Really sad that it has come to this, but I would do the same if I had an ash tree in my yard. Great trees around a home are hard to come by, and it takes decades to get one to really nice size. Something comes after maples, I'll be in trouble.

Arktrees

Sadly, we never know for sure if preventives were the reason for things surviving, whether it's things we take or things we apply to the landscape. But a preventive is the way to go. Our Extension service is advising that applying imidacloprid after an infestation won't do the business. I wish the one thing that worked wasn't that particular pesticide though, as it is so widely implicated as one cause of the collapse of bee colonies.

Still, I would try it. That's a small price to pay to save a beautiful mature tree, and it's a whole lot cheaper than paying to remove a dead tree. EABs were only found in our county in KS this month. Seven years ago when we lived in the Chicago area, EABs were already moving in, and we were paying $175 as year to treat the big ash in our front yard.

Not sure I understand your logic Toro.....You have a tree you really don't want( 20' volunteer )...so instead of cutting it down, you choose to make it toxic to all living things just because you have leftover chemicals??? Try it on your Fruit Loops!

"toxic to all living things"- beyond laughable

Really weak slightly veiled attempt to make a backhanded criticism of you treating your trees with insecticides. Nothing more, nothing less.

Nicotinoids aren't toxic to even all insects, let alone, fungi, bacteria, cyanobacteria, plants, protozoans, most mammals, crustaceans, etc. I'm sure plenty will grow in the treatment zone, where there would be nothing if it were "toxic to all living things" including the tree itself.

Do you even know the mode of action? Obviously not. How about educating yourself before making backhanded statements. So you don't like the ideal of using insecticides. Fine. Grow a set and say so.

Toronado, your statement was perfectly clear.

Arktrees

This post was edited by arktrees on Sat, Aug 10, 13 at 9:47

Yes Toro ,
Your statement was perfectly clear- blatantly throw your chemicals into the environment with no regards to neighbours, beneficial insects, birds, fish, water tables, pets, etc...
I agree Ark that ''all living things" was a little extreme. Thank you for the education in regards to the organisms that are not effected by the chemicals (short term anyway).
I'm well aware of the benifits of pesticides, but also aware of the effects of mistreatment/ misapplication of pesticides.

Ark, I aleady have a set. Thats why I choose to stand up for those that can't.

Dan, I share many of your environmental concerns and sometimes your attitude.

But my son your ASSUMPTIONS are a bit of a stretch. They discredit anything I may ever hear you say. Hopefully you think more before you speak in front of your children.

Forgiving your misunderstanding of my ability to read the label and check for saturated ground and flowing water before I make my soil drench, let me assure you the volunteer is in a fine place and I have decided to keep it. It earned its keep by surviving the weed eater a decade back lol.

I will also make sure not to drag my neighbor's dog through the stuff or make him drink it if that makes ya feel better.

Now educate me on the organisms I killed with that last batch of anti biotics I took. I understand there is quite the fuss about what happens if you throw away the empty / residue bottles or dump em in the sink also.

Your a well intentioned trip. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I have no doubt that you motives are positive, however you fail to grasp the complexities, and continue to spit hyperbole. "organisms that are not effected by the chemicals (short term anyway)" is nothing but yet another veil attempt to say "toxic to all living things". Grandiose, ridiculous statements when you apparently have no clue how this compound even works (hint: you need a nervous system to begin with), nor this INSECTICIDE's environmental fate (no hints this time). Until you grasp these concepts you are doomed to ridiculous statements.

However, since you seem to believe you are of great environmental wisdom, then I have a couple questions for you to answer on toronado's behalf. First, if not using this INSECTICIDE, how do you propose saving toronado's trees from EAB? What no answer? Well then toronado must remove those fine mature trees that are shading his house. What is the result of that? Waht you haven't considered that? What about the lose of genetic diversity of ash trees population due to them being killed by EAB. No answer there either? Then what about the increased cooling costs associated with the lose of shade on his house? Doesn't that mean more electricity? Doesn't more electricity mean more CO2? And since probable at least half of this electricity comes from coal.... what about the Mercury in the coal that is volatilized into the air, rained out on the environment, and is being concentrated in fish etc.? What about those sulfur compounds? Acid rain ring a bell? Oh, so you think CFL lighting is the answer to reduce the impact?.... not so fast.... what about the Mercury in those? Ever hear of the lousy "power factor" (another hint: takes allot more power than they are rated at to run those things, and that power still has to be produced at a power plant) nearly all CFL's have? Do we need to continue? I say again, how about educating yourself, and making direct comments that you can back up.

FTR, I do not like using this insecticide. It is too persistent for my liking. However, it is the most practical for the original subject of this thread. I have used this insecticide very occasionally for specific purposes. Just the same, whatever I deem necessary to use, I use carefully and normally in a spot application with environmental impacts in mind. We have no shortage of insects in our yard, beneficial and otherwise. Our neighbors honey bee hive is doing VERY well, having swarmed twice this year. Our soil is radically improved from the time we moved in (hence I need to mow after just 3 days and I have not fertilized), and our plants seem to be very happy.

Arktrees

This post was edited by arktrees on Sun, Aug 11, 13 at 15:31