From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Johnston, Iowa

This year I have kept pumpkin plants loaded up with Merit - Bayer Tree and Shrub. So far I've seen 3 places on the vine (near the pumpkin) a Very small area of the vine borer "frass" on the vine. The amount of the frass is smaller than what could sit on the eraser of a pencil. I've wiped off the frass, reapplied another dose of Merit. The good thing is that these areas have not progressed/showed signs of further damage. My Questions are: has anyone seen where the vine borer grub is able to chew into the vine, Then dies after consuming enough of Merit infused pumpkin tissue? Also: if the level of Merit is sufficient, should the vine borer grubs die before they are even able to chew through the vine and begin producing frass? As a FYI- I am also using Liquid Sevin and Cyonara 9.7

7/27/2011 10:50:26 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Dan, I too use Bayer T\S and as of yesterday, I need to use more. I upped my dosage to 2oz per gallon and I cut a decent size borer from the 1101 yesterday. I also found an untreated miniature pumpkin plant that was infested last week. It is only 8 feet long with multiple fruits. I hit it with one gallon (2 oz BTS) a few days ago. Yesterday I cut a few feet through the plant and pulled out 6 happy and living borers. I have to figure something out fast as they have at least 2 cyles here and will stick around till September.

7/27/2011 11:01:46 AM

Johnston, Iowa

Thanks for your answer Luke. I thought I had nuked the hell out of my plant with this product, but I probably haven't used enough. I've applied 2oz per gallon, and used about two gallons of this mixture applied along the main vine of each plant every 2 - 3 weeks. I am reluctant to "do surgery" on the vine because it is so close to the actual pumpkin, but if there is more frass when I get home, then I don't have a choice.

7/27/2011 11:08:05 AM

dan stop by here il give you some 75 % imidacloprid to put it in your kinda words the zanfel compared to calamine strength

7/27/2011 11:48:22 AM

Middle TN

ya'll use 2 oz of Bayer T&S per gallon? Ive been using 4 oz per gallon ever other week. I dont remember where I got that measurement but thats what I used last year too. Maybe Im mixing mine too strong.. eek

7/27/2011 11:49:05 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Tammy, I just emailed you, but you just answered my question. I'm going to hit it with 4 oz tonight.

Dan, I got a safety pin and lightly poked around the vine in that area looking for more.

Don, you mind driving down to Saint Louis and dropping some 75% off? lol

7/27/2011 11:56:04 AM

Johnston, Iowa

Thanks Don! I like your Zanfel/Calamine comparison. Will stop by your place after work.

7/27/2011 11:59:32 AM

this time of year hot and or dry it can take 1oo gallons or per plant to soak imidacloprid into ground to work
its used per square feet active ingredient watered into root zone not a per gallon insecticide

7/27/2011 1:22:14 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

instead of cutting them out, i've removed them in the past with a small hooked wire, but best to keep the out beforehand!

7/27/2011 3:49:42 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

Lost 1/3 plant to borers last season...found they had entered top of leaf stalk and moved down stalk to base where I found most of them dead before entering vines. Grub-Ex preseason and some later season applications seemed to have worked...just a little to late to save the affected leaves! Good luck Dan!

7/27/2011 8:55:41 PM

Rochester, MN

I'm not sure the SVB larve are bother by Bayer T and S? Do we know this works? I know it works well on other things...but haven't heard anyone say it works on the borers?
Thanks.

7/28/2011 11:43:21 PM

Bloomington, IN

Dave, I think it works. I've been using it at a rate of about 10 oz. per 1000 square feet, and I highly doubt I've been getting every square inch of plant with contact insecticides, and I have yet to see a single borer get into any vines or leaf stalks. Then again I've only seen two borer moths this entire season. Usually I see about 10+.

7/29/2011 3:58:11 PM

Bloomington, IN

I should mention I've been drenching it every 2-3 weeks.

7/29/2011 4:04:56 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Luke...try "www.DoMyOwnPestControl.com" LOL, Serious...!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...if this site is still up and running it will save Don a long, long drive!!!

7/30/2011 11:57:30 PM

?

dan, if you have a syringe load it with liquid sevin and put in the spots of the borers.. it worked for me last year

7/31/2011 6:40:43 PM

Buffalo, New York

how do you all determine how much water is needed to drench per oz. ?

i have a 1000 sq ft patch and would like to drench with bayer tree/shrub but not sure how much water/bayer oz. are needed to water through my starr irrigation?

8/2/2011 6:14:35 PM

Fairport,NY

Brooks Posted this:
"here is some info I found on posts here over the years that I saved when using Merit/Bayer Tree and Shrub.

Bayer tree / shrub is the same active ingredient (Imidacloprid).

Bayer T/S as a drench: 204 tsp / 1000 sqft or 4.25 cups.

Bayer T/S as foliar: 5.10 tsp / per gallon.



'Steve Jepsen'(Tremor) on Merit WP Use:

4 level teaspoons to cover 1000 sq ft regardless of the water. Think of the volume of water as a car carrying four passangers on a one mile journey. The same 4 passengers could also ride in a bus (more water), but the distance travled is still the same.

It's the water applied afterward that matters. A slow & gentle watering that siaks in without puddles is critical to placing the material in contact with roots.

4 teaspoons in 1-2 gallons is confortable for most people. But first timers should spray an entire 1000 sq ft area with plain water first to discover how much water will work for them.

There is no right or wrong amount of water to use. Just so long as it is applied evenly & in the same volume every time."

8/2/2011 10:40:53 PM