On 6 Jul 2003 17:32:50 -0700, (Beecrofter) wrote:

You have to consider how much pesticide is misapplied and how little
information the original poster provided with his question.
Since he can't see me jumping up and down on my desk screaming read
the label some other form of emphasis was required.
For pesticide application the label is a matter of federal law,
malathion is not soapsuds but an organophosphate whose very existance
is a result of Nazi nerve gas research.
Ultrafine horticultural oil applied to smother adults and reapplied to
take out any crawlers about a week later would be a better and safer
choice for a scale problem and even then you still have to read the
label.

The part which has me baffled is that, this is the year 2003. A year and a time
in history where these facts of toxicity are in every day language, both in
print, film, television, and any other forum where language is used to
communicate.

I think (a dangerous thing when I'm cranky) I've become extremely comfortable,
bordering spoiled, having lived in Texas for ten years. Although we certainly
have our goobers going at all times, full blast, we do have a tremendous
organic/nature based community. Of all places in Texas, I believe (not command
or indicate) Austin being the most culturally diverse.

We have many, many organic garden centers who specialize in native plants. They
compete pretty heavily with one another for the varieties and we happen to have
a great Cooperative Extension Agent in Skip Richter. He is always notifying the
public around here and his selections for plant of the week in the garden
section of the newspaper and on Central Texas Gardener PBS show are usually
always native to this particular part of the state. He is also quite
responsible for getting the word out about using much less harsh measures and
promoting some tolerance for minimal damage in a natural way.

When I read posts where people are asking other people how to apply an
organophosphate, my head almost explodes (!!!) followed by READ THE LABEL.

I cannot imagine anyone in that dire a situation where they have to use
anything as strong as an organophosphate. This is not to say that pyrethrum or
rotenone or any number of organic/natural or biological methods of insect pest
control are non-toxic. Many are, most are not. There is no debate by me.

Nicotine is no longer in the arsenal for organic gardeners who use the standards
put together by the Dept. of Ag. in this state which certifies organic farms or
growers' properties based on their acceptable lists of materials.

HOWEVER, the impact pyrethrum has on the soil biota, and macro organisms along
with mammals and other life forms is possibly to the tenth (wait what am I
saying...) HUNDREDTH power less than an organophosphate. No, pyrethroid the
synthetic version which isn't even related to pyrethrum, but is tricky in
fooling unknowing people OR pipernol butoxide (aka PBO) which is a catalyst or
synergist to give the synthetic pyrethroid some residual action IS indeed
something I'd consider to be far more toxic.

So, now that I possibly blathered on too long, let it be known that we drove an
hour or so to Seaworld in San Antonio (a crapshoot as to whether or not I'd feel
awful about the animals in captivity) and I am fully charged with hope for the
future of these beautiful, brilliant animals AND I got to touch a dolphin. That
was a thrill in my life.

nighty nite,
V