Xtremehorticulture

Substitute an Insect Product and Eat the Fruit?

Q. Tell me what you think about this product. Could we use it on a fruit tree to kill borers and eat fruit the same year?

A. I am looking at the label you sent. I am looking at the active ingredients listed. The active ingredients tell me that I am applying “Imidacloprid at 1.47%”. The remaining 98.53% are “OTHER INGREDIENTS”. The active ingredient is a small percentage (in this case1.47%) of the total product (100%). This active ingredient still must be diluted with water at 1.5 teaspoons of this product per gallon of water in order to spray it or use it as a soil drench (8 to 30 ounces of this product for each gallon of water depending on the size of the fruit tree).

This product gives one season long control of borers. However, after three weeks of application, whatever remains of this product in the fruit, is safe to eat according to the label.

It is your call. I get worried when it “gives season long control” of borers but it is safe the fruit is same to eat after 21 days. I prefer telling people to throw the fruit out that remains on the tree for one season even though the label indirectly says the fruit is safe to eat. Follow the label if you want and eat the fruit after 21 days.

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