Have any of you used this Bayer 3 In 1 Systemic product in your greenhouse beds? I have severe problems with aphids, whiteflies and mealybugs on my bedding plants. I bought this today, and notice it is only recommended for outdoors. Have any of you successfully and safely used it in greenhouse beds?

Karen, when I move all of my plants inside the two greenhouses, orchids, bromeliads, ficus, staghorn ferns, and tillandsia, I spray everything down with 3 in 1. So, yes, it can certainly be used in a greenhouse.

Thanks, Ken. I think your plants must all be in containers? What I bought is to be used as a soil drench. There may be a different version of it to spray on. It specifically said not to use it on container plants or in greenhouse beds, but I'm not sure why. After it dries, it should be as safe indoors as out.

I would think so. Perhaps some research on the web will give you your answer.

Ken, what is the name of your Bayer spray you use? I'm finding way too many variations on the Bayer 3 in 1. I decided to try it on one plant in a pot. It's a beautiful geranium just loaded with aphids and whiteflies. I don't think I want it in my beds because I like to grow food plants, and have earthworms and bees around.

In greenhouse I use the Natria Insect, Disease, and Mite Control product. Since I have bromeliads that will get sprayed, following the Natria, I will flush out the "urns" with plain water. I don't know whether this product would do any harm but I don't take the chance that it will. The product has never harmed my other plants as far as I know, but I only use it in the fall.

Thank you! I'll try to find that one. I want to be safe. The one I bought is pretty toxic.

My greenhouses are so vented and have so many fans going, at least in the early fall, I don't really worry about fumes or such. All the fumes are pretty dissipated rather quickly, usually within the day.

That sounds good. We have vents and fans, so it probably will be fine. I need to give it a try because the insects just get out of control when we leave.

Your 3 in 1 uses imidicloprid for the insect killing chemical. It is pretty safe to use, and most of us use it on our dogs and cats, if you use Advantage. Even though you drench with it, it can also be used as a direct contact spray. As a direct contact only, it only lasts a month, but it does kill at once. Systemically, as a drench, it lasts months. The bad side is that is is a neonicotinoid, which is killing our bees. I would not use it for that reason. You know what I would use. The tea made from used coffee grounds kills all the insects you are having a problem with, and not only is it safe, but you would be fertilizing your plants at the same time.
If you need a systemic specifically, putting down the used grounds as a mulch around the root systems will systemically kill insects for 4 to 4 1\2 months. You could spot spray now to kill everything on the plants, and then mulch before you go away.
Tom

Tom, thank you for your info. I would feel a lot better about using coffee grounds! I really don't want to help kill off our bees.

Please don't kill our bees

I too would never want to kill off bees. Keep in mind, I am using this in enclosed spaces, greenhouses, in the fall.

I have never made up a coffee grounds tea and need to give that a try. I have plenty of coffee grounds and do use it as a soil amendment.

I have 40,000 plants here and all I have needed to use is my barrel I made, for 9 years now. If you search Tom Broome, coffee, cycad, you will find my article I wrote 8 years ago for the cycad society journal. It has pictures, but is more related to killing Asian scale on cycads, but you can get the general idea and adapt to your own situation.

Thanks, Tom. Very interesting article. I'll sure give it a try. I have used coffee grounds to mix into my planting mixes, but haven't really used them in these beds that are so infested with insects.

I will surely check out the article. Thanks, Tom.

cycadjungle- I have experience with spraying an outdoor rose with Bayer 3 in 1 insecticide spray. It does work on bees, I saw it happen while I was standing there. I had sprayed in on a climbing rose in a container. I was so upset, but there was nothing I could do at that point, except never use it again on an outdoor plant. Thank goodness I had only used it on the one plant.

It's frustrating when you think you're doing something right, and it goes wrong. The Bayer product works well for the intended use, it should just be labeled as "indoor use only".

That is sad, but I'm glad you didn't use it more. My product specifically says it for outdoor use only and not on indoor or container plants. It does say it's toxic for the bees and wildlife. In my opinion, chemicals like this should be banned.

Certain forms of Imidicloprid are labeled for large farms of tomatoes, peppers, and other widespread crops. This is widely used on citrus trees. No bees ever hang around citrus trees do they? This is the main reason we are losing our bees. There are lots of things that are labeled for use, that you really wouldn't want to get close to, especially when you know someone who is now sick or dying because they worked at a nursery that used the "safe to use" chemicals. I know, or have known 3 people in this situation. They dont die very comfortably. Until people consider coffee as a poison (even though it has 3 carcinogens, and 2 neurotoxins in it), that is what I will be using. I brew a 55 gallon batch each time, but rarely use that much before it goes bad.

I spread some coffee grounds around and made some tea out of the grounds that I will spray soon.These other chemicals are very scary. I've known people who were in pest control for years, and who are dead or dying from the "safe" things they used.