Safe chemicals

Brooklyn · December 13, 2009, 09:03:16 PM

We try to do as much organic gardening as possible at the house. We have plum, nectarine trees. a large rose and vegetable Garden. Several red maples and all sorts of flowers and plants. My question, is there some place that I can go to make sure what I use around the yard are not harmful to bees? We will be starting off this growing season with two hives. We have 1/2 and acer of land. I would like to be able to take care of the plants but not hurt the bees.

Thanks for the help
Brooklyn

Michael Bush · December 13, 2009, 09:37:25 PM

Bees are insects. If it kills insects in general, it will kill bees. A few, such as Bt will only kill certain kinds of caterpillers and such targeted biological should work. Also, though, keep in mind bees are really only interested in blooms, so if you avoid blooms, you may manage to avoid the bees to some extent.

Scadsobees · December 14, 2009, 01:44:56 PM

And if you do need to spray your trees with anything, make sure that they are away from the hives and there isn't any wind/drift. I've a few apple trees that I have hives near, and did use orchard spray on then, and it was fine, but since then the bees overtook the trees :roll: so I'm not willing to take that risk. Yes, and not during the blossom.

As far as the roses/veggies go, as Michael said, the bees care more about the flowers, so just keep it as local to the plants as possible. If you go with the non-"chemical" (diatomatatious earth, vinegar, stickies, soap etc) you should be fine.

(i know vinegar/soap is a chemical, whatever, you guys know what i mean!).

Rick

Natalie · December 14, 2009, 10:48:26 PM

Isn't this harmful to bees?
diatomatatious earth kills insects that have an exoskeleton so I had assumed it would kill bees as well that is why I have been careful when I use it in the chicken coop to not let it blow around near the hives.
I would have used it in the garden but I just don't trust it enough or know enough about it to use it near the flowers.

contactme_11 · December 14, 2009, 11:05:54 PM

Honestly if you only have a 1/2 acre area you're working then I don't see why you would need to use chemicals of any kind. We have a lot more land than that and I haven't found a problem or pest yet that I couldn't find a natural way to treat.

Scadsobees · December 14, 2009, 11:47:34 PM

Quote from: Natalie on December 14, 2009, 10:48:26 PM
Isn't this harmful to bees?
diatomatatious earth kills insects that have an exoskeleton so I had assumed it would kill bees as well that is why I have been careful when I use it in the chicken coop to not let it blow around near the hives.
I would have used it in the garden but I just don't trust it enough or know enough about it to use it near the flowers.

Yes but a little on a garden more than 20 feet away isn't going to hurt anything. Even if a bee got it on itself it wouldn't hurt more than a couple of bees. Discretionary use is the key, whether that be a hard (like sevin or orchard spray or weed killer) or "soft" poison. Don't use it too close, don't use it when it is windy, don't use it on the flowers, etc.

Brooklyn · December 15, 2009, 12:10:31 AM

Contactme ,
What are the safe things to use. Help me out

Brooklyn

Quote from: contactme_11 on December 14, 2009, 11:05:54 PM
Honestly if you only have a 1/2 acre area you're working then I don't see why you would need to use chemicals of any kind. We have a lot more land than that and I haven't found a problem or pest yet that I couldn't find a natural way to treat.

Lone · December 20, 2009, 02:35:33 AM

Hello Brooklyn,

I don't think this is a comprehensive list, but it is a start for what not to use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pesticide_toxicity_to_bees Some chemicals are better sprayed at night. There was a very good list in the bee book I borrowed, "The Bee Book - beekeeping in the warmer areas of Australia", by Peter Warhurst and Roger Goebel, but I don't have a copy of it. It categorised the chemicals so that you could spray some at night, some when the plant wasn't flowering, and some not at all, as I recall. It is a good list for neighbours who spray crops, too.
Soapy water is meant to be good and non-toxic, or water with tobacco in it.

Anyway, if you see my garden, you'll know I really have a brown thumb, not a green one.

Lone

Wynoochee_newbee_guy · December 27, 2009, 09:11:08 PM

Quote from: contactme_11 on December 14, 2009, 11:05:54 PM
Honestly if you only have a 1/2 acre area you're working then I don't see why you would need to use chemicals of any kind. We have a lot more land than that and I haven't found a problem or pest yet that I couldn't find a natural way to treat.

Yes I love your responce, I for one feel that chemicals are not the way to go. I have 13 acres and i treat my chickens with natural ways same with my bees and my garden. and remember bees fly up to four miles to forage. they will not stay on a 1/2 acer of land. I would be more concerned with whats happing in the 4 mile air mile radius around my hives. Best of luck keep buzzing.

treebee · December 28, 2009, 10:15:40 AM

I am just this year new to the farm life I have an old farm house on 6 acres right now it has around 1500 black chokeberry bushes a couple apple trees and 20 blackberry bushes And two hives We want to stay as close to or completly organic with this new endever and I thought that it might be nice to have a thread or place for peaple to post what they use in or on there farms,orchards,gardens to handle pests or problems that affect the plants throughout the year be it organic or other wise I would like to here what some of the longer term gardeners have found to be effective..thanks for the thoughts John anewbee in every way.

Irwin · December 28, 2009, 10:42:09 AM

sense your from Missouri I'll show you http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/board,87.0.html and here the people talk about what you are looking for I hope. http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/board,25.0.html All you got to do is ask and you should get an answer Their is a great bunch of people here that love too help.

Kathyp · December 28, 2009, 11:10:10 AM

since i started keeping bees i have cut down on the spraying i do. i never did much insect spraying, but i did a lot for weeds. i have found that it's not to hard to manage things as long as you have a good mower and don't expect perfection.

i still have to take the CrossBow to the blackberries when they get out of hand, and i still have to take the Weedmaster to some of the giant thistles when they start to spread. the insect in the garden i live with and the fruit trees only get dormant spray. that's a must around here.

i am not anti-chemical. far from it. i do think we have a knee jerk reaction to bugs and weeds. we feel we must DO SOMETHING when we see them. instead, i have found that some of the weeds i have spent years killing, are favorites of my bees. most of the bugs don't do much harm....except slugs :-D

David LaFerney · December 29, 2009, 08:23:29 PM

Order a seed catalog from Souther Exposure Seed Exchange They sell mostly open pollinated varieties, but their catalog gives great guidance on cultural practices and resistant varieties that will help you avoid chemicals. Order some seeds from them too if you can. :-D