How to use BT correctly

[juliet]

HI, I'm using BT for the 1st time to get rid of vine borers and worms on the broccoli and cabbage etc.

I mixed the spray according to directions in the hand sprayer (you pump the handle for pressure and then spray with a wand) but it just seems to run off the cabbage and broccoli. The spray seems to hold ok on the cucumber plants.

So.....
Do I need to add something to make it stick to the plants? What do I add?
Should I spray the tomatoes as well?
What about the whole garden? Do worms attack beans too?
Is there anything I shouldn’t spray?
Where can I get a syringe to inject it into the zucchini, squash, pumpkins to fight the borer?
Should I also spray the ground around each plant?
Is there anything else I should add in to the spray for all the other pests… ants attacking squash, gnat like things hovering in the squash, and beetles on the beans, or treat that seperately.
Is there a regiment you follow to keep your garden pest and disease free?

Any tips and techniques you want to share are greatly appreciated. I’m new to gardening and a bit overwhelmed that everything in the garden seems under attack this year. Last year (my 1st) didn’t have any pest except the woodchuck which ate everything so we doubled the size and put up a fence. I've looked through tons of threads and have been able to identify some of the pests from all the information here. It is a great resource! Thanks for all the information! :)

[Jennie_in_Iowa]

While you're answering Juliet, I am curious about your thoughts on Bt resistant pests. Some argue that wide spread use of Bt is breeding Bt resistant pests, similar to the over usage of penicillin breeding super germs. So should we as organic gardeners continue to use Bt at will? Should we lessen our use? I'm just curious. Thanks for your insight.

[jabbok]

I too spray broccoli and cabbage with Bt. It does seem like it rolls off the plant but I have great success with it. I'm not sure but it seems like the water you mix it with is only a delivery method of dispersing thousands of bacteria, I believe that when the water hits the plant bacteria are deposited even though the water runs off.

I would only recommend using it for a visual problem, When I see cabbage moths landing on my plants I know its about time to apply. I would not recommend spraying widespread over your entire garden, you would just be wasting time and money. If you see caterpillar pest on your plants use it then, but only then.

I also use a product for all my other pest problems, it is sold in different forms but the active ingredient is call Pyrethrin, it is supposedly a organic botanical insecticide. it works wonders on aphids and beetles, it even kills ants. I buy mine for an company called Planet Natural

www.planetnatural.com

[BEEGES]

This is a great BT site that tells all about the mant strains.
http://filebox.vt.edu/cals/cses/chagedor/btprimer.html

[justdoit]

Syringes can be picked up from a Veterinary clinic any old time... maybe even from farm stores. You can also buy "Wetter/Sticker" to mix with sprays to make them stick to plants. In a pinch you can use a few drops of dish soap to break the tension of the water so that it will not run off the leaves so easy. bt only works on bug larva... worms, so no need to waste it on 'bugs'.

[LarryS]

You can also buy "Wetter/Sticker" to mix with sprays to make them stick to plants. In a pinch you can use a few drops of dish soap to break the tension of the water so that it will not run off the leaves so easy. bt only works on bug larva... worms, so no need to waste it on 'bugs'.

The spreader/sticker is usually a good choice for vegetables that are not
easily wetted by water-based compounds.

I tried BT on our corn last year to see if it would help with the earworms.
It didn't, and was a disappointment to me. I found some research that
showed that, statistically, it does help, but the figures were less than
impressive.

Our early corn does not have earworm problems, so we have expanded our
planting on the early corn rather than depending upon three rotations
per season.

We try not to use any insecticides, but when pressed to do so, I use the
Bayer fruit and vegetable spray containing cyfluthrin. It says that you can
spray up to the day before harvest. It seems to be very efficient for a lot
of buggy problems.

[jabbok]

sorry, I dont mean to highjack this thread

LarryS, How did you apply Bt to your corn? I have used it on sweet corn but my application method was time consuming. I mixed the Bt with vegetable oil and squirted it into the silk of each ear, after a couple hundred ears it gets old. On the other hand I have never had ear worms in corn that I treated this way, mabye I'm just lucky