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Janice
in Halifax posed a common question about ants that is worthy of
repeating:
“I
along with a lot of others, are experiencing a huge ant problem
(they are the little black ants). They are destroying flowers
and shrubs and invading our homes. I have been using a non-pesticide
solution but it doesn't seem to be helping much. Can you offer
some advice?”
My
response:
“Where I live in Toronto, we've been fighting ants for the last
16 years. Still the best insecticide for ants is Chlorpyrifos,
which is coming off the market this year. If you can still find
it, try it--just one spraying around doors and windows should
stop them coming in, and will get rid of a high percentage of
them in the garden. The best newer control is Doktor Doom House
and Garden Spray, or their Doktor Doom Botanics Plant Spray.
I've used both this year with a good deal of success. I would
have to check on availability in Halifax, but you could tell suppliers
they can get it from McKenzie Seeds for you.”
Nicole’s
question was similar to many I hear and I want to share it and
my response with you!:
“Do you have a homemade solution that I can make myself to kill
off the aphids that have infested my yard? I prefer to use natural
remedies for my plants rather than harsh chemicals....”
My
response:
“I do NOT recommend home-made remedies. They usually don't
work, even though the proponents often say they do. Sometimes
they may be much more poisonous than the available insecticides
such as Permethrin, Diazinon, Sevin or Malathion. That was the
case with a well-known garden writer who recommended putting
cigarette butts in a glass of water, and letting them "steep".
The result, she said, was an excellent insecticide and it was
"natural". Well, it worked OK, but it was likely 100 times more
deadly than any shelf insecticide avail-able today. This particular
mixture used to be sold as a natural insecticide spray (in lower
doses than most smokers would make themselves) called Nicotine sulphate. It was taken off the market decades ago. Natural is
not always better! If you wish to use something natural, try Doktor
Doom House and Garden Insecticide Spray (contains only water-based
Permethrin, and natural Pyrethrum from a Chrysanthemum daisy)
or Doktor Doom Botanics Plant Spray which contains just
the Pyrethrum. These are newly available, and I would need to
know where you live in order to suggest where they are sold.”
Art Drysdale:
http://www.canoe.ca/LifewiseHomeandyard01/0710_artchat4.html
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