try this again

mmayo · Aug 10, 2003

Hey y'all, wonderin if any one has heard of any research being done on the application of natural pesticides i.e. herbs, in tree care. I've heard of people using chrysanthamums for ash sawfly borer but have not heard any results. This is an area I plan to research, and would like any info I can get. I've done my share of spraying and am looking for a more "earth-friendly" solution to dealing with tree pests. Thanks!

Stumper · Aug 10, 2003

I'm a big fan of insecticidal soap for most sucking insects and BT (bacillus thuringensis) for caterpillers etc. Those aren't herbs but are low toxicity/ limited environmental impact treatments. I know of several people who swear by tobacco juice sprays . Considering that Nicotine is a scary poison in concentrated form I imagine that they are not just blowing smoke. (Pardon the 'orrible pun

) Chrysanthemum extracts are pretty well proven by organic gardeners and I know a few people who plant Marigolds around sensitive plants. They claim that the Marigolds keep the bad bugs away. I tend to believe it-a 1/4 acre of marigolds will tend to keep ME away!

Human hair and cayenne pepper seem to disuade deer from browsing the shrubbery.
Pennyroyal is a very effective flea & tick repellent-but I can't think of a tree application-Maybe it would repel scale? Leafhoppers?

SilverBlue · Aug 12, 2003

My business is fully organic for 25+ years, not just for trees. There are plenty of remedies that can be used including some specific bacteria other than B.T. I have done lots of research on hydrogen peroxide for disease control. Oxygen can be quite lethal if you know how to use it.

mmayo · Aug 12, 2003

Silver Blue would you be willing to share this info? Do you know any web sites to search?

dbeck · Aug 12, 2003

feel free to elaborate silverblue! Sounds very interesting.

John Paul Sanborn · Aug 12, 2003

Hola Matteo!

many of the current pesticdes are refined analogs of natural compounds, such as Pyrithrins. Pyrithrium comes from the Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium