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Durham, N.C., USA

I'm not a grower of big pumpkins...not yet any way. I am however getting my feet wet this year with a few vines. I've been spraying them with Orthene. It's a systemic insecticide from Ortho. I'd been hoping it would do the job on the borers and cuc beetles, but now I'm not so sure.

Just got off the phone with Ortho and they were no help. Any of you experts know if Orthene will be effective on these pest. What's your mixture ratio? If not, what systemic will? I'm convinced systemic is the way to go. I'm gonna hit the cuc beetles with some Thiodan soon.

Input please!!

8/7/2001 12:13:48 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

JMB3...On all pesticides there is a singal word on the front panel of relative toxicity. Caution,Warming and Danger with caution being lease toxic. Thiodan carries Danger on it's label I would not use anything with Danger on plants that I would come in contact with. Sevin has caution on it's label and will kill cukes at 1/2 doses.
Bob W

8/7/2001 4:54:38 PM

GULFPORT,MISSISSIPPI

jmb3, i am also using thiodan as my residual chemical on my plants. my local extension office said this will work for the squash vine borers,as does the label on the thiodan. i use a new product out by the bayer company called bayer advancedgarden tree and shrub insecticide. this is a systemic product that works very well since it is fairly new to the market and there hasn't been much of a chance for the bugs to develop a resistance to it yet. with these two products i have no more problems with the borers. every other year the borers did me in, but not any more! give it a try. good luck!

8/7/2001 10:34:20 PM

Herndon, VA

I am not an expert, but I too am using Orthene this year. I am alternating it with Bug-B-Gone which IS labeled for borers. So far I have not found any borers, although I have seen the moths lay eggs on my plant. I don't know which insecticide is doing the job, only that so far I have been borer-free and I plan on continuing what I have been doing. I am using the application rate called out for Japanese Beetles, not only because it is the higher rate, but also because I did actually have Japanese Beetles.

Orthene seems to be slow in killing the cuke beetles, so the bug-b-gone helps with them as well. If you are considering another systemic, be aware that Isotox and Orthenex (both by Ortho) contain the same active ingredient as Orthene (Acephate I think), but Orthene contains the highest percentage. --Bruiser

8/7/2001 11:24:39 PM

Durham, N.C., USA

Pumpkinpicker....Thanks for the heads up and the concern. I checked the label on my Thiodan dust and it reads "Caution" with pretty much the same text as appears on my bag of Sevin. It's a 4% dust...Maybe that's a difference. Something's been gnawing on my garden all summer and I can't see him or catch him in the act. Hoping the Thiodan will help. I've gotten good reports from farming neighbors. I shoud be OK.

GREENHORN... I've never seen the Bayer product but I'll look into it. I suspect the Orthene will do the trick but I'd like to have some confirmation...Thanks

8/7/2001 11:31:20 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

JMB3 percentage could be the difference my bags are 50% thiodan.

8/8/2001 4:27:18 PM

GULFPORT,MISSISSIPPI

JMB3, Lowe's(my favorite store!!!) has the Bayer product line.

8/8/2001 9:56:05 PM

Durham, N.C., USA

50%....Whoooo Wee that's hot.

I'll look at Lowe's. I waffle back and forth between Lowe's and Home Depot. Thanks!

8/9/2001 10:04:19 AM