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AquaPest - Away

I used this product sold through this site and I think the dilution was too strong (though it came as ready to go) because it killed all my plants. Anyone use this before.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Welber on February 23, 2013 at 1:43pm

I have used it and didn't have that experience. No plant damage so far. They do warn to not spray until late in the day because it can burn plants.

Permalink Reply by Harold Sukhbir on February 23, 2013 at 1:46pm

Hi Linda,

How and when did you apply the spray. Say's on the bottle, not in direct sunlight and not into the fish tank.

Permalink Reply by Vlad Jovanovic on February 23, 2013 at 1:57pm

Hi Linda. I've not used that particular product, but I have often made my own similar mix. Plant essential oils (and basically any oils) kill soft bodied insects by clogging up the pores and in essence suffocating them. Certain plants like peppers, are especially sensitive to such oils and will "burn" more easily than other plants. 3% to 5% oil seems to be the sweet spot for most plants, but again, even at these levels it will really do a number on peppers and probably some others. Over use, or too strong a mix will clog plant stomata and really devastate them. But at the levels listed you really shouldn't have those types of problems? I wonder what gives?

Could it be that the product separated out?...Were you toward the end of the bottle, or was it new? Did you follow the manufacturer's directions?

Try a Spinosad A and D mix...or a B. bassiana based product. Both are fish safe and don't have the possible "the operation was a success, but the patient died" side effects oil based products can sometimes have... :)

(Also, oils getting into the water can really mess up your fish...coating the gills, damaging or killing them. That said, they can be used safely if you follow certain precautions...but I'm sure all of this stuff is already covered on that products labeling/instructions)...

Permalink Reply by Linda Logan on February 23, 2013 at 6:00pm

I did it early in the morning and we have a totally overcast day. The leaves didn't burn as much as looked like I dunked them in hot water. Complete wilt. It was a brand new bottle and and the only instructions are to shake well which I did, to throughly cover the underside of the leaves (hard to do underside without doing top), repeat at 2 day intervals, and at night or on an overcast day.

I think that it wasn't dispursed enough.

If I try again I will be more cautious. It was fine on my well developed outdoor plants that are currently in the greenhouse but not the ones that have only grown in the greenhouse.