horticultural soap
- Thread starter whyme!
- Start date
Horticultural soap is usually just a natural soap, not a detergent, that has long chain fatty acids of potassium. It works by either smothering the insect's skin or causing the outer skin layer to break down so that the insect loses it's body moisture and dries up. You have to use it very frequently , and it might not be effective. You can buy products labelled as 'horticultural soap' but any old fashioned natural soap will do. Try a small area first, and leave for a few days, some soaps can cause 'phytotoxicity' (i.e. poisonous to plants)
You might be better off using a pyrethrum derivative - there are numerous available, just pay a visit to your local garden centre. Like the soaps, these are also classed as 'organic' and usually have a harvest interval of 24 hours. Advantage here is that you're more likely to have successful results and less likely to damage your plants.
Hope this helps!
You might be better off using a pyrethrum derivative - there are numerous available, just pay a visit to your local garden centre. Like the soaps, these are also classed as 'organic' and usually have a harvest interval of 24 hours. Advantage here is that you're more likely to have successful results and less likely to damage your plants.
Hope this helps!
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