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White Plains, NY

The SVB is alive and well at my house.

For several years I have used Merit. Based on my observations the prescribed amount is wrong (including double the amount)or Imidicloprid is not effective against the SVB.

With over 20 plants I must rely on chemicals. Is there another effective chemical (systemic) for the &%#@*% SVB?

8/14/2006 9:59:09 AM

Montoursville, PA

Nothing at all wrong with either chemical you are using. Consider the timing. Both work well, for several guys, I coach. They use Merit two to three weeks ahead, of planting, in the patch and renew, with a second application four to five weeks later. Have seen no evidence of SVB. I go after them with Imidicloprid. I no longer have SVB unless one flew in yesterday, for his first Imidicloprid contact. My neighbor one hundred yards away has SVB and can not control them with his Mickey Mouse approach. The Imidicloprid has, to be on the leaves, when they emerge.

8/14/2006 10:34:18 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Hey Doc,
Do you water it in 1/2 inch after spraying it on? Right after incorporating to the soil....... To the soil right not to the plants?

8/14/2006 1:51:42 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Also DOc,
I have never put chems in my garden until this year with the punkins.....white flies....which I still have....and will let the freeze take care of them...But in the veggie garden Im getting more and more of the flea beetles that leave shot gun holes in most of my veggies.....every year more and more. Im getting really tired of them. I figure they are over wintering in the soil......should I zapp my soil in the winter after all is done and I rototill to get rid of them.....? Sorry to hijack a thread

8/14/2006 1:55:25 PM

ordinary,VA

Merit or warrior z have worked very well against the svb here this year.
not sure which one worked but the cukes,squash & svb problem has been controled.
now those pesty dang white flies are real bad this year.
the mild winter didnt help.
good luck Capt.

8/14/2006 3:33:21 PM

Ohio

I timed my first spraying of merit very well, but the second spraying I was late on and found 6 total borers, all where in the leaf stems on the ends near the tips of my secondaries where it grew out AFTER I sprayed the first application of merit. The newer growth must not have absorbed the Merit I think.
All my borers where in the newer leaf stems,some near the top next to the leaf and some was at the inside base of the leaf stem right next to the vine, but not one SVB wanted to go down into the vine and eat, these wasnt your small borers that was hatched a week earlier ether, These was some big SVB''s. Theses are the big borers that you would like to see them put on that tv show Fear Factor and see if someone could eat a hand full, anyway I was getting off track, but something stopped them from going inside the vine,Id guess it was the merit but on the other hand they wouldnt know if something was wrong with the vine unless they tasted it, and if that would have happend they would be dead anyway,LOL. Its still kinda strange why none of them would enter the vine though, anyone have a answer for that? Tremor?

Brooks

8/14/2006 3:45:06 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Merit is a systemic which means the bug must eat part of the plant to get the effects of the insectide. It has very little contact effectiveness. Now Warrior T is a contact, they touch it and are dead.

8/14/2006 3:54:14 PM

Nashville, TN

What retail stores carry Merit?

8/14/2006 4:06:31 PM

ordinary,VA

can find Imidicloprid (merit)Lowes etc,etc, Bayer products.

8/14/2006 5:06:20 PM

Montoursville, PA

Merit 75 is granlar and can be found on the net. You mix with water and apply according to directions. I believe the directions say water it in good. They might even call for an inch of water after application. I only used it once so memory is a bit washed out.

Lowe's had a lawn treatment that was the same chemical according, to one, of my associates. Think I have seen that mentioned here too.

8/14/2006 5:26:44 PM

White Plains, NY

docgipe,

My timing and application of merit has been as recommended and on some plants I have doubled the application. The SVB population may have been reduced but I still have plenty to do harm.

I also treat the vines with Sevin. I'm now interested in spraying the underside of the leaves with sevin. As the eggs hatch on the underside of the leaves they enter the top of the leaf stem and then travel down to the vine.

I have my doubts about merit as I have too many live bores that are not being killed. Maybe our pumpkin plants grow so quickly that the merit gets thinned out and is not effective.

8/15/2006 10:36:06 AM

Danville, CA ([email protected])

Tremor has indicated that Merit does not translocate to "old" growth very well so needs to be applied early (and watered in deeply) so that it is taken up by the new growth. Sorry to hear about your troubles but I drenched the trunk of mine with Bayer Tree and Shrub (active=imidacloprid) and it has kept my patch bug free with only one additional spraying of Bifenthrin.

8/15/2006 1:40:13 PM

Arcola, IL, USA

I have always lost my pumpkin plants every year to SVB until this year... I am now using merit and applied like an original post stated. I am also spraying my plant every 10 days with Talstar. I have seen no bugs in my patch and NO SVB damage. Thank god for this site and all of you people who participate!!!!!!!!

8/15/2006 10:11:41 PM