In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 5/22/10 12:42 PM, Paul M. Cook wrote:
Damn it but my young Hmong red cucumbers have leaf miner damage already and
they have only begun to take off. What is the quickest and best way to
knock this down? Screw organic, at this rate my plants will all be
infected. All I have for now is the organic pesticide/fungicide/ herbicide
combos using lecithin and some natural soap. I'll hose it with malathion
if
I have to.



Although not approved for use on edible crops, I would use Imidacloprid,
available as Bayer's Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect Control. You mix it
with water and use it as a soil drench. Control might take as long as 3
weeks.

Unlike many other systemics, tests with Imidacloprid show little or no
toxicity for mammals and birds.

12. This pesticide is highly toxic to birds and aquatic invertebrates
http://www.cdms.net/ldat/mp8F5001.pdf

Section 4. First Aid Measures
Have a product label or container with you when calling a poison control
center or doctor, or going to treatment.
http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/standardli...-6580_msds.pdf

You've already lost the crop, but you can still buy some poi$on. IPM
(the organic way) says to anticipate your problems, don't wait until you
have a fire in the house to buy a fire extinguisher. You can garden with
nature (cheap), or against nature (expen$ive). Consider this your
tuition.
-------

Cultural Control

Prune off and destroy infested branches. Keep plants healthy (properly
irrigated and fertilized) so they can tolerate and outgrow the damage.

Biological Control

Populations are generally prevented from reaching truly damaging levels
by a number of parasitic wasps that attack leafminers in Florida. Wasp
larvae develop on or in the leafminer larva or pupa, and pupation occurs
in or near host remains. In some species, the wasp stings the host,
injects a paralyzing venom, lays an egg and its larva develops
externally. The host ceases to feed and the parasitoid egg or larva is
visible through the leaf epidermis. Parasitoid larvae developing
internally are usually solitary, and after several days of development
may be seen inside their leafminer host by using a hand lens against
strong light.

Chemical Control

Leafminers are difficult to control because they are protected by the
leaf tissue. The best time to manage leafminers is when larvae first
hatch inside the leaves and begin to feed, but the damage may be
inconspicuous. Treatment at this time also minimizes plant damage. But,
if many large or long mines are seen, the leafminer may have completed
its development, and control is not useful.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html