I purchased some Messenger for the first time and would like some advice on how best to use it with my seedlings.
1) There is no need to dillute the Messenger when using it on very young seedlings, right? (that is what I deduced from reading the packaging)
2) At what point do you begin using Messenger on seedlings? (As soon as they emerge, or do you give them some time to become established first?)
I have used it twice this season, do I qualify as able to answer this?
I wait to make a batch until I have some seedlings with one or two sets of leaves, but I spray everything heavily, even ones just germinating. I have seen some online pictures of seedlings with very thin willowy (threadlike) stems. They look like a puff of wind would knock them flat. I would be leery of getting heavy water on them, even as a mist, but other than that, I'd say go for it.
I take the envelope which is good for 1 gallon and try to shake out 1/4 of it for my 16 oz hand sprayer. If I were a good person, I would have measured out the powder so I knew exactly how much 1/4 is, but I just guessed. I add water to the sprayer and go to town. I spray all seedlings and even bare cell packs thathaven't germinated because I need to use up the whole batch I make. Then I go upstairs and hit all the houseplants to use up the rest. [If you're reading between the lines, you'll see that not only is it okay to use full strength on seedlings, but it's ok even if you go over a smidge by not measuring precisely.]
Last summer, when I got my first envelopes from a local gardening pal, I was told to use the finest spray I could. So I sent Mr. Clean out to get some hand sprayers and he came back with 2 from the laundry aisle of the local drugstore. These are the BEST sprayers! Ugly, generic, but fantastic! I had always gotten sprayers from the teenagers' hair section of the drug store...they'd be bright pink with a purple trigger or have glitter on them or something, and they'd break about an hour after I got them home. Never thought to look in the laundry aisle. Leave it to Mr. Clean to find your basic white on white in the cleaning aisle! LOL! However they are perfect for seedlings.
My friend laughed at me because we actually used the entire gallon in the garden spraying only with handsprayers...2 fill ups each. I told Mr. Clean it was VERY expensive & had to be used in 15 minutes, so he'd be forced to help me. LOL! The reason she laughed is because she wanted me to use the hose end sprayer on the finest spray, not that I had to do it by hand, but it was fun trying to beat the clock and I imagine we'll do it again that way this summer, at least until the novelty wears off. Or he figures out they're only a couple dollars per pack.
Anyway, it's great stuff, I highly recommend it.
Suzy
LOL - Yes, Suzy, you qualify! Funny story. Once Spring hits, I'll probably mix it into a pump sprayer and use it on the entire garden.
Field Report: because I'm impatient and have Instant Gratification issues, yesterday I went ahead and measured out (smile) 1/4 tsp into a one quart bottle then sprayed all of my flats of seedlings. Then, I went upstairs and hit every houseplant including the perennials that are overwintering in pots in the sunroom. I can't imagine being able to use up this little packet of Messenger within 3 weeks - at least not this time of year.
I will remember your spray bottle advice. I go through them like crazy at the barn during the summer when we're always spraying the horses for flies. For the seedlings I found a small ceramic mister at a discount store for a couple dollars. It's tiny, but it works really well... For now.
I am including a link to a LONG discussion last year about messenger. If you will scroll down to March 14, Thripmaster said that it was fine to use Messenger on any seedling that had leaves. It seemed to think that you could use it even before they germinated - at least that was my take on it! Also, I believe that he agreed you should use it full strength.
Thripmaster is a scientist that works for Eden, the makers of Messenger and Mighty Plant. I'm not sure if he is still around, since I haven't seen any recent postings.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/577362/
Well, I'm on my way to mix up a batch of messenger!
Thanks, Pennefeather! I've already started using it, full strenth, on my seedlings. (smile)
LOLOL I just found a bag FULLfMighty Plant I bought in the coop! I hid it from myself in an unmarked bag. I want to buy some messenger too I think. I take it everyone thinks its the STUFF!??!
I cant believe I misplaced it.
Thanks, JD
I use it and love it.. on everything just about.
Maybe I'm on that thread talking about it.. Haven't checked..
Thripmaster is no longer active here and she no longer works for EdenBio :( She is missed.
Susan
There is someone else around DG who works for Eden--I can't remember her username off the top of my head but she posted a couple times in some of the Messenger coop threads to answer people's questions.
ecrane, her name is Lisa and I believe her DG name is DahliaMae.
can anyonr tell me how to make the alphalfa tea? And how to use it?
wineaux--you might want to start a new thread for this question, and you'll probably get more answers if you post over in the Organic Gardening forum (I think there are already a few threads over there talking about alfalfa tea and I'm sure there's instructions in there somewhere)
thank you ecrane.
Be careful with that Mighty Plant; I don't advise using it on seedlings. I used it 1/4 strength on some Primula and I nearly killed the entire pot of baby seedlings. I think the number on it is 18-18-18, so no wonder. I would hold it back for garden plants in full stage of early growth.
Suzy
