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Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

It's getting to be that time of year again so.....

FIRST - PERSONAL SAFETY:

Keep the chemicals in their original packages LOCKED in a cabinet or box AWAY from children.

ALWAYS READ THE ENTIRE LABEL. What we say here doesn't count. The label is the law. READ IT.

PPE = Personal Protective Equipment - Gloves, goggles when mixing, respirator for dusts & measuring & mixing wettable powders, etc.

Don't eat or smoke before washing.

Wash up with a separate bar of soap outside BEFORE going in the house. The next hand on the door knob could be a child's.

DON'T SPRAY WITH KIDS OUT & ABOUT. Wait til after they go inside.

NEXT - PLANT SAFETY

Mixing & Measuring: Please don't use kitchen utensils. They aren't accurate & might end up back in the kitchen by mistake.
Rinse with water back into the sprayer before storing in a Ziploc bag for clean storage.
Use dedicated measuring devices for different chemicals.

HERBICIDES - We use Roundup. Use a separate measuring cup stored away from the other "stuff". NEVER share sprayers. You DON"T own the proper neutralizing solutions.

SEEDLING INSECTS - Other than corn seed maggots, Cutworms, Squash Bugs & early Cuke Beetles there isn't much else going on. Traps, collars & systemics (Imidacloprid) control these so you probably don't need to chance damage with contact sprays right now.

continued

5/10/2008 1:48:55 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

FUNGICIDES - As above, other than pythium there shouldn't be much yet. Watch for ALS, etc soon. Mancozeb/Dithane &/or Daconil are good early preventive fungicides. Apply only on cool evenings at the very lightest rate. Avoid the new growth. Pretend that the first two leaves aren't there. Half rate sprays a couple days apart are less injurious & just as effective (in most cases).

NEVER spray during the heat of day. If the sun is on the young plant, don't spray. Don't spray in the morning either - the sun will come out & cause all manner of grief.

MORE IS NOT BETTER - It's worse. Don't kill'em with kindness. In a few weeks there will be scads of pictures of spray injury that will be misdiagnosed as some bizarre disease or nutrient deficiency that will get sprayed again or fertilized with even greater damage resulting. Don't be a victim.

Natural isn't always safer. Resmethrin insecticide & copper fungicides might be marketed as "organic" but they are MORE toxic to people than most chemicals. READ THE LABEL & MSDS if in doubt.

When in doubt - DON'T!

5/10/2008 1:49:05 AM

Commack, NY

great post Steve, thanks once again.

5/10/2008 7:10:21 AM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Yeah, good stuff.

5/10/2008 9:14:26 AM

Long Island,New York

>>Don't eat or smoke before washing.<<....or pee.

5/10/2008 6:14:01 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Great Post Steve
I would also like to add that if you are using a mist blower to apply any pesticide, you should be wearing a respirator. Chemicals can be even more hazardous when atomized!

5/10/2008 7:30:26 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Great point! Mist blowers are a potential hazard the entire time they are in use. The user MUST wear a Paint & Pesticide approved cartridge respirator with FRESH cartridges. Likewise the user must keep any eye out for the wind & who or whatever might be downwind.

CLEAN ALL sprayers when you're finished spraying. Stuff that is permitted to dry in the tank will also dry inside spray tips, valves & venturis resulting in many aggravations later.

5/10/2008 10:42:07 PM

Long Island,New York

While Tremor is on the cleaning of sprayers topic I think its important to note that even if you blow out your sprayer at the end, when you go to use it next time examine the hose and tank. With the stihl the hose is clear so its viewable and there always seems to be a 1/2 ounce or so of old stuff in there...condensate or left over wash, whatever you used last. I have had damage to my plants in past and analysis usually resulted in finding the damage was in the first place I started spraying. The theory being its this last ounce of leftover stuff thats old, cooking, perhaps converting to something nasty or just concentrated liquid from a slow condensate on the stuff stuck to the sides of the spray tank that eventually pooled at the beginning of the spray thats doing the damage.
You may think its empty, but these chems have stickers in them...and they stick to the walls of your tank.
Thats my theory and I'll do a rinse and blow BEFORE I load up to spray in the future....maybe this will save you some stress......g

5/11/2008 8:42:04 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Good stuff G. In the trades we always "recirculate" so that the first product OUT of the sprayer goes back INTO the sprayer & not onto the plants. This is precisely why.

Mist blowers don't permit such a luxury so follow Glenn's advice.

5/11/2008 5:27:02 PM