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Cottage Grove, MN

And not in the "have nothing to do" sense of the word. I was out of town for a week and a half, thought the patch was toxic enough to kill anything. Came back last Friday night and noticed the typical yellowing leaves, didn't have the heart to go for an inspection until Sat eve. Yep, they are in, the mains look semi-ok, but alot of secondary damage. Also found that my one of two keepers went down while I was gone, what fun. Anyway, does imidacloprid work foliar? I'm not up for dissecting each one out (lots by the looks of things), unless it means amputation of the whole secondary. I'm running out of canopy, already chose keepers and term'd vines. Oh, and I found some cuc eggs too just to add insult to injury! I swear I am not doing this again next year!

8/4/2008 7:47:56 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Oh, you'll be back. Once you are hooked, its all over.

In all seriousness though, sorry to hear about the SVBs. I have had some bad damage in the past and I know how it feels.

8/4/2008 11:10:40 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

I'm already hooked J, wish I wasn't. Three years now, each one gets worse or better depending on how you look at things. Always something, I'm thinking of spending more time on the water and less time in the patch next year, at least I can eat what comes out of the water lol...

8/5/2008 12:19:31 AM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

No, you need to do a Merit drench to stop SVB's.

8/5/2008 12:36:28 AM

Mount Prospect,illinois

Theres always Vermillion for Muskie!!!!!!

8/5/2008 7:56:56 AM

Wi

Bob, I also drenched with merit this year and DID have a borer in a vine. Not sure what gives.

IMO the best thing you can do is also spray with bifenthrin (talstar). Better yet mix a foliar merit application with bifentrin. I bought my bifenthrin on eBay. It's 7.9% AI. I spray it along with Bayer Tree and Shrub (found at Ace, Home Depot etc). Bayer tree and shrub is 1.47% imadacloprid. So you need to use quite a bit (I want to say +- 1 oz / gal). The imadacloprid stays in the leaves / stalks / stumps / vines or wherever you spray it. It will not translocate like it will with a drench.

Bottom line is you need a contact. You know it's working when you see dead moths. I actually had a dead moth ON a stump this year.....wheeew.

8/5/2008 9:25:31 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Chris,
Too many people wait too long to REAPPLY merit, I know it says good for 90 days, but look at it this way...you treat your seedling in may when you put it out in the patch....how does that plant look in June, a little biger would be my guess, and all of that new growth is untreated in my opinion.
I reapply every 30-40 days, plus I spray a contact every week......no probs with borers.

8/5/2008 10:26:51 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

I was on Vermillion last week! That's the problem! No one was watching the patch! So I did spray a heavy dose of merit last night, I let it sit for and hour or so and then overhead watered. Think I should still do the talstar? I did a double dose this year as usual, Chris I agree with you, what gives? maybe the little buggers are getting resistent?

8/5/2008 10:50:14 AM

Wi

Tom, I applied merit drench per label drenched June 25th. Picked out the borer the 15th of July. Not sure how it could possibly have not had good merit in the plant at that time???

8/5/2008 5:29:55 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

And leetle deed the banditos know, papa work in a yospeelat yaboratory. Papa yhas needle and siringees, and 44% Admire. Papa yhas going in....

8/5/2008 7:09:15 PM

Mount Prospect,illinois

Ah yes BJX2......Pumpkins and vermillion (or Leech/cass/bemiji/Mille Lacs etc). What a wonderfull combination! That lake is beautifull. Big fishies in it too! Of course i am from Chicago so you are lucky to be where you are!!!!

8/5/2008 9:23:16 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Both my folks were from Chi-Town, made babes up here. I'm one of three. Yes, davep, you're right. If you ever come up this way, I promise to show you two nice rivers and the lakes you mentioned, my buddy owns a nice resort on vermillon. Drop me a line, as the saying goes, I have yet to meet a AG grower who isn't a good person. Besides, I'm going fishing more, I hate svbs..

8/5/2008 11:20:09 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Bob,
This is a frustrating hobby. It sure has it's ups and downs. I think it's the ups that keep us coming back for more. Best of luck to you.

8/6/2008 12:07:11 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

Thanks Doug!

8/6/2008 11:04:27 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Merit (Imidacloprid) is notoriously weak against SVB.
Talstar, Scimitar, Warrior Z, Etc are the better choice but they are all restricted use. There are retail preparations that contain the same active ingredients buy the mix rates will be much higher.

As Tom pointed out, Merit will require frequent re-application. Our plants just grow so fast they selfishly dilute the material internally by their ever increasing size. Even despite the soil systemic absorption. Same with any other pesticide really.

I'm not sure where or when folks started thinking that Imidacloprid by itself is enough for SVB but it's not. It's one HALF of the approach.

Successful SVB control utilizes both Imidacloprid & a good CONTACT residual TOGETHER with the contact being even more timing sensitive.

8/6/2008 11:42:17 AM

Pataskala,OH

I put 2 0z of tree and shrub every 2 weeks and I dont have any bores

8/6/2008 11:51:20 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

I guess I'll have to add to my arsenal, I thought that merit and seven would do it. I probably got lax on the contact. Funny story, I just treated my lab with that top spot tick oil stuff that goes on their skin and lasts for a month or two. 8.8% imidacloprid! I haven't seen an SVB any near the dog, what's up with that?

Out to the patch to do some injections and amputations...

8/6/2008 6:46:25 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Ok, back. Worse than I thought! Worse than I have ever dealt with in the few years I've been growing. The second plant is getting pulled when I have more time, last set aborted. The first plant, the main looks semi-ok, found a few and gave them a shot with a dirty needle. The secondaries are full, tntc as we say in the lab, too numerous to count. I did my best. Nice set on this plant, but I highly doubt it will make it. Found some vines that I missed trimming, think I'll let those go as I'm losing canopy. I guess I'll do what I can, but honestly a vacation from the patch doesn't sound to bad either! I'm going fishing now. By the way, thanks all for the help. Steve, I thought that 44% Admire from work that we spoke of last year would do it, wow that was hard to dilute down! Ah well, live ya learn I guess. At least the cuc eggs are dead, always the optimist here. Oh and, ah hell forget it (PM...).

8/6/2008 8:37:25 PM

Wi

I'd say a pint of Talstar and a 50" ski would probably solve all your problems :)

8/7/2008 9:32:16 AM

Cottage Grove, MN

Can anyone tell me how long they typically stay in the vine? I know there is more damage coming, just like to know when it will be over. Again, the optimist in me! Chris, weather yesterday at all? Could sure use some rain here, the bugs need a drink.

8/7/2008 2:26:07 PM

Wi

We don't get rain here. 5 miles from here sure...15/100" here.

About 4-6 weeks in the vine Bob....ish. Better try to fish some out. Or just do what you can as close to the fruit as possible to keep it alive.

8/7/2008 2:49:06 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

Secondaries are splitting big time, I injected as much as I could last eve. I'll just keep checking daily and poking 'em as I go. What's the record for a pumpkin grown with no leaves?

8/7/2008 4:53:25 PM

Cottage Grove, MN

All this said, I could just be sandbagging, been known to do that from time to time...

8/8/2008 12:36:44 AM