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Rooting powder safe for peppers?

Sawdust

Sawdust

I bought some Bontone Rooting Powder because I was going to try an root some pepper cuttings and when I read the inside label it said for use in non-edible plants, and it contains the standard Indole-3-butyric acid around 0.10%.

So I got this off the EPA site which says otherwise, are they just saying that to be on the safe side or?

original article here - http://www.epa.gov/p....eet_046701.htm

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Indole-3-Butyric Acid (046701) Fact Sheet
Related Information

Summary

Indole-3-butyric acid enhances the growth and development of food crops and ornamentals when applied to soil, cuttings, or leaves. Because it is similar in structure to naturally occurring substances and is used in tiny amounts, this plant growth regulator poses no known risks to humans or the environment.

Description of the Active Ingredient

Indole-3-butyric acid is a substance that is closely related in structure and function to a natural growth regulator found in plants. Indole-3-butyric acid is used on many crops and ornamentals to promote growth and development of roots, flowers and fruits, and to increase crop yields. Growers find it more effective and efficient than its natural counterpart because plants cannot break it down as quickly. No harm to humans or the environment is expected to result from use of indole-3-butyric acid.
Use Sites, Target Pests, and Application Methods
Use Sites: Many food and feed crops; ornamental turf and nursery plants


Uses: Growth enhancer to increase both yield and quality.

Application Methods: Applied to soil or plants as spray. Also used as a dip for cuttings.
Assessing Risks to Human Health

With the exception of certain workers, no harm is expected from use of indole-3-butyric acid. The active ingredient is not toxic to humans or other mammals. Furthermore, indole-3-butyric acid is effective at very low concentrations--often several orders of magnitude below 1%. It is applied at very low rates compared with most other pesticides. In animals, indole-3-butyric acid is rapidly broken down to a closely related, harmless chemical that occurs naturally in living organisms.
 
As lawsuit happy as this country is you can't blame a company for going a little overboard with warnings. Freaking sucks. I would lean towards what the EPA says myself. Let us know if it kills ya if you don't mind, OK? Thanks.
 
If it says for non-edible plants then follow that. You don't want that poison up in the peppers.
 
thehotpepper.com said:
If it says for non-edible plants then follow that. You don't want that poison up in the peppers.
Click to expand...

Yea I guess your right , it just bugs me though that the EPA says it is OK..Yea I am a little leary

"Use Sites: Many food and feed crops; ornamental turf and nursery plants"

Thanx...for the post

PS: Anyone know of a good cloning gel or powder that states that they are safe for edibles? It would be funny if there was and it had the same ingredients..
 
Growth regulators and systemic fungicides and pesticides should not be used on food crops.

Peppers and tomatoes should easily root without the aid of an synthetic auxin. If kept in a moist media and in a place that isn't low humidity or forces the cutting to transpire, it should root within a week. That is if the cutting isn't really woody.

A cutting can not uptake any water or nutrients until it develops a root system. That's why it is important to make the environment such that the moisture level outside is the same as inside the plant. It also does no good to fetilize until it has roots.

EDIT: here is a section from the Ball Redbook crop production guide that talks about cuttings.

2012-04-27_00-46-06_638.jpg
 
Thats a fine line,
If you're cloning a root crop or an edible "green" that is solely made up of water than you could have a slight problem. But you're not eating the plant, and the amount of "hormones" applied is minut if done correctly. I've cloned for years using powders and gels, and even air layering with vermiculite and cheesecloth only.
What more of a problem in my opinion is the pesticides and uncured high nitrogen composts that some farms til in. Anyone from the 70's remember "Paraquat".....
One reason I plant in containers and raised beds is because I can control the soil above the ground. The thought of folks using weed kill ferts, grub and insect control and even termite protection that can last 10 years in the soil and like any chemical down under can leach else where in a flooding rain.......well

There are other methods on cloning if that makes you uncomfortable

Greg
 
PIC 1 said:
Thats a fine line,
If you're cloning a root crop or an edible "green" that is solely made up of water than you could have a slight problem. But you're not eating the plant, and the amount of "hormones" applied is minut if done correctly. I've cloned for years using powders and gels, and even air layering with vermiculite and cheesecloth only.
Click to expand...

Yes that was my line of thought too. I can see the point if you ate the whole plant. The concentration I am using is so low 0.10% and I will be using rockwool blocks that will eventually be flushed thru with changed out and fresh nutrient solution several times over, it just makes sense that given time I doubt any trace amounts will even exist up in the plant's pods. Yea I remember the Paraquat deal when I was in High School.
 
PIC 1 said:
Thats a fine line,
If you're cloning a root crop or an edible "green" that is solely made up of water than you could have a slight problem. But you're not eating the plant, and the amount of "hormones" applied is minut if done correctly. I've cloned for years using powders and gels, and even air layering with vermiculite and cheesecloth only.
What more of a problem in my opinion is the pesticides and uncured high nitrogen composts that some farms til in. Anyone from the 70's remember "Paraquat".....
One reason I plant in containers and raised beds is because I can control the soil above the ground. The thought of folks using weed kill ferts, grub and insect control and even termite protection that can last 10 years in the soil and like any chemical down under can leach else where in a flooding rain.......well

There are other methods on cloning if that makes you uncomfortable

Greg
Click to expand...


Greg,
I totally agree with you. I also grow in containers and will not use any soil mix that contains 'composted cow manure'. Much of the manure is processed from the concrete pads where the cattle are kept (no more grazing on pasture). They are fed growth stimulants and antibiotics that can end up in their dung. I also refuse to use compost from lawn clippings, as good looking lawns are the most likely to have highest use of chemicals.
 
Ok I feel the boat drifting a lil. Back to my original question? I bought some Bontone Rooting Powder. Is it safe to use it on peppers?

Thanx
 
You don't need it for chiles but millions of people use Indole-3-butyric acid rooting hormones for cutting and I've never heard of any negative effects in humans(or the environment) other than eye irritation. If it was really that bad it would be likely banned here like every other pesticide
 
I wouldn't be worried. I've certainly used it on fruiting plants before, furthermore I don't believe our rooting hormones here in Australia carry tht warning on the packaging at all. It's the same active ingredient too.
 
so according to the label, it would be okay to use this product for pepper plants if you were planning to smoke your pods, rather than using them in an edible item?
 
I advise not using it. Try putting some clippings in moist dirt with a humidity dome on top with 80-85 degree temperature. That should work fine and better than just using rooting powder. You could do an experiment and compare the two to see if the rooting powder is faster or more successful. I wouldn't want to eat a chile with poison in it personally, lol. the chemicals might be gone by the time you get chiles, but I really don't know and it's better to be safe.

Ají hombre said:
so according to the label, it would be okay to use this product for pepper plants if you were planning to smoke your pods, rather than using them in an edible item?
Click to expand...

Lol, they should of covered that! I wonder how many marijuana growers use it to clone their plants! Glad I don't smoke pot and don't have to worry about that!
 
mikeinsc said:
Growth regulators and systemic fungicides and pesticides should not be used on food crops.

Peppers and tomatoes should easily root without the aid of an synthetic auxin. If kept in a moist media and in a place that isn't low humidity or forces the cutting to transpire, it should root within a week. That is if the cutting isn't really woody.

A cutting can not uptake any water or nutrients until it develops a root system. That's why it is important to make the environment such that the moisture level outside is the same as inside the plant. It also does no good to fetilize until it has roots.

EDIT: here is a section from the Ball Redbook crop production guide that talks about cuttings.

2012-04-27_00-46-06_638.jpg
Click to expand...
Sawdust said:
Ok I feel the boat drifting a lil. Back to my original question? I bought some Bontone Rooting Powder. Is it safe to use it on peppers?

Thanx
Click to expand...


That answered the question....
 
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