Systemic Pesticides in the Greenhouse
You’ve got bugs chowing down on your plants. You want them gone, what’s it going to take? A few weeks back I wrote about one of my favorites to use in the greenhouse, Attain TR. It’s a fogger that kills bugs on contact. Benefits of Attain:
· A 12-hour REI (re-entry interval) and a quick start to the REI clock
· Safety on a wide variety of plants, including open blooms
· A total-release insecticide application that is effective on mites
· Efficiency no expensive equipment to buy
· Up to 3,000 square feet of coverage
What if that doesn’t work? Systemic pesticides work differently. Systemics travel in the tissue of the plants to be consumed when chewing/sucking insects are present. When consumed the active ingredient interferes with nerve impulses and disrupts insect behavior. Pests stop feeding, stop reproducing and eventually die. They are highly effective and are good to have in your toolbox. One of my favorite drench applications Lada 2f available at local Steve Regan or wherever you buy your pesticides. You can also purchase granular imidacloprid which is really easy to apply.
Keep in mind these pesticides require a license to apply in your learning greenhouse, and the label is the law. You must be able to follow the directions. The WPS also says you must log when using these types of pesticides, and keep an SDS sheet available. As always if you have comments questions or concerns let me know.
-Georg