diatomaceous earth??

Has anyone used this as a pesticide? I've read that this is pretty effective for leaf eaters and other crawling insects.

Would like your opinions on this and your application methods.

thanks.

I've put D.E. around the base in a 1 or 1/2 inch barrer, and I spray it on the leaves mixed 1/2 tbsp per quart. It also provides silica to the plant.

yes, it works great. I was using sand before to keep those diggers out, but would suffocate the soil and would make it a bitch to water well. Then i found some DE at home depot and it has worked awesome. Keeps a lot of things away and out of the soil.

i would just pour it around the base and surrounding area around the plant and it works for about 2 weeks if it dont get wet, but if it does, you got to replace it... ive used it outdoors and it worked well as well as indoors...


i do recommend it

dante76 said:

Has anyone used this as a pesticide? I've read that this is pretty effective for leaf eaters and other crawling insects.

Would like your opinions on this and your application methods.

thanks.

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Diatamatious Earth is used as a soil additive to keep those pesky dirt bugs at bay. It is NOT a pesticide as such, but rather it is tiny volcanic particles that work by cutting the flesh of bugs as they bruch against it in their digging, making it an enviroment that bugs find unpleasant. I always use it in my gardening. The negative slant on using it is that it makes earthworms go away as well.

i like to put it on the ant holes and watch them feel the wrath of DE... They come into the house and get into our stuff, its payback bitches!!!!!

Randm said:

Diatamatious Earth is used as a soil additive to keep those pesky dirt bugs at bay. It is NOT a pesticide as such, but rather it is tiny volcanic particles that work by cutting the flesh of bugs as they bruch against it in their digging, making it an enviroment that bugs find unpleasant. I always use it in my gardening. The negative slant on using it is that it makes earthworms go away as well.

Click to expand...

Randm said:

Diatamatious Earth is used as a soil additive to keep those pesky dirt bugs at bay. It is NOT a pesticide as such, but rather it is tiny volcanic particles that work by cutting the flesh of bugs as they bruch against it in their digging, making it an enviroment that bugs find unpleasant. I always use it in my gardening. The negative slant on using it is that it makes earthworms go away as well.

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Weeeeeeeeeeell, to be more acurate, not that it matters but de is not volcanic. It is comprised of prehistoric shells from diatoms which were tiny little crustacions. There is a volcanic substitute that may or may not work the same way which is a mechanical abrasive action that cuts the bug in a thousand places and he dies a horrible and hopefully painfull death. It's supposed to work on ants also and I used it as I have quite a bunch of ants up here in my own private Idaho. Sometimes they moved on sometimes they didn't. It is organic and supposedly you can eat it so it can't hurt to try it. I think it would work well on the plant and in the pot as a barrier

dante76 said:

Has anyone used this as a pesticide? I've read that this is pretty effective for leaf eaters and other crawling insects.

Would like your opinions on this and your application methods.

thanks.

Click to expand...

Yes, I have. In fact, I used to use it on my dogs for fleas. Works great.
To us, it looks like nice soft white powder. But under a microscope, it's actually tiny sharp shards....that cut the outer shell (exosketetan) of insects....and they essentially "bleed" out. I dont guess bug juice is exactly blood....but whatever. The DE scratches em....their fluid leaks out....they croak.

Good stuff. Probably would fuck up a caterpillar or slug, too.

CW

Catepillars are the exact reason why i'm considering this...

Do you think its ok to sprinkle on the plant given the fact that the buds will be smoked?

Make sure it's food grade and not pool grade.