What chemical are you spraying?

One of my regular correspondents, with whom I also exchange Canna cultivars each year, has been writing to me about pesticide sprays. He works in the trade, and therefore has a different perspective from the amateur, who is only enjoying a Canna growing experience.

My normal recommendation, whenever I am asked, is that the gardener could do far worse than to use 'Pravado', as it’s its effective and readily available.

However, as my correspondent points out to me, no one spray/pesticide will kill or protect against all pests. His perpetual concern is pest resistance. When he visits garden centres, nurseries, DIY sheds and the like, they seem to stock a wide range of products, however, many have the same active ingredient, and it’s only the strength of that ingredient that differs along with the product/brand name. As a result, they are offering a limited range of active ingredients to allow for a programme of rotating sprays to lesson the risk of pest resistance.

He is currently involved in using four different basic pesticides, namely bifenthrin, permethrin, acetamiprid and abamectin. The last one is a product only available from commercial pesticide suppliers, for which you would be required to hold the necessary pesticide certification.

It seems to me that, if we Canna enthusiasts and growers are to get in control of this virus and pest situation, we need to have a more complete understanding of the chemicals we can use to assist. This blog will do it’s best to assist in the months ahead.