Thank you for that feed back Davidwv. I have on order the Wilt Pruf and it was scheduled to arrive tomorrow. My fed-x notice says package damaged in shipping and returned to sender. I did purchase some Safer's Wilt Proof yesterday so I guess I'll give that a shot. Your post answered some concerns for me and I will just dilute a little more than the directions say.
The person I e-mailed at Wilt Pruf said: First you must know that Wilt Pruf is intended for evergreens. Applying it to deciduous trees and shrubs is experimenting.
I have applied it to a Chinese Plumeira on Kauai at a 10-1
concentration with good results. We have also used it on Rose bushes
many times but in hot weather it is possible to get burning so you
should begin cautiously.
The concentrate is a considerable better value. The RTU is a 1-5
concentration so you may need to dilute it to use it on tropicals.
Best Regards,
John Graff
And I chatted with Caren about her use so I guess it is time to go for broke. The Safer's didn't mention spraying in the sun but I do like Safer's 3 in 1 product.
RE: "Maybe a cure for mites!!!"
There were some new replies while I was typing up the lengthy reply above, so I'll address them in this one.
Caren, the results speak for themselves don't they!!! Even if these products, depends on which one you are using, doesn't take care of the mites like Jim said it did, it has proven that it will keep the plants from wilting. These products are going to be a HUGE help for those who live in the deep south, by keeping the plants from wilting so bad in the hot southern sun. The Anti-Stress 2000 is supposed to be effective against the mildews and black spot on roses. Another help for us humid southern growers.
AuntB, I have never heard or read anything about the use of worm castings to help control mites. Would you happen to know of any websites that has information on the worm castings and mite control?
tednugent, I remember you posting about using seaweed to control the mites. Are the mites that the seaweed controls just the spider mites or does it control the broad/cyclamen type of mites also? I too use organic methods only to control insect pest. So the answer to your question about Wilt-Proof and Anti-Stress 2000 being considered organic is, yes they are.
John, I am glad that you got answers to some of your questions. I like the Safer's brand of products too. I am glad that you mentioned that the person from Wilt-Proof mentioned to you about its development specifically for evergreens. And that using it on other plants is just experimentation. This information gives some credibilty to what the gentleman that developed Anti-Stress 2000 told me this evening. That Wilf-Proof was a much different product and could cause damage to the foiliage if you are not careful.
The Anti-Stress 2000 product was developed differently, it can be used on the blooms of fruit trees, veggies such as tomatoes and melons, etc. Its development was not only to help plants from becoming water stressed, but to give plants a few degrees of frost protection also.
So, it is becoming clearly evident that there is a big difference in these two products; Wilt-Proof vs. Anti-Stress 2000. Personally I have come to the conclusion that the Anti-Stress 2000 would be the better over all product. And luckily, that is the one that I went with before finding out all of this other information.
I read the Anti-Stress blurb and I probably need to try this for my brugs. What I was wondering, and didn't get a very good idea of from the info, was whether this would help plants that need a higher humidity? I love my hoyas but find myself misting them constantly because of the low humidity here. It seems like this product would help but I'd like someone else's opinion. Same idea, right?
stellapathic,
I don't know the answer to your question about it helping plants that need a higher humidity, but I would call the 800 number for Anti-Stress. I talked to the gentleman that developed the product and he was very courteous over the phone. I am sure that he or someone else at the company could help you out with your question.
Here is the number so you don't have to look it up. Anti-Stress 1-800-678-7377
I talked to him also and he was VERY NICE and helpful. Several people have commented on that. I would not hesitate to call him again if I had a question.
Davidwv, John Graff is the person at Wilt Pruf that e-mailed me back. I'll post my results from my use when I get my courage up to use it. Diane.
This would make a great co-op. Maybe even just an advertised special for DG's.
David, do you think the owner would be interested? If this thread was in the co-op forum, orders would go nuts!!
chris
Let me buy stock in the companies first!
LOL, Maybe a stock co-op.....then product co-op.
I was leaning towards the Anti Stress anyway, so I'll order some, anyway, anyhow, I WANT some. If just for the wilt issue, if nothing else. David, and everyone, thanks for sharing your experiences, I'll see what I can find on the castings (which have some food value as well) and get back with you. This stuff is a BIG break-through, not only for our cherished brugs but on the commercial/food side for places like CA and the south especially, imagine world wide?! I will use it for wilt issue, general well being for a healthy plant, that would help with the mites ... I'm excited to try some... Probably won't have a lot of time left in my growing season, but it will help when I bring them inside, too.
Tednudgent, thru my personal research on the seaweed - when used along with raw horticultural molasses, and super thrive or (messenger is same as super thrive?) it helps the plant retain nutrients that the super thrive provides and that are in the soil that get washed away with heavy watering. IE- healthier plant and mites pass over because they can find something less healthy, and easier to "break down" as food for them... does that make sense? I just grow for pleasure, but I don't like using chemicals, but do when the going gets tough! Thoughts, anyone?
Quickly, (gotta run out for food!) Here is a link I found where they talk about insects and castings.... there are more, some not as good, some probably better - I just googled - worm castings for spider mite. We might just be totally organic next year, Ted!
http://www.dfarms.com/why_we_use_worm_castings.htm
It (the seaweed)seems to be working for all mites havent had a problem this year at all, with mites anyway it works as I understand it by making the leaf tissue too tough for the mites to pierce. I wonder if this is what the wilt pruf is doing making a protective coating the mites cant get through and smothering them as well. I have some I plan on spraying on my doubles as they cant seem to take the texas heat very well it may save them . also I think miricle grow and peters might as well be called mite food the last two years mites ate my brugs and tomatoes this year I havent seen even one,
My plan is to spray everything I'm feeding 20-20-20 and my aroids, mums, hosta (after a test spray, first, of course) Anybody wanna trade something for some 20-20-20? Seems like everbody who's into growing needs to know about this stuff. I don't think I could bring myself to spray them in full sun, though. I read that the molasses helps break down the seaweed nutrients to a level the plant can easily absorb them,.. (NOTrefined molasses like for cookies) (Come on Diane, don't be afraid) Seriously, I'm a skeptic, and I'm ordering some, and I'm testing anything that wasn't mentioned on this thread... but veggies to tender perennials and tropicals pretty much covers it all... Ted uses seaweed and he's mite free! So I guess I'll use seaweed as mite deterrant and organic food and the Anti Stress for mite deterrant and the moisture retaining factor, cause the Anti Stress is not a plant food, correct? (guess my 1.65lb worm castings purchase was not necessary, but I'll still use them) 20-20-20, anyone?
Ted where do you get the seaweed extract?
Yardqueen, I didn't intentionally spray the caladiums but I'm sure they got some over spray and drips from the plants above. They didn't have any signs of burning.
I am able to buy it at lowes here. Austin is fairly eco friendly city. I first heard about it on a early morning garden show that plays out of san antonio on weekends. Any garden supply should have it The only brand I know of is called maxicrop.
I found the MSDS (material safety data sheet) link posted below - Might scan through it. It says the "chemical family" is "acrylic copolymer" ....and states what to do in case of eye/skin contact and to wash any spillage as it can be slick. Linda, you can get liquid seaweed at any nursery or garden center, I paid around $12 for 1/2 gal concentrate.... not sure about lowes or HD....
http://www.antistress.com/MSDS/MSDSAS.html
Ted,
Will I have some Maxicrop seaweed that I add to buckets of water with Peter 20/20/20 and feed the plants. So you mix it up and spray the plant.
spray i think its about t tblspoons to the gallon they also recommend using it as a feed etc etc etc but I rarely use it in this manner I add a little to my fertilizer occaisionally but I am not sure if it does any good this way or not. I only know I began using it as a spray early this spring and have not even had a small mite infestation.I used it every 2 weeks at first now I do it about every 3 weeks.I havent used neem,ortho,pentac,bayer or any other product except a little molasses and both liquid and granular organic fertilizers and my brugs are doing fine except for my doubles they just cant stand the heat. maybe the wilt pruf will help this.
AuntB I have heard thet mites attack mostly stressed plants also.Have you had mite attacks while spraying with a regiment of seaweed? I have come to believe the chemical fertilizers while making the plants green and grow fast also stress the plants kind of like a human drinking too much coffee or somthing like that. plus I am lazy organic fertilizers only have to be applied about every 3 to 4 weeks rather than every week.
Actually, I dilute it with water and pour directly in the pot. ?? (GULP) I don't remember the ratio.. whatever it said on the jug? And then it's pour a dollup in as a guess not an actual measure. Come to think of it, my little Alex finally got rid of mites AFTER I watered it w/seaweed/superthrive mixture. I held off on the 20-20-20, only offering 1/2 strength 1x wk. I have done it only a couple times and I can't say I have schedule as such. I have continued using 20-20-20, 1 or 2X weekly depending on heat and behavior of the brug.
Okay AuntB, I accepted your challenge [or you gave me courage] and sprayed yesterday afternoon with Safer No Wilt. My Wilt Pruf didn't arrive. I sprayed a few plumeria leaves, a few passiflora leaves, sasanqua real good, brugs, jassmine, azaelas, and roses. Nothing is dead, that's a plus right? The leaves on the evergreens look shiney and healthy. It's too soon to really tell I think on any true help but I do know that since nothing died, I will spray maybe a hoya and a few others today. My brugs are in full of bloom and it didn't discolor them or anything.
Now, it wasn't a challenge, Diane and I hope they continue doing great, I think they will. Has the sun shone on them, yet? You were very brave. ;) You are still doing test spots, right on the hoya? Is there an ingredient list or something on the No Wilt? I'm just curious... always the analyzer. I hope my Anti Stress 2000 comes for this weekend..
Mine came yesterday!
Oh no it was courage pure and simple I took from you! The Safer bottle didn't distinguish really about only being for evergreens. It said for transplanting flowers, Christmas Trees, etc. Not a whole lot of information, i.e. do not use kind of thing. I'll be happy to list all it says it you like. I actually sprayed in the sun, oh around 3 maybe, it was cool [not 90's] so I went for broke, nothing burned, now I didn't drench them fully, I was still a little scared I just kind of sprayed over and under not as good as if I were using a fungicide....call me chicken little.
No, you don't need to list it out... I wondered if you seen acrylic copolymer anywhere on it. I'm glad to help in anyway I can, I think I probably will spray like you, but not IN the sun.... you are a brave little toaster! How are things looking now? Temps are probably heating up down there by now.
My anti stress arrived,I have not tried it yet. We are hot today and I worked at a benifit this morning. Im going to catch everything thats coming inside and to my little greenhouse.
Ted the Maxicrop seaweed I have is Maxicrop Liquified Seaweed. Will this work?
yes that is what i use. if you have mites now tou might want to blast them off with water first. and spray them once a week. Sure worked for me.
Heavinscent,
As a newbie, I've only sprayed using a quart bottle-type sprayer. What kind of sprayer did you use when you sprayed your brugs.
Karen
I used the same kind. It takes a bit longer but I hurt my back recently and can't lug around the two gal sprayer anymore.
I use a rechargable electric 4 gallon sprayer. I have it mounted to a small 2 wheeled dolly I love it as it sprays hard enough to dislodge mites by itself. I used to use a 2 gallon pump type sprayer untill between my vegie garden and brugs I out grew it. Mites were a big problem here they love tomatoes as much as brugs.
HI, all, I'm new to the thread but absolutely fascinated! Does anyone yet have an estimate of how far a quart of the ready-to-use Anti-Stress 2000 will go? I have a very small (new in ground this spring) ash tree that's had problems with mites and other foliage issues. I was wondering if giving it a good spray with this stuff might get rid of the mites, and give it a little respite before it drops its leaves this fall, and maybe a boost in the spring. But I"m wondering will one quart do the trick, or should I go with the concentrate?
Thanks for all the great info--great stuff!
Thanks to everybody for chiming in with the sprayer info. Big help to me, especially to find out that I don't have to be really fussy about the kind of sprayer.
I'm going to go with the concentrate for the difference in price. I also noted today that a gallon of concentrate only costs $15.00 more than a quart of concentrate -- I figure that's 4 times as much for the extra $15.00. With the heat wave we had this summer, over a month of 100+ temps and no rain, I'm thinking this would be a boon to spray 1st of July on the veggies as well. They tried so hard during the heat, but even with watering every day they just barely hung in there. Also, thinking this would help me with the plants I want to grow that are a little out of my hardiness zone, maybe spray just before 1st frost date.
I also noticed that the tropical plant shown on the web site was sprayed with a 1:100 dilution. Those of you who have already tried this -- what dilution did you use?
Am I correct in that this is supposed to be effective for 3 months?
Karen
I ordered the gallon concentrate, I hope it comes today. I use a battery operated sprayer I picked up at HD... it has a cap that screws on to a milk jug or any bottle that size.... I use the milk jug, cause I can use it all in 1 spraying... and it's not very heavy.... the nozzle holds the batteries (4AA) and there's long plastic tubing running through the screw cap and into the jug... IF you have more than 3 or 4 plants, the hand pump kind is going to make your fingers sore, (I know)......I picked it up for $5 on sale, reg $7 or $8.
AuntB,
That's a good suggestion, not too large, not too small, not too expensive. I'll look for one at HD.
Thanks,
Karen
Here is my report on the Safer's No Wilt: didn't faze my brugs or maybe it did help, I'm just having an issue with catepillars right now. My Wilt Pruf arrived and I will wait a few more days before I spray them with that. We've had enough rain now that I don't think it should be an issue to respray. I did notice a small difference in my jassmine using the Safer's. Could be Safer's is a product for the more tender plants, I don't know.
I've sprayed my tropical hibiscus with the AS2000, no real results to report, our weather is no longer scorching so I can't really to a wilt test until next summer. Then the brugs will be better test subjects for that.
Hi, All - I have been following this thread with real interest from the beginning and I am conducting a series of experiments myself using the Anti-Stress 2000. My biggest issue right now is broad mites. God I hate those (*(*7!!# things! My frustration is that I know of no way to tell if it is working or not until new leaves grow out - which seems to be taking FORever right now. I suppose that is partially because of the time of year, all my plants have slowed in their growth already. But what I want to know, especially from David or anyone here who has sprayed spidermites or especially broadmites - can you conclude that it did indeed kill them?? I have sprayed my plants twice with a 30:1 solution of the AS2000. It has been 10 days since I started and 4 days since the second spraying...they neither look any better nor any worse at this point but as I said..no new growth either so how do I tell????
I'm posting a link, I apologize if it's a dupe and if I'm repeating... the product is not advertised to kill already infested plants. "keeps them healthier and better able to perform at their best. The plants use energy to grow and produce, rather than to fight stress." Only used as to "confound" and "repel" pests of insect or animal nature - suggests getting the AntiStress w/pepperguard. It was invented more to "combat" heat, "protect" from frost damage, and "enhance" fruit quality and appearance and to reduce the use of "other" chemicals. Which brings me to another question: What is IN the AntiStress? Complex acrylic polymers - What is that?
acrylic=a synthetic (man-made) textile fiber produced from acrylonitrile
acrylonitrile=a colorless toxic liquid used in making acrylic fibers and resins, rubber and thermoplastics C3H3N
Somewhere I read on the jug - herbicide -
herbicide=a chemical protection designed to kill plants, especially weeds, or to inhibit their growth
I'm at work, so I can't read my jug right now, but I'm getting the magnifying glass out when I get home. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm sold on the product for what it was made for. I think it is a HUGE breakthru for commercial food growers.
But it is not like the "chemicals" we use to thwart an insect infestation. It does help the plant with overall health and a healthy plant will be passed over if there is something around less healthy and easier for the insect to break down.
Anyone? Does someone have a jug of the AS2000 within reach, could you look for more big scientific words?