Borers

Claire asked if the borer is protected from Cygon use after it has
hatched and entered the leaf. It appears that they are well protected
once they are in the leaf and the rhizome.  I sprayed twice this last
year, ten days apart, and still had some borers in some of my plants,
other than the Bruce Ricardson collection from Southern Ontrio which was
infested.  Once the larvae develop to a significant size, they are
difficult to kill, even by hand.  I am sure that a clorox wash will have
little or no impact.

I became quite ill after using Cygon and would advise anyone using it to
be very careful.  I sprayed on windless evenings and moved continuously
through the garden in one direction so that I avoided directly entering
the mist zone.  I also sprayed low (1 ft) over the plant, not up in the
air.  This year, I will use a good protective filter mask and shower
right afterwards as I am certain that the poison can penetrate the skin
directly.

Nematodes would be an ideal alternative and I will be exploring that
option before April.

Ian, in Ottawa
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