CHAPTER 11 - The Best Control 2

should never be more than 1% of the product; some enzyme cleaners can cause occupational asthma problemsand anaphylactic shock. Safe Solutions, Inc. has the only licensed use to a USA and Australian patent onthe use of enzymes and surfactant blends to control pests. Try their Not Nice to Bugs ® .Plant Spray Cautions - Always test a spray on a small area of foliage before spraying Pestisafes ® or pesticides orfertilizers on the entire plant. Even if no contraindications are seen initially, if the foliage shows any subsequentsign of withering, discoloration, burning, etc., discontinue further treatment or at least dilute your spray until nofurther damage occurs to the foliage/plant.Pesticidal Claims - Only if a complaint is filed does EPA check into an “unregistered” pesticide. You can notput anything but 100% of the specific items from the exempted active and inert ingredient lists into an exemptedpesticide product, or you will have to register your entire product as a pesticide. In the September 1988 issueof Pest Control Technology, (page 18) Stoy A. Hedges, B.C.E., R.S. from Terminex International noted in part:“Although not registered with EPA as a disinfectant, household bleach, such as Dow’s Clorox ® , does in fact state‘disinfectant’ on the label, although specific directions for such use are obviously not provided on the productlabel. It is common knowledge that hospitals, clinical laboratories and others use household bleach as a disinfectantfor blood-borne pathogens.” Mr. Hedges notes the Centers for Disease Control have several bulletinsthat make such recommendations.Safety - The bottom line on personal safety is you. There simply is no substance that is totally safe foreveryone or every plant. A major step toward your own safety is taken when you realize that your safety and thatof your family and pets is truly your own responsibility. It is easy to blame others, e.g., the poison “industry” forharming you or yours - but that will not save them or you. Remember, virtually any spray may burn plantsor irritate someone - so test your “mix” on a few leaves or a small area of the skin first.How to make colloidal solutions - Pass a small electrical current through both wires/rods in a solution, e.g.,use a copper wire/rod and a galvanized iron wire/rod in an ammonia nitrate solution to produce colloidal coppernitrate which is great for lawns. Use 2 silver wires/rods in a saline solution to produce colloidal silver. Use 2 ironwires/rods in a saline solution to produce colloidal iron. Use 2 gold wires/rods in a nitrate solution to producecolloidal gold.Another alternative insect control - Pulverize in a blender a couple of whole cayenne peppers, a large onionand a whole garlic bulb with a little water. When done, mix in a gallon of water, let stand 24 hours and thenstrain. Spray mix as needed to control insects.Still another alternative insect control spray is to blend grated Ivory or olive oil bar soap with either of thefollowing: citrus, garlic, mint, rhubarb leaves, pepper, vinegar or vegetable oil in a water-based spray. Alwaysremember that water-based sprays can burn plants on hot, sunny days!All Purpose Weed Killers - Boil 1 qt. water; add 2 T. salt and 5 T. vinegar. Pour directly on weeds in cracks,etc. while the mix is still hot. Second mix: Mix 2 - 4 T. powdered citric acid and 1 T. dish soap in 1 qt. vinegarand thoroughly spray. Third mix: 1 gal. red or white vinegar, 2 c. table salt, 5 T. dishwashing liquid; mix andsoak plants. Fourth mix: 1/2 c. borax per gallon water. You can add a “kicker by adding 2 c. rubbing alcohol;if you do, be careful not to get in your eyes. All of these mixes work better on hot, sunny days.Aphid and mite repellent - Chop/mash 1 c. of hot red pepper, 2 cloves garlic and soak in 1 c. water, covered,for 24 hours. (You might want to wear disposable gloves and refrain from touching your eyes.) Strain and mistyour plants with this mixture as needed.Surfactant Note - Unregistererd surfactants have been used with pesticides for years to improve the poison’sperformance. They are not required to be registered even though they, obviously, help control pest problems.I firmly believe (and have also proven) that using just the unregistered surfactants and not including any of thepesticides will provide basically the same degree of pest control, but that is “illegal” to many “regulators”.What is the world population of insects and how much do they weigh? Brian Hocking, a Canadianentomologist, estimated there were about 1 quintillion individuals at any given time - that is a one with 18 zerosafter it. Based on this figure, he calculated their combined weight at 27 billion tons or 12 times the weight of the479