I live in S. Florida and is there a particular time of the year to spray bug killer in the gardens? How many times of the year should I spray and can you recommend an all purpose bug killer? Thanks, Scott
Scotty, as I mount my soapbox and get out my manuscript to preach from, please bear with me and be kind! There is no "all purpose bug killer" since bugs come in different configurations. Some have hard carapaces, others are soft-bodied; some suck plant juices, some chew leaves. Any insecticide that is "all-purpose" will kill beneficial insects like bees and lacewings, which I am sure you do not want to do. One of the major causes of colony collapse disorder in honeybees has been identified as pesticides. First, you need to identify the bugs that are troubling you. I'd suggest getting a picture of the bug, close-up, and posting it along with a notation of what plant/plants you found it on. A specific insecticide will work better and be less harmful than an "all-purpose" one. How many times you should spray? Well, we spray Neem oil once a week, or after a rain (which here in Texas would be about every three months!). We put an insecticidal soap solution on herbs when necessary, which is in early spring when the growth is particularly tender, and when the fall growth spurt starts. You spray when needed, not when it is convenient for you, or when you think of it, or when the spray is on sale. If you purchase a bug spray, read the directions carefully. Apply it early in the morning or even better, at twilight. The spray will have time to dry before bees and other beneficials are out, and won't kill them off. Sorry to read you a sermon, but I am really trying to be helpful, not preachy.
Scotty, what are you trying to control with your "all purpous" spray? Without sermonizing, no insecticide is 100% effective. In order to reduce what you don't want, you have to learn how to differentiate between the good bugs you DO want, and the bad ones you want fewer of. Every time you spray the survivors are going to be tougher and more resistant to the next spray. To use an example cotton weevle was sprayed for like seventy years by a cascading more toxic spread of sprays. It took alternate planting (as in not planting some fields) and ever more poison sprays to finally reduce weevle. FWIW for many years even cottonseed meal was considered inedible as a result. Folks here would like to help you, but you gotta hold up your end too.
never. 98% of the bugs you see in your garden are beneficials. if you spray you are greatly damaging your garden and its soils permanently. the sprays are chemicals descendant from those used by nazis to kill jews, round up is only one atom different. many of the chemical corporations which produce the chemicals originated in nazi germany. i choose to boycott such evil people. the chemicals never break down and accumulate world wide as time goes by. every mother in the world has roundup in her breast milk. even the indians of the amazon. its in the world's waters. its time we end it before it renders us all sterile.
On a less theological note. One of the newer families, neonicotinoids; are going through a an accelerating category or rescrictions because of by-kill. Imipacloprid, dinotefuran, clothiannidin, and thiamethoxam are all now pretty directly implicated in killing unintended honey be populations as by-kill. Will they be banned as DDT was years ago? I don't know. I do know there are large areas of Asia that no longer have any bee population as a result of over spray. I'll try and help give advise, but it needs a more narrow focus than "bugs". You may want to read up on things like insecticidal soap, BT (baccilus thurengensis). On how & when they are applied, and why they are applied.
A few thoughts to keep things in perspective... Garden chemicals did not exist until very recently, in terms of history. They are not necessary to survive or garden ornamentally. The use of them as a maintenance plan by able-bodied people is abuse. There must be pests present for beneficials to show up. Give nature a chance to establish a balance, manually help if necessary and possible. Monocultures are designed to fail. It's not possible to dictate nature, except to ruin it, likely poisoning yourself, someone else, or the native fauna while you're trying to do it. If you'd like specific advice, please ask for it.
