New and Unread Tree-Mails
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San Diego  Crisv55 May 29, 2018 3:55 PM CST |
Does anyone know what chemical reaction I created in my garden, 5 days ago i put miracle grow general purpose fertilizer and yesterday I sprayed my plants with water mixed with chlorine to deter insects. This morning I noticed this stuff growing on one of my eggplant. Yellow small tiny circle look like fish eggs. |
Name: Sally central Maryland Seriously addicted to kettle chips.             sallyg May 29, 2018 4:03 PM CST |
| I don't think it's a chemical reaction. I think it's a fungus. Water with chlorine to deter insects- I' d be curious to know where you read that idea. ..come into the peace of wild things..-Wendell Berry Life is a buffet (anon) |
San Diego Crisv55 May 29, 2018 4:41 PM CST |
| An old neighbor of mine told me to use water with chlorine, I just decided to try it out. |
Name: Lin Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)           plantladylin May 29, 2018 4:59 PM CST |
Hi Crisv55,  I agree with Sally, that yellow stuff is fungi; possibly Yellow Fairy Cup Fungus; photos for comparison on these two pages: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/... http://www.minnesotaseasons.co... Although tap water in many municipalities contains chlorine, and many people water their indoor plants with tap water, I've never in my 50+ years of gardening heard of using chlorine on plants to deter insects. Many folks use water mixed with dish soap as a plant insecticide and I've used that remedy myself in the past but never chlorine, which (depending on the amount of chlorine used) can fry and kill plants. ~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt! ~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot! |
Name: Bill Livonia MI (Zone 6a) I measure my wealth in friendships!         BigBill May 29, 2018 5:39 PM CST |
| I have no idea of how much experience you have in gardening but wouldn't it be prudent to wait and see if an insect problem develops BEFORE you apply anything? And chlorine no less? In World War I, gas warfare, the troops were fired upon with chlorine gas!! Are you sure that he didn't say to spray the plants with tap water because so much of our water is chlorinated to help fortify our teeth? You misunderstood and added chlorine to your water. In today's age, google things first, the life you save may be your own. OR hang out in our forums, dozens and dozens of knowledgeable people hang out here and can help with just about any problem. But please be more cautious in what you do. You could be lucky you didn't gas yourself!! to the forums.  Children are the messages we send to a time we will never see. |
Name: Baja Baja California (Zone 11b)           Baja_Costero May 29, 2018 7:06 PM CST |
| The chlorine and the fertilizer share one thing in common: they both need to be measured carefully. If you're just adding chemicals here and there in your garden, you'll get a chemical soup which probably does not even do what you want. The dose that is recommended on the MG package is vastly more than you will ever need to use (20 times more than the dose I use on a regular basis with excellent results) so if you're using more than that, you're using way too much. So you know, chlorine is toxic to aquatic animals, including fish, as well as reptiles and amphibians. I have never heard of any benefit regarding insects in the garden. My own bias is to avoid spilling chemicals everywhere so that the natural rhythm of predators in the environment can help mitigate insect pests. For example the lizards which often appear in San Diego gardens are excellent for insect control, and they are one of the most sensitive targets of chlorinated water. |
Name: Mindi Hammerstone Tracy, CA (Zone 9b)  MindiHammerstone May 29, 2018 7:23 PM CST |
| The birds are smart enough not to drink out of our chlorinated pool. I would think it would kill plants. Mindi |
Name: Rob Portland, OR (Zone 8b)   nuttallii May 29, 2018 10:17 PM CST |
| Mixing bleach and fertilizer releases chlorine gas FYI and can create some explosive, toxic products. Your bleach was diluted, so probably not a huge concern, but... |
San Diego Crisv55 May 29, 2018 10:33 PM CST |
| Holly smoke, thanks for all the tips. Joe is 71 years good old man, he told me add 2 table spoon of chloride to a gallon of water. I've been an amateur gardener for about 5 years but don't have much experience. Normally I don't have a problem but this season a small worms are eating my tomato leaves so I decided to experiment with some homemade remedy before buying insecticide. |
Name: Suzanne/Sue Sebastopol, CA (Zone 9a) Sunset Zone 15        |
nuttallii said:Mixing bleach and fertilizer releases chlorine gas FYI and can create some explosive, toxic products. Your bleach was diluted, so probably not a huge concern, but... In the first post, it was stated that the fertilizer was sprayed 4 days prior to the chlorine mixture, not mixed together. My gardening Blog! Hand sewn wares, new & vintage fabrics in my Etsy store. Summer Song Cottage Instagram Sewing posts |
Name: Lyn Weaverville, California (Zone 8a)     RoseBlush1 May 30, 2018 12:08 AM CST |
I kind of have a thing about spraying anything on my plants. Maybe it's a rational decision or maybe not ...  At the beginning of my rose life, so many chemicals were commonly used and one almost had to have a science degree to even begin to understand what was in the sprays. Many of those products that were once classified as "caution" .. the safest product to use, ... have been either reclassified as "dangerous" or taken off of the market because they are so toxic. My decision was not to spray anything I don't understand. Just because someone recommends a spray, even if I do trust them, if I don't understand what I am doing, I am not going to use the product until I have done my own research. When I use the word "understand", I NEED to know both the short-term and the long term impact of the spray on my garden plants and the environment. edited for typo I'd rather weed than dust ... the weeds stay gone longer. |
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