thanks for opinions/experiences.

Click to expand...

I haven't used this in years so I have no advice, but be really careful not to breathe that shit. Piperonal butoxide is carcinogenic. The whole 'pyrethrum is safer because it's natural!' bit is nonsense.

What kind of bugs are you fighting? Neem oils might be a better option, or safe greenhouse chemicals that are approved for use on food crops. Depends upon what bugs you want to kill.

 

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Rubber Chicken

• Jun 26, 2017

• #3

Thanks for the input.

I have to do more research, because i have a lot of pepper seedlings that are starting to get aphids (i think) in clusters aswell.

I want something that is nontoxic and can kill/control multiple pests.

Neem is definitely something i want to try.

 

R

Rubber Chicken

• Jun 26, 2017

• #4

I'm trying pyrethrum at ¼ strength to see if it works.

 

buzzmobile

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 26, 2017

• #5

You can kill aphids on peppers with a soap spray. It's a contact killer just like pyrethrum so thorough spraying of leaf surfaces is a must. Don't spray in the heat of the day.

 

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Rubber Chicken

• Jun 26, 2017

• #6

Thank you, buzzmobile.

I have used dish soap with success in the past aswell, i just had a bad experience with it recently and killed a plant i was planning on keeping, i think i was too liberal with the soap, i don't know...... i decided to use a watering can instead of a mist sprayer

I guess the roots got poisoned from it, i could have possibly saved it if i flushed it enough but i didn't realise it was as sick as it was and it just never recovered.

 

aridbud

automeister

ICMag Donor

Veteran

• Jun 26, 2017

• #7

And don't forget diatamaceous earth.

 

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HqFarms

Member

• Jun 26, 2017

• #8

Are these plants outside? If so do you also have a ant problem as well? Ants farm aphids for their sugary secretions a after they eat the leaves

 

frostqueen

Active member

• Jun 26, 2017

• #9

To clarify: pyrethrins themselves are safe. It's the propellant in the aerosol cans that contains piperonal butoxide. You could also try a tobacco-based solution. If you go into the infirmary section here there are some good answers for you.

 

buzzmobile

Well-known member

Veteran

• Jun 27, 2017

• #10

Rubber Chicken said:

I have used dish soap with success in the past aswell, i just had a bad experience with it recently and killed a plant i was planning on keeping, i think i was too liberal with the soap, i don't know

Click to expand...

Soap and detergents are two different things. Kirk's Castile Soap instead of Dawn Dishwashing Detergent.