Diatomaceous Earth kills by physical action- not chemical. While it seems like a harmless powder to us, it is actually quite sharp and hazardous to insects. It must come in contact with the pest to be effective. It will scratch and puncture the exoskeleton of soft-bodied insects, thereby causing them to dehydrate and die.[/caption] I dust it on the plants to reduce numbers of whiteflies and aphids, I first spray the plant with organic insecticidal soap, then I dust the powder on the wet plant and it sticks for days.I didn't really know I had an aphid problem until I noticed the drying and yellowing of my out of season watermelon plant that was doing pretty well until its infestation, and one of the corn plants. I neglected the yellowing for a while until I took a closer look to find tiny clusters of aphids on the underside of leaves. I discarded the heavily infested sections of the plant and I did the soap and powder method on the okay ones. I got my powder from Amazon.com , there are many brands, you only have to make sure its food grade diatomaceous earth which is completely safe and organic. You will see a lot of this powder on my plants, now you know what it is!
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth is a natural, organic garden pest control, it is a powder made of 100-percent organic ground fossils of diatoms that came from fresh water Diatomaceous Earth kills by physical action- not chemical. While it seems like a harmless powder to us, it is actually quite sharp and hazardous to insects. It must come in contact with the pest to be effective. It will scratch and puncture the exoskeleton of soft-bodied insects, thereby causing them to dehydrate and die.[/caption] I dust it on the plants to reduce numbers of whiteflies and aphids, I first spray the plant with organic insecticidal soap, then I dust the powder on the wet plant and it sticks for days.I didn't really know I had an aphid problem until I noticed the drying and yellowing of my out of season watermelon plant that was doing pretty well until its infestation, and one of the corn plants. I neglected the yellowing for a while until I took a closer look to find tiny clusters of aphids on the underside of leaves. I discarded the heavily infested sections of the plant and I did the soap and powder method on the okay ones. I got my powder from Amazon.com , there are many brands, you only have to make sure its food grade diatomaceous earth which is completely safe and organic. You will see a lot of this powder on my plants, now you know what it is!
Diatomaceous Earth kills by physical action- not chemical. While it seems like a harmless powder to us, it is actually quite sharp and hazardous to insects. It must come in contact with the pest to be effective. It will scratch and puncture the exoskeleton of soft-bodied insects, thereby causing them to dehydrate and die.[/caption] I dust it on the plants to reduce numbers of whiteflies and aphids, I first spray the plant with organic insecticidal soap, then I dust the powder on the wet plant and it sticks for days.I didn't really know I had an aphid problem until I noticed the drying and yellowing of my out of season watermelon plant that was doing pretty well until its infestation, and one of the corn plants. I neglected the yellowing for a while until I took a closer look to find tiny clusters of aphids on the underside of leaves. I discarded the heavily infested sections of the plant and I did the soap and powder method on the okay ones. I got my powder from Amazon.com , there are many brands, you only have to make sure its food grade diatomaceous earth which is completely safe and organic. You will see a lot of this powder on my plants, now you know what it is!
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selamectin (trade names, revolt manufactured by aurora pharmaceutical & revolution manufactured by zoetis ) is a topical parasiticide and anthelminthic used on dogs and cats. it treats and prevents infections of heartworms, fleas, ear mites, sarcoptic mange (scabies), and certain types of ticks in dogs, and prevents heartworms, fleas, ear mites, hookworms, and roundworms in cats. it is structurally related to ivermectin and milbemycin. selamectin is not approved for human use.
usage
the drug is applied topically. it is isopropyl alcohol based, packaged according to its varying dosage sizes and applied once monthly. it is not miscible in water.
selamectin disables parasites by activating glutamate-gated chloride channels at muscle synapses. selamectin activates the chloride channel without desensitization, allowing chloride ions to enter the nerve cells and causing neuromuscular paralysis, impaired muscular contraction, and eventual death.
the substance fights both internal and surface parasitic infection. absorbed into the body through the skin and hair follicles, it travels through the bloodstream, intestines, and sebaceous glands; parasites ingest the drug when they feed on the animal’s blood or secretions.
selamectin has been found to be safe and effective in a 2003 review.
selamectin has high safety ratings, with less than 1% of pets displaying side effects[citation needed]. in cases where side-effects do occur, they most often include passing irritation or hair loss at the application site. symptoms beyond these (such as drooling, rapid breathing, lack of coordination, vomiting, or diarrhea) could be due to shock as a result of selamectin killing heartworms or other vulnerable parasites present at high levels in the bloodstreams of dogs.[citation needed] this would be a reaction due to undetected or underestimated infections prior to using the medication, rather than an actual allergic reaction to the drug itself.
Thanks for the great tip, Alzainah, and good luck getting rid of those nasty aphids! Your beets and other plants are looking great! Have you tried neem oil?
Thanks Jeanie,
I have tried neem oil with great success, and when I was out of it and made a new order, customs refused to send it and destroyed it :( I wish it was available in Kuwait.
i got some neem trees which are growing quite tall so i think we can harvest some and make your own brew
Reblogged this on Garden Life Designs and commented:
I know I talk alot about organic gardening. Here is a great discussion on Diatomaceous Earth (DE). DE is a great organic alternative to many pests. If you have dogs, spread this in the yard instead of using strong pesticides directly on your pets.
Happy gardening and remember to “bee” positive!