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addison Il

Ok all you growers out there Where sick of the cucumber beetles and this yr plan to eraticate them.We are spending big bucks this yr on our garden and looking to grow big and although seven works for a bit and its fun to see the little buggies fall dead its not fun to be wearing snow suits and heavy gloves in 90 degree heat. We have read about merit and are a litte worried about using it, you see our septic runs that way i guess its called the run off but anyways its back where our plot is. My question is was really thinking of getting merit but it says do not use where ground water& drinking sources are near and we have well water also anything that says beware if this gets on your skin you will be turned into mush is not my idea of fun in the patch. So im asking you all what can we do? Is merit really all that dangerous and if not how do we apply it we dont want to see those evil little buggers in our patch this yr. If your wondering last yr every time you touched a leaf it was like raining cucumber beetles terrible and every time we did seven it would take care of the first batch but then the cousins would come and take over where there little yellow and black relitives left off. Please help us with any advice on products you might use or even advice on the safe and proper way to handle merit even if we have to get the snowsuits on again it matters not as long as where safe and there gone.

4/9/2007 5:50:01 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Merit was detected in the ground water of Long Island, NY. That was a big deal since the Suffolk County aquifer is the largest ground based drinking water source in the country. That's all you'll ever read in the newspapers of NY but I know the real story.

Merit was used on all of the potatoes, cauliflower, tomatos, pumpkins, lawns, golf courses, sod farms, etc for 10 years & never noticed in ground water. NY State DEC forced Bayer to contaminate the test wells bt using rates well in excess of the label. When Merit finally did show up it was at ONE THIRTEENTH the rate that Bayer & NY had agreed to take action. But NY DEC insisted on action anyway. Bayer sued them & lost. So Merit is now a resticted use pesticide in NY & you have just discovered the disclaimer that Bayer installed on the label as a result.

Regular application rates would never have shown up in the test wells even on the very sandy soils of Long Island. Indeed nasty stuff like Dieldrin & Temic were used for a lot longer than Merit & Glenn is still with us.

Merit is much safer around your well than Sevin is. Use it.

4/9/2007 11:20:35 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Nothing personal, but why is it always New York or California(and sometimes Massachussetts)?

4/10/2007 8:30:20 PM

Montoursville, PA

Answer.....Actions like these bring into the realm of possibility the use of different methods of control. This of course shifts some money into the profits of those who try to offer alternatives. When and if the use of biological controlls are realized the worm will have turned and the bucks may bring on more and better yet biological controll. Understand we will have to get back to basics which definately includes crop rotation included within the basics.

4/11/2007 11:03:54 AM