Preventative Medicine for Pepper Disease

[Pam]

Remember, I am a relying on you "old timers" and trying to follow the best practices that are time proven.....

Who you calling old, you creaking, windy, antique goat!! That is NOT a gray hair! It's just...into an alternative state of being.



Seriously, I know of no long term studies that look at the effect of Neem residues on produce. It may be completely harmless,it is a relatively safe product; but I just don't know. *My* tendency is to err on the side of caution, though. And, admittedly, I am great big ol'tree hugger.

Being a tree hugger, I prefer to work with nature, not agin' it whenever possible. I'm not a fanatic, though, and I do use pyrethrins or Neem judiciously to bring aphid or whitefly infestations under control. I have also used stronger fungicides in bad blight years. And in the War of the Thrips with their Weapon of Mass Destruction Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus my neighbors probably through I looked like John Goodman in that Arachnophobia movie! Although I still tried to use natural products and beneficial insects.

 

[AlabamaJack]

Who you calling old, you creaking, windy, antique goat!! That is NOT a gray hair! It's just...into an alternative state of being.

I knew that would get a rise out of you Ms. Pam....I am not as old as I want to get yet but it seems I am getting there quicker every day.

All my thoughts are.....please Lord, just let me have one more good pepper season...

I am really torn between just letting things happen and treat disease/pests as they hit the plants but I fear getting a season ending disease from vectors of one sort or another.

I know one thing, if I get tomato worms on my pepper plants this year, it will be all out war. I had one tomato worm completely, and I mean completely strip a tabasco plant last year and had half of another one stripped in 24 hours. I was going to just step on it but decided to put it in my bird bath out back and watched. If I see tomato worms this year, I may revert back to chemical warfare.

 

[GrumpyBear]

before my plants move to a shelf in the living room where they'll also get sunshine on top of the lights i wanted to ensure their safety since this was where my cr hab was during the horrible aphids of death situation. so out of fear that i left one behind i sprayed with a commercial pyrethrin/horticulture soap mix (i can't find neem oil, potawie where do you get it?) then i sprayed again a week later, then i put out a sacrificial lamb to see if it was officially safe. this is all i'm gonna do tho cuz inside its not terribly likely to spontaneously have an aphid introduced. so i figure two sprays and you're clear for a while, i guess in a warmer climate maybe after the weather gets aphid friendly (cuz they 'hibernate') another application would do some good.
Pam, have you heard of the null theorem? your erring on the side of caution is quite sound.

 

[POTAWIE]

I've seen neem at Canadian tire but I got mine from a hydro shop.

 

[GrumpyBear]

we have two crappy tires and i've never seen it at either *grump*. my hydro shops a little off the beaten path so i'll wait till i'm in the area. failing that i'll get it next time i'm visiting my sister since apparently they carry it in ottawa. neem protection is imminent...