Derris Dust...

Moorf · Post: # 9706Post **Moorf** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 11:25 am

Does anyone else here use Derris Dust (or should I whisper that?) - it's just I'm not sure if I'm using enough... and the instructions just say "a light dusting"

but when I do it it's a bit of a downpour....

ina · Post: # 9713Post **ina** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:53 pm

I've heard of it, but never used it - what do you use it for?

Ina

Millymollymandy · Sun Jan 29, 2006 5:04 pm

I've just had a Google as I knew I had come across that name recently - it contains Rotenone which is about the only thing you can find in France to dust your chicken shed with - it's an insecticide made from tropical plants.

Wombat · Post: # 9738Post **Wombat** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 8:17 pm

Yep I use it regularly on my brassicas for cabbage moth.

Nev

Moorf · Post: # 9767Post **Moorf** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:12 am

Ah, good, fellow users.

So, how do you apply it and how much (if it's possible to describe without using the words "light dusting" that would help, as it is exactly this that I am trying to ascertain). Does the plant end up coloured with the dust? Do leave a "layer" on the leaves? Would it help if plant was wet then it would stick and not blow away (even if applied in no wind?!).

Thanks in advance!

Moorf

Wombat · Post: # 9769Post **Wombat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:36 am

G'DAy Moorf,

They used to supply it in a plastic "poof" pack that you squeezed and it poofed out on the plants. This gave a fine dusting which was good. The current cardboard-and-tin one allows only for a slathering. I use a plastic fan powered duster for applying it to the veggies. It seems to do the job ina reasonably light dusting. Wet plants seem to cause it to clag together rather than give a fine coating.

Well, that's my expereince anyway!

Nev

Moorf · Post: # 9779Post **Moorf** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:19 am

G'Day and Thanks Nev!

I buy mine in a plastic "poof" bottle - perhaps I ought to lighten my touch cos it comes out in thick clouds when I do it!

I'll practice...

ina · Post: # 9780Post **ina** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 11:22 am

Wombat wrote:and it poofed out on the plants.

Is the verb "to poof" in the Australian dictionary?

I love it!

Ina

Wombat · Post: # 9792Post **Wombat** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 8:21 pm

It is generally not used in polite society Ina!

Moorf, if you hold the container at an "up" angle it helps control the poofing (so to speak).

Nev

nick · Post: # 9803Post **nick** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:11 pm

depends what you are dusting for I have found a good way to kill grubs is 30 ml of molassas (stock feed is cheaper than the stuff for eating) in 1 litre of water - as the rate for nematodes - is good for pretty much anything that looks like a grub. even tried it on the 28 spotted ladybugs and it 'dehydrated' them. only use a mist when spraying because if too much gets on the soil it will probably kill the worms. saves heaps on derris dust. the 2 lt bottles are about $2 and they last ages. molasses is also good to get the microbe population going when brewing manure teas.

Moorf · Post: # 9807Post **Moorf** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:19 am

I'm afraid I don't really know what I'm dusting for, just that my broccoli and beetroot leaves are being decimated by something and can only assume it's a bug of some sort....

I guess I should be more scientific, perhaps someone could give me some things to look out for? I do have a few white butterflies (cabbage?) hanging about.... sorry to sound so dim.

Wombat · Post: # 9814Post **Wombat** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:31 am

Thanks for the tip Nick,I'm going to give that a go!

The most likely problem Moorf is cabbage moth (the white butterfly) they are the curse of brassicas around here. Look for green grubs (the tend to blend in, which is of course the idea). They can be removed manually, the derris dust will work, Nicks idea of molasses sounds good or use Dipel - a solution of bacteria (bacillus thurigensis) which attack the caterpillars but nothing else.

It is also possible to use fine mesh and stop the cabbage moths getting to the plants, if your area is not too big!

Nev

nick · Post: # 9865Post **nick** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:32 pm

definately sounds like the curse of the cabbage moth. through a bit of observation and a couple of years to work it out, have found that the cabbage moths become scarce from about may through to sept. this is when I now try to grow brocolli for freezing so the little green grubs don't appear on the dinner plate. always seems to be one that escapes the drowning treatment.

Wombat · Post: # 9886Post **Wombat** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:44 am

Because of my European trip, I have only just started getting the veggie patch up and planted. I can't remember seeing one cabbage moth so far this year and the place is usually lousy with 'em by now. Hmmmm There may be a lesson there!

Nev

Millymollymandy · Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:00 am

Or ..... beneficial insects? do you have any that eat caterpillars? I won't put any insecticide on my veggies, organic or not, as I would rather leave the beneficial insects to eat the bad things, or just not plant certain veg. I have learnt that I can't grow brassicas in spring/early summer due to the flea beetle. However this pest abates in late summer so my kale was OK (raised in pots).

I had cabbage white butterfly galore but very few caterpillars which I think was due to the hundreds of gendarmes (french name for an insect also known as the fire bug) which colonised my kale. I am not aware that they work as beneficial insects, but I think they may do.

Also, seeing just what rotenone kills, as it's used here for killing things in pet bedding/chicken sheds, I would be worried it might kill the good insects too.

And it comes in a poofy pot!!!