Austin Gardeners,

I have all my gutters drained into large plastic garbage cans and I use
pieces of the BT dunks to keep mosquitoes from hatching out.

However, there was a woman on a tv gardening show the other day (just
got in on the last of it) and she said that organic matter in the water
will keep the dunks (BT) from working to kill the larva of the mosquitoes.

She said we need the pliable window screen material covering the tops of
the garbage cans and held in place with those bungie cords to hold the
screens in place to keep leaves and such from failing in it.

So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?

Gae Xavier

Gae Xavier wrote:
So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?

I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.

--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
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Victor Martinez wrote:
Gae Xavier wrote:

So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae

The dunks don't prevent hatching. They hatch out and eat the
Bt-Israelensis aka Bt-K strain and die. The dunks do have a shelf
life. I use them all the time and they work perfectly well.

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 11:36:46 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:

Austin Gardeners,

I have all my gutters drained into large plastic garbage cans and I use
pieces of the BT dunks to keep mosquitoes from hatching out.

However, there was a woman on a tv gardening show the other day (just
got in on the last of it) and she said that organic matter in the water
will keep the dunks (BT) from working to kill the larva of the mosquitoes.

She said we need the pliable window screen material covering the tops of
the garbage cans and held in place with those bungie cords to hold the
screens in place to keep leaves and such from failing in it.

So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?

Gae Xavier

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:

Victor Martinez wrote:
Gae Xavier wrote:

So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae

It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Jangchub wrote:
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:


Victor Martinez wrote:

Gae Xavier wrote:


So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae

"Gae Xavier" wrote in message
...
Jangchub wrote:
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:


Victor Martinez wrote:

Gae Xavier wrote:


So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in
ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae

If you put a screen over the containers, why would you need to use a dunk?
Just saying.......

cat daddy wrote:

"Gae Xavier" wrote in message
...

Jangchub wrote:

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:



Victor Martinez wrote:


Gae Xavier wrote:



So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in

ponds.

Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae


If you put a screen over the containers, why would you need to use a dunk?
Just saying.......



Beats me. Don't kill the messenger. Just passing on something I watched
on the gardening show. Maybe people on this group should write and
complain about the silly woman saying such nonsense on their show.

I believe it was maybe Trisha Shirley and here is the URL. It may have
been a re-run. Wish I had captured her name so you could all complain
about her to the station.

http://www.klru.org/ctg/shows/june.asp

Go get her, or one of them smarty-pants women on that show, you guys!

Gae

cat daddy wrote:

"Gae Xavier" wrote in message
...

Jangchub wrote:

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:



Victor Martinez wrote:


Gae Xavier wrote:



So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in

ponds.

Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae


If you put a screen over the containers, why would you need to use a dunk?
Just saying.......




Actually, in remembering as I did my house work, I think that was the
point she was making. That those containers needed to be covered because
BT would not work in that kind of environment -- requires more oxygen
than available in brackish water.

So covering the garbage cans can keep both skeeters and the leaf
material that rots.

I think it is the lack of oxygen that was the issue for making BT work
-- and since it only has a 30 day active period and comes in a package
of dunks to cover 6 cow ponds on a 100 acre farm for 30 days.

So, guess that was why she was demonstrating covering the cans with
flexible screens and bungie cords.

Best to All-- Gae

On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 11:06:30 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:

Jangchub wrote:
On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:


Victor Martinez wrote:

Gae Xavier wrote:


So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae

She was incorrect. Nobody is arguing with you, trying to inform, not
argue.

On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 12:10:04 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:


Actually, in remembering as I did my house work, I think that was the
point she was making. That those containers needed to be covered because
BT would not work in that kind of environment -- requires more oxygen
than available in brackish water.

So covering the garbage cans can keep both skeeters and the leaf
material that rots.

I think it is the lack of oxygen that was the issue for making BT work
-- and since it only has a 30 day active period and comes in a package
of dunks to cover 6 cow ponds on a 100 acre farm for 30 days.

So, guess that was why she was demonstrating covering the cans with
flexible screens and bungie cords.

Best to All-- Gae

Trisha Shiree (sp?) has given horribly incorrect information on
occasion. That's why I no longer listen to Dromgool's radio show.
The woman on after Dromgool on Saturday is also vastly incorrect on
MANY things. I don't listen to her any more. Same with CTG. I like
Tom very much, but he has Dromgool on there and I find him to have
well surpassed ignorance. My garden was once featured on CTG, but I
rarely watch it any more.

Jangchub wrote:
On Sat, 03 Jun 2006 11:06:30 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:


Jangchub wrote:

On Fri, 02 Jun 2006 22:32:32 -0500, Gae Xavier wrote:



Victor Martinez wrote:


Gae Xavier wrote:



So if you do not keep those containers clean of organic matter, the BT
will not work on the skeeters. I had no idea! Who knew?


I doubt that information is accurate, since dunks work just fine in ponds.


Hey Victor!

My pond has plants and fish and is nice smelling and clear looking, but
my trash cans with drainage off the roof get a lot of tree debris and
leaves, so the water is brown and brackish and the gunk at the bottom
smells like sewer.

So, I suspect that is the sort of organic matter that she was referring
to not well-balanced pond water.

Gae


It doesn't matter. All ponds have sludge at the bottom, especially if
there are fish. The dunks work, and the information you read is
incorrect.

The smell in the bottom of the trash cans are anaerobic organisms.

Look, I didn't come on here to argue with you two smart guys.

All I know is the woman on Central Texas Gardener show made a statement
to keep your water containers clean of organic debris if you want your
dunks to work properly.

Good Luck to You -- Gae


She was incorrect. Nobody is arguing with you, trying to inform, not
argue.

"The granular Bti should be broadcast at 2.5-10lbs/acre, every 7-14
days, depending on the organic properties of the water: black, murky
water needs more than clear water. 10-20lbs/acre every 7-14 days may be
needed to control 3rd & 4th instar larvae in highly organic waters. "

http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/bti.html

So twice the amount is required in black, murky water like I have (had
before I cleaned them out). I think the woman on TV was correct in what
she said and was stating something the sellers mention here.

However, with those big packets and my garbage containers (not acres of
water), using twice the amount of BT should not be a problem, but there
is a difference in black water and clear water, and like I said, it has
to do with the amount of oxygen in the water for the dunks to work well.


Cheers! Gae