In summer or fall, we often find ourselves handling damaged plants because of the misapplication of pesticides or fertilizer.
Some general guidelines are:
1. Never apply a pesticide or fertilizer to plants that are stressed or wilted. If still needed it must be done with care and under certain guidelines.
2. Never spray during the heat of the day, and avoid spraying during hot sunny periods. Spray pesticides or fertilizer in the morning hours. The earlier, the better. Pre-moistened foliage will also accept chemical applications with less damage. Systemic pesticides will also be taken up better as that is when the plant is moving nutrients. It is also the best time to wire and bend limbs. The opposite is true in the afternoon.
3. 3. If you can, say with bonsai --keep the plant shaded for a few days after spraying, and then spray again in a week or two, depending on the pest species. Mites are in the one-two week range. Rotate the sprays. Remember that affected foliage DOES NOT recover even after spraying. Prevention
and quick mitigation is always needed.
4. Your spraying regime should also involve "drying out" time. Applying a chemical to a plant during extended overcast, humid conditions may increase the possibility of injury. This is why all the spraying or fertilizing and watering in an Orchid greenhouse I managed was done in the morning and never towards the end of the day. the foliage should never stay wet overnight for all sorts of reasons.
5. Rotating organic and non-organic (both are chemicals -- a fact ignored) applications is always advised. Sometimes "organics" can actually be more deadly than the so manufactured Chemical. Nicotine sulfate is a good example. Dermal and Oral toxicity to human tissue was about as lethal as one could imagine. Battling root mealy bugs, we would rotate Orthene, Malathion and Neem Oil. For other problems I also experimented with Garlic sprays and Basic H, and Cinnamon powder was used to dust damaged tissues.
6. Never mix two different chemicals, unless you have a pest applicators license. It may work, but you really don't know what you are creating!
Some indicators of fertilizer or pesticide damage are curled, burned or misshapen leaves.
One experiment in "organic" pesticide is the following concoction.
In a blender grind up some Asiatic garlics , add a Tbl. of Cayenne Pepper blend up. Strain this in a used (and forever kept separate)* drip Melitta coffee filter. This quart of drained liquid should be further diluted until you have a gallon of spray. Basic H, or a tsp. of Palmolive or Dawn should be added. Mix well and spray.
* My former ex (I prefer dead-headed spouse) found it not funny when she used the same (and I had cleaned it out!) Mileta filter for her morning coffee. I had no idea that those ingredients would permanently impregnate the plastic.
Since that time I have refined that formula.
GARLIC -- as an insecticide. Take 3 oz. of chopped garlic and let soak in 2 tsp. of mineral oil for 24 hr. Then slowly add a pint of water in which 1/4 oz of an oil based soap has been added. (Palmolive). Add one Tbls. of Cayanne Pepper. Stir well. Strain the liquid through fine gauze and store in a glass container. Keep refrigerated or it will really stink! Use in a dilution of one part to 20 parts of water to begin with, then one part to 100 of water after. Apply as a spray. I believe most of that began with that garlic site over a decade ago.
Rather than the Melita thing, use some cheese cloth or panty hose.
I will add a 2009 edit. For years I have suffered from an "Alder allergy" which affected me for over a month every Spring. After stopping my spraying of Copper I have had no such reactions. I was not suffering from allergies -- I was suffering from chemical overdoses of what I was spraying for decades.
To put reference to a serious lung disease that my Aunt died of: I will add that "Anthracosis" (not a plant disease) is human based and caused by the the accumulation of carbon particles in the lung. The common culprit being the gulping down of carbon, be it from tobacco, diesel fumes or the burning of late summer plant debris. All is dirt to your lungs and to your body and it never gets rid of it. It stays in your lungs until you too return to carbon.
© 2009 Herb Senft
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