Horticultural Applications

Crop Production

Spray DE via a pump up sprayer all over vegetable crops.  Try to maintain an even and thorough application.  Additionally, use the wand upside down at ground level and up the full height of the plants to achieve underside leaf coverage.

Spread DE by hand or with a shaker applicator to discourage entry by slugs and snails into the area you want to control.  Creating a border of DE around the zone to be protected will greatly assist to prevent these foliage eaters from entering this area.  

Note: Diatomaceous Earth can be ‘crop dusted’ at a rate of 1 – 2.5kg per acre.

Orchard Applications

Create a solution of DE in a bucket of water and brush paint tree trunks to assist to prevent ants from gaining access up the trunk of the tree.  Stir the solution regularly as the DE will tend to settle.

Additionally, spray the foliage of trees to discourage other pests as per crop production style application.  Exercise caution around flowering / fruiting season as DE has the potential to adversely affect pollinating insects such as bees which is obviously to be avoided.

Greenhouse Uses

Apply as per spray method coating foliage to assist with mealy bug and other sucking insect control.   For faster kill rates, we have had outstanding success blending the recommended rates of DE described below with 5mls per litre of Pyrethrum completely eliminated mealy bug and midge fly from our hothouses.  The addition of Pyrethrum aggravates and stimulates insect activity enabling the DE to do its work faster.

Timing of Applications – Ideally, insecticides should be applied when there is no wind and when bees are not visiting the area.  The time and intensity of bee visitation to a given crop depend on the abundance and attractiveness of the bloom.  For example, apple trees or clover in bloom may be attractive to bees all day while cucumbers and corn are usually attractive in the morning and early afternoon hours.  In general, evening or early night applications are the least harmful to bees.

Understanding the biology and lifecycle of the insect pest to determine the best time for application and using the least toxic approach to preserve ‘good’ insects such as ladybugs, spiders, bees, praying mantis etc that are beneficial to your plants.  

DE is absolutely fine to use in conjunction of liquid fertilizers and wetting agents such as Deepak etc.  Like all spray applications do not use in full direct sunlight or temperatures over 33C.  We recommend before treating a large area treat a few plants to ensure plant safety.   

Ensure all spray equipment is cleaned after use to avoid DE leaving residue deposits in the tank, pump, nozzles etc.  Simply flushing with clean fresh water for a minute or so with suffice.

Outdoor insects

Diatomaceous Earth has been known to cause a debilitating and/or fatal effect on the following outdoor insects and parasites …

Ants, fleas, ticks, house flies, white fly, fruit flies, blow flies, caterpillars, cockroaches, snails, slugs, spiders, termites, silverfish, lice, mites, centipedes, earwigs, aphids, thrips, borer, mealy bug, grub stage of Japanese beetles, corn earworm, corn borer, cucumber beetles, mealworms, hoppers, bed bugs, brown mites, red spider mites, twig borers, oriental fruit moths, codling moths, chalcid weevils, grain borer, red flour beetle, pea weevil, rice weevil, gypsy moth, pink boll weevil, lygus bug, nematodes, tomato hornworm, bean beetles, cabbage loopers and many others not mentioned here.

Note: DE will not affect the egg stage of most insects and may need to be re-applied to control the next generation or hatch.

Application rates of sprayer – weigh 60gms / 180mls in a 15l backpack sprayer.  800 – 900gms of DE mixed in a 200 litre automated sprayer.

Application rates for brushing application - 1 cup applied to ½ gallon of water creates an effective solution.  Maintain regular stirring or agitation during use to prevent DE settling.

DE has no withholding period when sprayed on fruit and vegetables destined for human consumption. It is harmless and you could spray, pick and eat it all in the same day!  What other insecticide can claim that !!!  

With careful observation of your plants you will discover the perfect times and volumes to apply Diatomaceous Earth to gain the most benefits.