The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 23

advertorial organic pest control Cropserve makes it possible to have a pest-free garden without resorting to synthetic chemicals. 3. There is a zero-day harvest interval, which means that veggies can be picked the day they were sprayed, unlike vegetables that have been sprayed with synthetic chemicals. SPRAYING Are you looking for a synthetic chemical- free spray that gets rid of the pests and diseases with ease? Cropserve sells three unique biological (organic) products that are highly effective in keeping the pests and diseases at bay and they can be used on vegetables, ornamental plants in the garden and roses, too. They are also becoming more widely used in horticulture and agriculture. As these products are more preventative in nature, the trick to making them effective is to spray and apply them before the appearance of disease or when it first appears. Good control of disease is difficult to achieve when the sprays are applied at a later stage. It is a good idea to implement a regular spraying routine to prevent any outbreaks, especially during the rainy season with the onset of many pests. whiteflies, caterpillars, leaf miner and thrips. Levo protects the plants for over ten days, and targets pests that do not develop a resistance easily. Kobe 1.2SL ™ This protective fungicide prevents the onset of powdery mildew, late blight and downy mildew. Kobe protects the plants for over ten days, but this all depends on the timing of the application and disease pressure. Silwet Silwet is a wetting agent that boosts the efficacy of Levo and Kobe when applied together. It is also effective against red spider mite and powdery mildew when used on its own. ADVANTAGES THE PRODUCTS Besides being biological sprays, there are several other benefits in using these products: Levo 2.4 SL™ This is a new broad-spectrum biological insecticide that can be used on a wide range of ornamental plants, vegetables and crops against a wide spectrum of pests, such as aphids, spider mite, 1. You can mix the three of them together when you want to spray, which saves you time. 2. They are able to discriminate and don’t harm the beneficial insects and mites such as ladybirds, earthworms and bees. The products can be used in a knapsack and should be applied as a full-cover spray on all plant foliage, which means spraying on both sides of leaves. They should be sprayed every ten days, but if it rains, they should be re-sprayed. If the pest problem is severe, your plants should be sprayed at shorter intervals. Pest control is best achieved when plants are sprayed during the early morning or late afternoon. CAUTION Handle with care. These products are harmful when swallowed and inhaled. Protective clothing should be used when spraying. Keep out of children’s and animal’s reach. CROPSERVE Suppliers of a full range of pesticides and fertilisers. A range of biological pesticides are available at most garden outlets. Ximex Park 16.5km peg, Lomagundi Rd P.O. Box WGT 120 Westgate Harare, Zimbabwe 04 307628/9, 04 333623, 04 308601 0782 985 416, 0772 270 330 0772 247 735 [email protected] 23