Is Sevin A Good General Purpose Insecticide?

I've noticed tiny pin holes in the leaves of my bell peppers, egg plants, ground cherries and cantaloupe. My neighbor told me that he uses a product called Sevin that comes in a spray bottle ready to use. Said he's been using it for years and it works quite well for him. I guess my question is: would this be a good general purpose insecticide for use in my vegetable garden?

Rich from PA

Reply to
EVP MAN
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Sevin is the trade name of an insecticide called carbaryl. It is toxic to mammals, though the feds say of relatively low toxicity. It is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, but is broken down quickly in mammals. It is *extremely* toxic to bees, and I think, fish IIRC. It remains one of the most widely used insecticides in American farming, but has been used much less in recent years by home gardeners. I suggest you do a search for "tiny holes in leaves of vegetable plants" and assimilate whatever advice you see in your search. There may be several effective ways of eliminating the problem with natural compounds. A safer, much less toxic chemical alternative (note I did not say it's "non-toxic") is gamma cyhalothrin, sold under the names "Spectracide", "Triazicide" and others. Frankly, it's not super effective, but it helps, and is safer in the long run than carbaryl. But at least check out natural controls first. I can't say specifically which ones, because the tiny holes in your leaves could be from a variety of different causes.

Tony M.

Reply to
Tony

Thank you for the advice Tony. I'll do that search and try to find an alternative method of eliminating the insects. I saw a few of them on my plants. They are as small as a flea or gnat and when you touch one with your finger, they fly away. I sure don't want to use any chemical that will harm the bees. Our local bee population is in big trouble as it is. By the way Tony, did you ever hear about mixing a little dish detergent with water and using it as a bug spray? I just wonder if it would work or not? Sure would be less toxic than some of the other chemicals I would think.

Rich

Reply to
EVP MAN

It was widely used against fleas in it's powdered form. From my observations fleas (at least here) are completely resistant to Sevin and I would imagine other insects as well. Such is the way with overused insecticides.

Jeff

I suggest you do a

Reply to
Jeff Thies

I just posted about Spinosad. It's a bacterium that works by killing the insects in the pupal stage when they feed on the plants. It is supposed be be very effective. I'll know soon if it fixes my leaf miner problem. It is toxic to bees but only when wet. Once dry it is supposed to be mostly harlmess to them. I sprayed at dusk after any bees had left so by morning the stuff was dry. It spares beneficial insects that do not feed on the plants such as spiders and praying mantii.

Reply to
Paul M. Cook

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"We do know that carbaryl is quite toxic to honey bees, certain beneficial insects such as lady beetles, and parasitic wasps and bees, certain species of aquatic insects, and some forms of shellfish such as shrimp and crabs. Care must be taken when using carbaryl in areas where these organisms exist."

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(Carbaryl): A CONTROVERSIAL INSECTICIDE by Winand K. Hock Extension Pesticide Specialist Penn State University If you can believe the headlines which appeared in newspapers from the Delaware Valley and New Jersey last spring, the manufacturers of carbaryl (Sevin) must have developed and released to the public a 'chemical black death' which will make Love Canal, DDT, PCB's, and Kepone in the Chesapeake Bay seem rather insignificant. One Canadian environmental organization in a letter addressed to local citizens cites some of the 'documented' effects of carbaryl. 1. It causes birth defects in mammals, especially dogs. 2. It worsens the condition of people with hypertension and people on anti-depressant drugs. 3. It impairs the function of the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, and the reproductive system. 4. It causes hyperactivity and learning disabilities in mammals. 5. It could increase the chance of heart attack in people with weak hearts. 6. The main break-down product, nitrosocarbaryl, which is easily created in the human gut, is a potent cancer-causing agent. 7. It causes irreversible chromosomal damage to human DNA (the genes in our cells).

Reply to
Billy

In general, you're better off using soap instead of detergent, Ivory, Castile, Dr. Bonners are examples. The insecticidal soaps are pure soaps, that come with directions for use.

Try some on a small portion of your "target" plant to see if the plant reacts. Sometimes it will burn the leaves. Always give the plant time to react before spraying more.

Reply to
Billy

Sevin is good, but don't use it when there are any bees around -- and I mean ANY bees. (Sevin gets on a few worker bees and it will kill the whole hive)

Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

We should not forget

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Reply to
Bill who putters

Not detergent, use soap. An ounce of Murphy's Oil Soap to a gallon of water sprayed on plants and on the soil makes a good insect deterent.

Reply to
brooklyn1

Mixing the dish liquid with water makes an excellent *carrier* for any pesticide you want to stay on the leaves (some people claim good luck using merely tabasco sauce in the water/dish liquid mix), but I don't think the dish liquid is terribly effective by itself.

Tony M.

Reply to
Tony

I like ladybugs better, you can put a floating row cover over the plants and add a pint of lady bugs - no more insects. After 3 or 4 days you can pull the cover and the lady bugs will spread out looking for more pests. Put a ladybug house out in the early fall and they will overwinter in it.

Doug

Reply to
Doug Houseman

Reply to
Billy

It's basically a nerve gas (acetylcholinesterase) in diluted, powdered form.

Reply to
Billy

An excellent solution :O)

Reply to
Billy

Pyrethrum. Not very toxic to higher animals, degrades quickly and will kill most insects. However it will still kill bees and other beneficial insects so take care. If extracted from a daisy it is approved organic, if made in a test tube then it is not (figure that out). If you want to do just grubs without any risk to anything else then use BT.

David

Reply to
David Hare-Scott

have you tried vinegar mixed with water? It works. Must leave a bad taste in their mouths. ;0

Donna in WA

Reply to
Lelandite

Sevin is good for combating lawn insects.

However, your first step should be to identify what insects are damaging your vegetables. Sevin might not be effective against them. It might also kill predatory insects that feed on the ones causing damage. Take a few of the damaged leaves to a good nursery (not a hardware store or lumber yard) for identification. Carry the leaves sealed in a plastic bag (e.g., Ziploc) so that you don't risk contaminating the plants at the nursery.

Once you know what is causing the damage, a good nursery should be able to advise you on treatment. They might even advise you to ignore the damage if the impact on your vegetable crops will be slight. Or they might recommend an insecticide that is narrowly specific to your problem instead of a broad-spectrum insecticide such as Sevin. The more narrow your attack, the less impact on the overall environment.

Reply to
David E. Ross

I *will* need to spray for mosquitoes. I think pyrethrum is effective, although I'm unsure. Any ideas here, I'd like to keep it out of the garden.

We've had a lot of rain and the temps are going up so, the blood suckers are on the way.

Jeff

However it will still kill bees and other beneficial

Reply to
Jeff Thies

Be sure to scout every inch of your own property to remove any standing water anywhere. That alone can be a big help. Inside old tires, in a clogged gutter - anywhere you can think of.

Tony M.

Reply to
Tony

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