Hi!
I have been using diatomaceous earth in my veggie garden for many
years now and I'm still alive! Yet, I only now read that there are two
types of D.E.: one for garden use and one for use in bulk storage of
legumes and grains.

I've been buying my D.E. in local supermarkets, WalMart and HomeDepot.
Am I jeopardizing my health? I rinse my veggies thoroughly after
picking....and since my gardening is totally organic, I only use plain
fresh tap water for rinsing.

Any ideas out there as to how one would know whether the D.E is the
good kind or the bad kind for gardens? I bought a huge box, 10 lbs.,
I think, from one store for less than 7.00. Now if I buy the good kind
will it cost me a small fortune?

- if emailing, change .com to .net
This world is filled with apathy, but who cares?

DE is the skeletal remains of fresh or salt water diatoms consisting of mostly silica, a
little aluminum, sodium and iron and lots of trace minerals, including some that are rare.
Natural DE is dug from the earth, ground into a powder and sold as an anti-caking agent
for stored foods and grains, a natural insecticide, and a natural food supplement for pets
and livestock. It is approved by the USDA to be used in food up to 2% of the food volume.
Swimming pool or filter DE on the other hand has been calcined (partially melted) and
often chemically treated. It is dangerous to breathe because of the high level of
crystalline silica and has no use for anything other than in filters.


On 13 Dec 2003 05:34:27 -0800, (Michael P Gabriel) opined:

Hi!
I have been using diatomaceous earth in my veggie garden for many
years now and I'm still alive! Yet, I only now read that there are two
types of D.E.: one for garden use and one for use in bulk storage of
legumes and grains.

I've been buying my D.E. in local supermarkets, WalMart and HomeDepot.
Am I jeopardizing my health? I rinse my veggies thoroughly after
picking....and since my gardening is totally organic, I only use plain
fresh tap water for rinsing.

Any ideas out there as to how one would know whether the D.E is the
good kind or the bad kind for gardens? I bought a huge box, 10 lbs.,
I think, from one store for less than 7.00. Now if I buy the good kind
will it cost me a small fortune?

- if emailing, change .com to .net
This world is filled with apathy, but who cares?

Just be careful not to breathe the dust! Dustfoe 66 mask is what I
use in the wood shop, and this will work well for you too. About $30.

On 13 Dec 2003 05:34:27 -0800, (Michael P Gabriel)
wrote:

Hi!
I have been using diatomaceous earth in my veggie garden for many
years now and I'm still alive! Yet, I only now read that there are two
types of D.E.: one for garden use and one for use in bulk storage of
legumes and grains.

I've been buying my D.E. in local supermarkets, WalMart and HomeDepot.
Am I jeopardizing my health? I rinse my veggies thoroughly after
picking....and since my gardening is totally organic, I only use plain
fresh tap water for rinsing.

Any ideas out there as to how one would know whether the D.E is the
good kind or the bad kind for gardens? I bought a huge box, 10 lbs.,
I think, from one store for less than 7.00. Now if I buy the good kind
will it cost me a small fortune?

- if emailing, change .com to .net
This world is filled with apathy, but who cares?

it is dangerous to breathe, not to eat. it is used to deworm farm animals. I would
certainly not worry at all. Ingrid


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

If you shop at WalMart and HomeDepot, you just may jeopardize your health if
something fall on your head from an overhead shelf!!!!

Sure, "plain fresh" tap water is organic with chlorine and fluorine in it to
boot!!!

The diatomaceous earth you are using is just fine. Just be sure to wear a
face mask and don't use it indoors.

You forgot the diatomaceous earth used for swimming pools.

If you want to pay a fortune for it, something could be arranged!!!!! ;-)


Michael P Gabriel wrote in message
...
Hi!
I have been using diatomaceous earth in my veggie garden for many
years now and I'm still alive! Yet, I only now read that there are two
types of D.E.: one for garden use and one for use in bulk storage of
legumes and grains.

I've been buying my D.E. in local supermarkets, WalMart and HomeDepot.
Am I jeopardizing my health? I rinse my veggies thoroughly after
picking....and since my gardening is totally organic, I only use plain
fresh tap water for rinsing.

Any ideas out there as to how one would know whether the D.E is the
good kind or the bad kind for gardens? I bought a huge box, 10 lbs.,
I think, from one store for less than 7.00. Now if I buy the good kind
will it cost me a small fortune?

- if emailing, change .com to .net
This world is filled with apathy, but who cares?

wrote in message
...
it is dangerous to breathe, not to eat. it is used to deworm farm
animals. I would
certainly not worry at all. Ingrid


A friend once told me that a light dusting of DE makes a good organic flea
and tick repellent for dogs because the skeletal remains are harmful to
fleas/ticks. Has anyone here ever heard that before?

outside. I wouldnt use it inside or on the dog. Frontline is a growth inhibitor for
fleas. much better, longer lasting. Ingrid

"Natty_Dread" wrote:


wrote in message
...
it is dangerous to breathe, not to eat. it is used to deworm farm
animals. I would
certainly not worry at all. Ingrid


A friend once told me that a light dusting of DE makes a good organic flea
and tick repellent for dogs because the skeletal remains are harmful to
fleas/ticks. Has anyone here ever heard that before?




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

In article ,
says...
A friend once told me that a light dusting of DE makes a good organic flea
and tick repellent for dogs because the skeletal remains are harmful to
fleas/ticks. Has anyone here ever heard that before?


I would think it would be too slow to be effective. There are silica gel
(often confused with DE) dusts that have powdered pyrethrin that are labeled
for use on kittens/puppies 6 weeks and older.
--

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!