Diatomaceous Earth

[Michael P Gabriel]

Hi! I have been using diatomaceous earth in my veggie garden for many years now and I'm still alive! Yet, I only now read that there are two types of D.E.: one for garden use and one for use in bulk storage of legumes and grains.

I've been buying my D.E. in local supermarkets, WalMart and HomeDepot. Am I jeopardizing my health? I rinse my veggies thoroughly after picking....and since my gardening is totally organic, I only use plain fresh tap water for rinsing.

Any ideas out there as to how one would know whether the D.E is the good kind or the bad kind for gardens? I bought a huge box, 10 lbs., I think, from one store for less than 7.00. Now if I buy the good kind will it cost me a small fortune?

[e-mail] - if emailing, change .com to .net This world is filled with apathy, but who cares?

[animaux]

DE is the skeletal remains of fresh or salt water diatoms consisting of mostly silica, a little aluminum, sodium and iron and lots of trace minerals, including some that are rare. Natural DE is dug from the earth, ground into a powder and sold as an anti-caking agent for stored foods and grains, a natural insecticide, and a natural food supplement for pets and livestock. It is approved by the USDA to be used in food up to 2% of the food volume. Swimming pool or filter DE on the other hand has been calcined (partially melted) and often chemically treated. It is dangerous to breathe because of the high level of crystalline silica and has no use for anything other than in filters.

[Phisherman]

[dr-solo]

it is dangerous to breathe, not to eat. it is used to deworm farm animals. I would certainly not worry at all. Ingrid

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Cereoid-UR12-]

If you shop at WalMart and HomeDepot, you just may jeopardize your health if something fall on your head from an overhead shelf!!!!

Sure, "plain fresh" tap water is organic with chlorine and fluorine in it to boot!!!

The diatomaceous earth you are using is just fine. Just be sure to wear a face mask and don't use it indoors.

You forgot the diatomaceous earth used for swimming pools.

If you want to pay a fortune for it, something could be arranged!!!!! ;-)

[Natty_Dread]

A friend once told me that a light dusting of DE makes a good organic flea and tick repellent for dogs because the skeletal remains are harmful to fleas/ticks. Has anyone here ever heard that before?

[dr-solo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List

the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Lar]

In article , msw_in [e-mail] says... :) A friend once told me that a light dusting of DE makes a good organic flea :) and tick repellent for dogs because the skeletal remains are harmful to :) fleas/ticks. Has anyone here ever heard that before? :) :) I would think it would be too slow to be effective. There are silica gel (often confused with DE) dusts that have powdered pyrethrin that are labeled for use on kittens/puppies 6 weeks and older.