Bunny,
A reputable local nursery insisted I could plant some rhodies they sold
me on the east side of my house. Despite two years of constant watering
and Wilt-Prufing the morning sun turned the edges of the leaves into
crispy critters every summer and I lost some leaves altogether.
Last year the rhodies got some sort of very nasty-looking fungal
disease from all the stress. I had pretty much given them up as goners
but I moved them to a shadier spot this spring. I cut off all the
totally diseased leaves and cut just the yucky parts off leaves that
still showed some sign of green, carefully disinfecting the pruners
with alcohol between each cut.
One week later the disease was still spreading so I decided to try a
fungal-killing strength of Kleen Kill after testing it on a couple of
leaves. Three sprayings of the Kleen Kill kept the disease at bay while
the plants put out new growth. None of the new leaves were affected and
I was able to remove all the remaining old leaves in about a month's time.
Despite having had temperatures in the mid to high nineties for about a
month solid the rhodies are thriving and the new growth remains
disease-free. My experience with the rhodies makes me mightily curious
as to whether the Kleen Kill might not be an effective treatment for
other fungal diseases particularly since most organic solutions for
fungal disease seem to be preventative rather than curative.
The enzymes work by digesting organic matter. I would think that
testing the spray on a few leaves first would be extremely wise to see
if the enzymes might digest the foliage as well as the disease spores
before getting too carried away.
I'm generally very unenthusiastic about routine spraying for disease
but if plants have been stressed due to correctable cultural conditions
or bizarre weather I think a little babying is sometimes in order. In
my case the rhodies were quite expensive and poorly sited. I feel the
little TLC was well worth the effort.
I initially ordered Kleen Kill to clean potting/seed starting supplies
because the smell of bleach makes me nauseous. Now I am using it mixed
with a little peppermint castille soap for all my kitchen and bath
cleaning. I agree with Bunny that Kleen Kill is a product with a lot of
interesting possiblilities.
I am sorry that Eric Acosta hasn't chimed in on this discussion as I
wish he would offer an 8 oz. trial size of the Kleen Kill. While
economical to use once diluted, I think the initial cost for the 1 qt.
size stops a lot of people from giving it a try.
---
Peggy Enes (peggy@unicom.net) Zone 5/6 NE KS AHS Heat Zone 7
Wed, 28 Jul 1999 Tony & Moira Ryan wrote:
Hi folks! I just happened to look at the Digest today for the first time in
several days. I'll have to go back and see where this discussion started, but
from the subject title, I'll guess that it started with using Kleen Kill
against Fire Ants, which is a very good use for it. For starters, Kleen Kill
doesn't smell like bleach. It's just that some impurities in the water break
down where one component is ammonia. Kleen Kill doesn't have ammonia in it.
It's a by product of the enzymatic action.
In any case, dilute Kleen Kill enzymes at 4 oz KK to a gallon of water.
Optionally. add 2 oz Peppermint Oil Soap. The soap acts as a surfactant,
causing the solution to flow faster through the soil. Pour SLOWLY into the
mound, so as to disturb the ants as little as possible. There is no need to
use pressure, that I can think of. Use nore solution if anything. Two gallons
may be necessary in some cases. If the colony splits and resurfaces
elsewhere, it will be a fraction of the original colony. Treat as necessary.
I can't believe that they are mandating that Diazinon be used in all
commercial flower containers. Don't they realize that the ants are becoming
immune to it? The more they use, the worse it gets. Diatomaceous Earth would
work much better. Entomopathogenic nematodes in the pots would probably work
too. Not as cheap as Diazinon, but certainly more effective, and if they're
trying to resolve a problem, why not do it right? What good is it if it's
cheap, but doesn't work?
About the less than 32 oz Kleen Kill Enzyme Cleaner issue, I'm going to speak
with the bottler about this. It seems to me to be a valid issue. I could
easily see having a 16 oz Kleen Kill and maybe an 8 oz. bottle.
As for Tony & Moira, I will send you 8 oz. of Kleen Kill for just the
postage, if I can find an empty 8 oz bottle here. Believe it or not, it would
cost $16.11 to send by Air and $16.70 to send by Sea. Write to me.
All the best,
Eric W. Acosta - Director
Biocontrol Network
Bio-rational Alternatives for an Ever Shrinking Planet
*************************************************
URL http://www.biconet.com E-Mail: ebugs@biconet.com
*************************************************
Peggy Enes wrote:
Peggy
I would like to second this plea for a trial size. As you can imagine
postage is a big factor when one is as far away as New Zealand and when
added to the cost of the product makes one reluctant to experiment..
Moira
--
Tony & Moira Ryan
Wainuiomata,
New Zealand (astride the "Ring of Fire" in the SW Pacific).
